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As the crisis of global pandemic continues to unfold and alter the everyday workings of public life, early trends in the impact on mental healthcare treatment at a safety-net hospital illuminate implications for clinical work in the public sector under unprecedented conditions and beyond. While there are many important areas to consider and research to come, the current paper will explore the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on attendance of psychotherapy sessions. The authors point to early evidence from their caseloads in an outpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy training program showing a statistically significant decrease in missed appointments upon switching, in crisis, to a telehealth model. In this paper we explore possible reasons for this decrease in missed appointments, including psychological reasons (such as increased need for connection) and logistical reasons (such as eliminating barriers to attendance). Finally, we point to considerations and implications for practice during and after the crisis of the pandemic has subsided, and consider ways in which the changing approach may, in effect, increase access and remove barriers to care that pre-date our current crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic created an unprecedented physical and mental health crisis on an international scale. Clients and therapists alike navigated the fears and uncertainty surrounding the virus, often in an environment of social isolation. The following paper presents a brief overview of the unique stressors and psychosocial factors impacting therapeutic work in the time of the coronavirus pandemic, including fears of the virus and social transmission, relational stressors due to isolation, grieving in isolation, fear of death, financial challenges, and the transition to telehealth. In addition, this paper aims to provide specific interventions and helpful approaches for psychotherapists navigating the novel challenges and demands to their clinical work through an AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) perceptive. This includes finding an entry point for accessing the pain: undoing aloneness; moving through the pain: dyadic affect regulation; and paying close attention to vitality within suffering: searching for transformance. Recommendations for the health and care of the clinician are also discussed, such as attuning to self-needs, anticipating and detecting dysregulation, staying with the good, meaning-making, identifying and responding to burnout, and the importance of receiving personal therapy and clinical supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portugal is one of the European countries that implemented early protective measures in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Portugal declared a state of emergency on 18 March, and a set of regional and national preventive public health measures was progressively implemented. Studies on the psychological impact of pandemics show evidence of the negative impact on mental health. Of particular concern are individuals with previous fragility (e.g. personal, family or occupational) and those undergoing life transitions. In this paper, we present a telephone-based psychological crisis intervention that was implemented to provide brief, appropriate, and timely psychological help. This intervention follows standard models of crisis intervention and is structured in five phases and five different intervention modules to take into account the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of specific risk groups. With these support services, we hope to help our community better cope with the immediate impact of the pandemic and to contribute to preventing serious mental health problems in the medium and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic qualifies as a major national and global disaster. Behavioral health providers are poised to provide psychological crisis interventions to reduce the psychosocial effects. This paper presents a brief transdiagnostic mental health maintenance intervention tailored to treat adults and families with distress symptoms. The intervention components include evidence-based techniques which have been strategically selected to address distress related to the pandemic and to prevent the escalation of distress. The intervention aims to be flexibly incorporated into care based on the provider and needs of the presenting individuals. The intervention incorporates components of evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and associated "third wave" therapies (e.g. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). The intervention can be delivered via telehealth and includes the following modules: 1) Agenda Setting & Avoidance Identification; 2) Responding to Difficult News/Normalizing Reactions; 3) Perspective Taking; 4) Situational Control/Acceptance; 5) Maintaining a Healthy Routine; 6) Coping with Stress; 7) Insomnia Preventions; and 8) Building Resiliency & Hope. The intervention includes a list of home based pleasurable activities, a list of technology modalities to maintain social interactions, and a handout for patients. Research is needed to further test this intervention and assess implementation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In early 2020, the world was thrust into a crisis with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in the sudden expansion of telepractice in the mental health field for licensed mental health providers and trainees. Prior to the pandemic, few mental health training programs provided training opportunities in telehealth service delivery. The Texas A&M Telebehaviroal Care Program (TBC) is one of a few telemental health training programs in the world. The TBC has provided telehealth services to rural and underserved populations since 2009 with a hub and spoke model of care, but due to constraints related to the pandemic has recently transitioned to an all in-home model of telehealth service delivery. The present paper highlights recent policy changes to in-home telepractice and the TBC methodology for transitioning to in-home service delivery. Results include solutions to common pitfalls in areas such as communication and logistics, clinical supervision and consultation, and boundary setting. Recommendations are also provided for the development of training programs throughout the world to equip mental health