George Karkanis - Biography

After years spent in IT departments and computer science, George Karkanis realized that he was brought to this world to work with people, not devices. He pursued a new career in the field of psychology and currently works as a forensic psychologist and behavioral analyst. Apart from therapy with different types of victims and offenders, his scientific focus is on behavioral analysis, profiling and information elicitation. He specializes in interviewing techniques and analysis of linguistics, paralinguistics and non-verbal behaviors for profiling purposes and truthfulness and credibility assessments. He studies the role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in interviewing and investigative procedures in the Criminal Justice System and he is certified to administer the B-level psychometric EI tests MSCEIT and EQ-i 2.0/EQ360.

After his first counter-trafficking outreach in the streets of Athens in 2012, George heard the voice of the voiceless and saw the ones who don’t feel seen. Ever since, he has been actively involved in setting the captives free, addressing passionately the criminal dimension in this line of work.

He has developed criminally-informed programs, which are implemented by Hagar Ministries, a counter-trafficking organization in Athens that he serves as co-founder and General Director. As a registered member of the European Freedom Network, he provides consulting and training on interviewing survivors and traffickers, profiling and analysis of criminal behavior to counter-trafficking organizations across Europe.

George considers himself a social entrepreneur; he invests in people. As such, his path leads him to academic teaching to raise the next generation of professionals. He has been invited to give guest lectures on the topics of prevention of trafficking and the use of EI in behavioral analysis for forensic contexts for multiple Master’s programs at City Unity College, Greece, Leeds Beckett University, UK, and Liberty University, USA.

Studies and Certifications

-B.Sc. in Forensic Psychology (First Class Honours), University of Central Lancashire, UK
-M.Sc. in Forensic Psychology (First Class Honours), Coventry University, UK
-Certified in the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT)
-Certified in the EQ-i 2.0/EQ360 Emotional Intelligence Test
-NLP Practitioner, International NLP Trainers Association
-NLP Master Practitioner, International NLP Trainers Association
-Certified New Code NLP Practitioner, International Trainers Academy of NLP
-Timeline Therapy Practitioner, Timeline Therapy Association
-Body Language Expert, Joe Navarro Body Language Academy
-Facial Micro-Expressions and Body Language Practitioner, Dynamic Equilibrium Systems, Paul Ekman International Partner
-B.Sc. in Multimedia Computing, Huddersfield University, UK
-CISCO Certified Network Associate, New Horizons, CISCO Systems Learning Partner
-Special Intervention Skills (SOF & Police Counter Terrorism Units), International Law Enforcement Training Agency
-Basic Rappelling Procedures, International Law Enforcement Training Agency
-Advanced Rappelling Procedures, International Law Enforcement Training Agency
-Tactical Rappel – Expert Level, International Law Enforcement Training Agency
-Basic Bodyguard Skills, International Bodyguard Association
-Concealed Carry Weapons & Basic Tactical Firearms, Tactical Combat Systems
-Close Protection Operator Basic Skills, Tactical Combat Systems
-Has served in the Greek Special Forces, Paratroopers Division