Browsing by Author "Fernandez-Alvarez, Javier"

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    Personal experience of Latin American therapists on their clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic (Experiencia personal de terapeutas latinoamericanos sobre su practica clinica durante la pandemia por COVID-19)
    (2022) Fernandez, Olga; Daniel Espinosa, H.; Krause, Mariane; Altimir, Carolina; Mantilla, Carla; Paz, Clara; Lozano, Arturo G.; Argumedo, Doris; De la Cerda, Cecilia; Juan, Santiago; Fernandez, Sofia; Paz Lancho, M.; Fernandez-Alvarez, Javier
    The health conditions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted in-person therapy, and as a result online therapy was put into practice. The objective of this study was to describe and analyse, from the perspective of the therapist, how the pandemic has influenced their experience and clinical practice. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 Latin American therapists who had performed online therapy during the pandemic. The information was analysed following the coding procedures of the Grounded Theory. Three core categories were constructed from the analysis: (a) impact on the therapist: spiral of uncertainty, oppression and adaptive astonishment; (b) incorporation of technologies into clinical practice: 'I never thought they could help'; and (c) transformation of the practice of psychotherapy: 'water always finds its way'. The model incorporates and relates therapists' perceptions of their professional work, patients' attitudes towards this new psychotherapy method, perception of the therapeutic relationship and process, and the facilitators and obstacles experienced in online therapy.
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    The Importance of Conducting Practice-oriented Research with Underserved Populations
    (2024) Fernandez-Alvarez, Javier; Molinari, Guadalupe; Kilcullen, Ryan; Delgadillo, Jaime; Drill, Rebecca; Errazuriz, Paula; Falkenstrom, Fredrik; Firth, Nick; O'Shea, Amber; Paz, Clara; Youn, Soo Jeong; Castonguay, Louis G.
    There has been a growing emphasis on dissemination of empirically supported treatments. Dissemination, however, should not be restricted to treatment. It can and, in the spirit of the scientific-practitioner model, should also involve research. Because it focuses on the investigation of clinical routine as it takes place in local settings and because it can involve the collaboration of several stakeholders, practice-oriented research (POR) can be viewed as an optimal research method to be disseminated. POR has the potential of addressing particularly relevant gaps of knowledge and action when implemented in regions of the world that have limited resources for or experiences with empirical research, and/or in clinical settings that are serving clinical populations who are not typically receiving optimal mental care services - specifically, individuals in rural and inner cities that have limited economic and social resources. The establishment and maintenance of POR in such regions and/or settings, however, come with specific obstacles and challenges. Integrating the experiences acquired from research conducted in various continents (Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America), the goal of this paper is to describe some of these challenges, strategies that have been implemented to address them, as well as new possible directions to facilitate the creation and growth of POR. It also describes how these challenges and ways to deal with them can provide helpful lessons for already existing POR infrastructures.