trainees in telehealth service delivery. Mental health practitioners are poised to thrive in the face of adversity during the COVID-19 pandemic and trainees should not be left behind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of time, people have been using a range of healing practices to resolve health and mental health concerns. Among these are the traditional healing practices which appear to be growing among immigrant communities in the West, for example, Yoga, Ayurveda, Astrology, Voodoo, Santeria; and, the newer forms, viz., Maat, Morita therapy, Naikan therapy, and many others. These indigenous healing methods seem to address some of the many shortcomings of conventional health care and are practiced in conjunction with, and at times in the place of, modern Western forms. It seems that including two different health care modalities is possible since competing and contradictory cures can be held alongside each other without creating conflict in the client. This paper discusses traditional and cultural healers and healing in non-Western countries and those practices that are engaged with in the diaspora. The paper also considers the use of traditional healing alongside Western counselling and psychotherapy-dual interventions. Finally, the paper explores several strategies that counsellors could undertake when working with ethnic minority clients, particularly those clients who also enter into dual relationships with traditional healers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the notion that marginalized clients through their socio-cultural and geo-political histories are positioned “outside” the masculine cultural metaphors and conventional theoretical epistemologies of counselling, psychology and psychotherapy. In other words, these minoritized clients are “outside the sentence” of the texts and contexts of therapy. The discursive practice of therapeutic reconstitution and restoration produces a particular set of vocabularies and sentences that facilitate transformation and psychic equilibrium consistent with the process of individuation and self actualization. However, for marginalized groups, such as black and other visible minority, women, deaf, gay and lesbian clients the hegemonic masculine narratives of counselling psychology and psychotherapy only make it possible for these clients to be “outside the sentence”, not just grammatically and metaphorically of the therapeutic project, but in the external reality of how the practice is clinically governed. In other words, the social and cultural marginalization outside the clinic room is in a dialectical relationship with the therapy dyad. For the minoritized client being “outside the sentence” produces the effect of being “inside” another process, i.e., the history of subjugation, domination, diaspora, and displacement. This paper explores this issue and argues that the only way for counselling, psychology and psychotherapy to bring the diversity client “within the sentence” of therapy is to assign and re-inscribe the history, memory and pain of “the Other” voices to the “inside” of the therapeutic space, to interrupt and disrupt the hegemonic masculine narratives, thus transforming “non-sentences” into sentences and paragraphs, and eventually into essays of the discursive subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a critique of the cross-cultural utility and validity of somatization in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. Somatization is defined as the process by which psychological distress is expressed as physical symptoms that have no known organic basis. Rather than a phenomenon limited to non-western cultures as commonly thought of in the past, somatization should be recognized as a universal experience found across cultures. It underscores the significant interrelationships between the mind/psyche and the body, an area embraced by some disciplines such as Jungian psychology and psychotherapy, but historically neglected by bioscience. This paper argues that the reputedly low prevalence of somatization observed in western cultures is an artifact, due to the overly restrictive diagnostic criteria used in clinical practice. This paper argues in favor of the retention of somatization as a valid concept in diagnosis, treatment, and in psychotherapy, especially at a time of increasing cultural diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its origins, cinema has promoted awareness of ethical problems. With the expansion of the film industry, these subjects have reached wider audiences, promoting interesting discussions inside and outside the academic world. Meanwhile, studies of explicit ethical subjects related to Science and Technology have increased, as has the attention paid to Human Rights problems. This paper describes a unique model of using scenarios in the form of film clips from popular television series and films to teach human rights from a perspective of bioethics. The methodology has been developed over twelve years of teaching and research by the Department of Ethics and Human Rights in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Buenos Aires. This approach has been developed for mental health intervention in disasters and applied in a course utilizing multi-media materials that has been organized to facilitate understanding the articles of the Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights and to promote interest and research in a new field intersecting psychology, human rights, health and legal issues. An illustration of the technique is presented, using an episode from a popular television drama. