Maria Psychountaki is a psychologist and a sport psychologist working as an associate professor at the School of Physical Education and Sport Science and the Department of Psychology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens. She teaches in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs of studies. The courses of her responsibility are: "Developmental psychology", "Sport psychology" and "Exercise and mental health".  She is also the Director of the Motor Behavior and Sport Psychology Laboratory. 
She has graduated in both physical education and psychology and she got her PhD in sport psychology in 1998 at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens.Since 1989 she has had experience in both clinical psychology and sport psychology as a consultant in high level individual and team sports athletes (Greek Sport federations and Cyprus Olympic Committee). For 10 years she was the sport psychologist at Panathinakos FC Academy creating a psychological support program for young soccer players; collaborating with all involved: director, coaches, players and parents. The last two years she has collaboration with the Sports Excellence program for young talented athletes’ preparation.

Her research work is in applied sport psychology topics (individual and team sports), in youth sports, and exercise and mental health issues. She has participated in two European research projects on physical activity and mental health [MENS project (2017-2018) and ASAL project (2019-2020)].

She has been the editor into the Greek language of the textbook: Sport Psychology: Concepts & Applications (Cox, 2012, 7th ed.) and the co-editor into the Greek language of the textbooks: Foundations of Sport & Exercise Psychology (Weinberg & Gould, 2015, 6th ed.) and Physical Activity & Mental Health (Clow & Edmunds, 2014).
Furthermore, from 2000 to 2010 she has been the editor of the Journal of Sport Psychology in Greece. From 2000 to 2004 she has been the President of the Hellenic Society of Sport Psychology and from 2003 to 2007 she has been the Vice President of the European Society of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC). She is a member of various national and international societies of psychology and sport psychology.