#42 | Vassia Sarantopoulou | "From perfectionism to presence" episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 23, 2025 · 1H 16M

#42 | Vassia Sarantopoulou | "From perfectionism to presence"

from Journeys of Empowerment · host Michiel Sujeet Reith

#42 Vassia’s work to normalize loneliness: what if loneliness wasn’t a sign that something is wrong, but a signal that something deeper is ready to be seen?In this episode, I connected with Vassia Sarantopoulou, founder of Anti Loneliness, a practice that’s grown from a solo effort to a thriving team of 12 psychologists supporting internationals around the world. Through her own journey as a therapist and expat, Vassia is reframing the narrative around loneliness, burnout and the high cost of perfectionism.What we explored:👉🏾 Loneliness as signal: breaking stigma and naming what so many silently feel;👉🏾 Perfectionism & performance: the inner toll of conditional self-worth;👉🏾 Therapy for therapists: why healing the healer is part of the work;👉🏾 Building Anti Loneliness: scaling a mission from pain to purpose;👉🏾 The human side of helping: boundaries, supervision and running a heart-led business!Nuggets of empowerment:🙌🏾 “You can be high-functioning and still feel like you’re failing especially when perfection is your standard”🙌🏾 “Healing isn’t fixing it’s remembering who you were before you thought you had to earn love”🙌🏾 “Loneliness doesn’t make you broken. It makes you human!”Book mentioned:📚 “Locked in work mode” (upcoming), Vassia’s forthcoming book on perfectionism, self-worth and reclaiming authenticity!Connect with Vassia:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassia-sarantopoulou/ Company website: https://www.antiloneliness.com A word from our sponsor:Great strategies fail without the right behavior.See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.Learn more: https://neotopia.nl   What if your need to be perfect is actually a call to be more fully yourself?

#42 Vassia’s work to normalize loneliness: what if loneliness wasn’t a sign that something is wrong, but a signal that something deeper is ready to be seen?In this episode, I connected with Vassia Sarantopoulou, founder of Anti Loneliness, a practice that’s grown from a solo effort to a thriving team of 12 psychologists supporting internationals around the world. Through her own journey as a therapist and expat, Vassia is reframing the narrative around loneliness, burnout and the high cost of perfectionism.What we explored:👉🏾 Loneliness as signal: breaking stigma and naming what so many silently feel;👉🏾 Perfectionism & performance: the inner toll of conditional self-worth;👉🏾 Therapy for therapists: why healing the healer is part of the work;👉🏾 Building Anti Loneliness: scaling a mission from pain to purpose;👉🏾 The human side of helping: boundaries, supervision and running a heart-led business!Nuggets of empowerment:🙌🏾 “You can be high-functioning and still feel like you’re failing especially when perfection is your standard”🙌🏾 “Healing isn’t fixing it’s remembering who you were before you thought you had to earn love”🙌🏾 “Loneliness doesn’t make you broken. It makes you human!”Book mentioned:📚 “Locked in work mode” (upcoming), Vassia’s forthcoming book on perfectionism, self-worth and reclaiming authenticity!Connect with Vassia:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassia-sarantopoulou/ Company website: https://www.antiloneliness.com A word from our sponsor:Great strategies fail without the right behavior.See how positive reinforcement turns change into measurable results.Learn more: https://neotopia.nl   What if your need to be perfect is actually a call to be more fully yourself?

NOW PLAYING

#42 | Vassia Sarantopoulou | "From perfectionism to presence"

0:00 1:16:33

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Ask A Spaceman Archives - 365 Days of Astronomy Ask A Spaceman Archives - 365 Days of Astronomy Podcasting Astronomy Every Day of the Year Eat to Live Jenna Fuhrman, Dr. Fuhrman Our health is our most precious gift and smart nutrition can change your life. Each month, join Dr. Fuhrman and his daughter, Jenna Fuhrman as they discuss important topics in the world of nutrition. Eat to Live will change the way you eat and think about food. French Your Way Jessica: Native French teacher founder of French Your Way Boost your French listening skills and test your comprehension with this one of a kind series of podcasts. Get the chance to listen to a real conversation between native speakers talking at normal speed AND customise your learning experience through carefully designed sets of questions (2 levels of difficulty) available for download at www.frenchvoicespodcast.com. All interviews also come with the transcript. French teacher Jessica interviews native speakers of French from around the world who share a bit of their life and passion. Where else would you meet in one same place a French yoga teacher based in Melbourne, a soap manufacturer from Provence, or a couple cycling around the world? That Hoarder: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding That Hoarder Hoarding disorder is stigmatised and people who hoard feel vast amounts of shame. This podcast began life as an audio diary, an anonymous outlet for somebody with this weird condition. That Hoarder speaks about her experiences living with compulsive hoarding, she interviews therapists, academics, researchers, children of hoarders, professional organisers and influencers, and she shares insight and tips for others with the problem. Listened to by people who hoard as well as those who love them and those who work with them, Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder aims to shatter the stigma, share the truth and speak openly and honestly to improve lives.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Journeys of Empowerment?

This episode is 1 hour and 16 minutes long.

When was this Journeys of Empowerment episode published?

This episode was published on September 23, 2025.

What is this episode about?

#42 Vassia’s work to normalize loneliness: what if loneliness wasn’t a sign that something is wrong, but a signal that something deeper is ready to be seen?In this episode, I connected with Vassia Sarantopoulou, founder of Anti Loneliness, a...

Can I download this Journeys of Empowerment episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!