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is about ethical principles and human rights. It focuses on the Universal Declaration of Ethical Principles for Psychologists (International Union of Psychological Science, 2008) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, 1948). It shows that both declarations are mutually supportive, but also different. It highlights the role of each declaration in the building of a better world globally. The need to focus on ethics-based education and training for promoting and reaffirming human rights in community mental health services in the world's many different countries and cultures is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a nine-dimensional model for community health care that is based on the recognition of human rights and is consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with its emphasis on the respect and dignity of individuals. The model is multi-faceted in that is takes into account biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of functioning, within the context of ethnic and cultural identities. The model is further consistent with the client-centered approach of counselling and health care grounded in a humanistic theoretical framework. Designed for application with individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds, this model can be implemented in countries throughout the world. Such an approach contributes to the growing field of human rights education. The model was presented at the midday workshop on “Grassroots & Professional Community Mental Health Education Models of Human Rights” at the Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Conference on “Reaffirming Human Rights for All: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 60,” 3 September 2008 at UNESCO in Paris, France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing trend in the West to seek alternative, complementary and traditional healing not only as a reaction to Western biomedicine but also to the mindset of “talking heads” in psychotherapy. Traditional healing aims to restore harmony and balance within the individual through a symbiosis of the body, mind and spirit. Through this process traditional healing offers a holistic conceptualization of wellness and wellbeing, both within the individual, and between the individual and his or her environment. Comparative studies on alternative healing practices indicate that many patients/clients often see a mental health professional and a traditional healer concurrently. This paper considers the use of traditional healing alongside Western counselling psychology as a process of dual interventions for clients who engage traditional healing practices alongside psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a discussion of the meaning of the personal integrated inner body, mind, emotions and spirit dialogue from an Aboriginal perspective and the importance of placing this in a collective positioning of mental health and psychological treatment. The Aboriginal/Native American concept of the Medicine Wheel and the presence of balance and free will that are associated with it, burning tobacco, the power of story and the sweat lodge are used to ground and situate this discussion and demonstrate how traditional healing and the inner dialogue are linked. A discussion is offered as to the integration of traditional healing practices in counselling and psychotherapy and also how traditional healing is a culture and community based form of traditional counselling and psychotherapy. How the engagement of the inner dialogue of the body, mind, emotions and spirit helps to heal individuals, families and communities is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the atmosphere of fear and controversy that surrounds Muslims at this moment in time it is hardly surprising that they feel unable to voice their fears and concerns openly. Added to this is the fact that Muslims already underutilize mental health services (Patel et al., 2000). In the counselling arena four distinct aspects of the counselling relationship are affected. First, the therapeutic alliance, second, the socio-political context in which counselling occurs, third, the awareness of personal characteristics and competencies that facilitate multicultural counselling and, finally, the training requirements of multicultural counsellors. This paper seeks to consider each of these aspects of the therapeutic encounter with regard to Muslim clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an earlier paper (Carey, T. A. (2005). Can patients specify treatment parameters? A preliminary investigation. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 12, 326-335) an approach to treatment delivery was examined in which the duration and frequency of the appointments was scheduled by patients. Results of this approach were encouraging but the generalizability of the results was constrained because only one clinician trialed the approach and no standardized assessment measures were used. In the present study there are two clinicians involved and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) was used. The approach was introduced at one GP practice and monitored over a six-month period. Results suggest that this approach might be an effective way of promoting patient access to, and involvement in, service delivery as well as reducing waiting times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commentary on the Special Issue papers on the Scientist-Practitioner Model is presented. Based on the authors' recollections, a senior scholar uses a contextual approach to describe the historical and social sources of the evolution of the S-P model. It is recommended that the S-P perspective not be restricted to a philosophy of training nor a particular kind of scientific methodology, but include a historical and social understanding of the unfolding instantiations of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vicarious traumatization (VT) refers to harmful changes that occur in professionals’ views of themselves, others, and the world, as a result of exposure to the graphic and/or traumatic material of their clients. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) refers to a set of psychological symptoms that mimic post-traumatic stress disorder, but is acquired through exposure to persons suffering the effects of trauma. Numerous studies have sought to identify correlates of both VT and STS, yet there still exists a lack of conceptual clarity in the literature about VT, STS, and the related constructs of burnout and compassion fatigue. This has made it difficult to use the literature to inform practice and training. This study clarifies the definitions of VT and STS and uses levels of evidence analysis to synthesize the research findings to date. Originally planned as a meta-analysis, the study was re-designed as methodological issues in the literature became apparent that would call into question the validity of a meta-analysis. The current method of analysis documents the degree of evidence for the most commonly researched factors that have been researched as possible contributors to the development of both VT and STS, synthesizing the findings of published research and dissertations written in the English language from 1994–2003. Findings indicate that persuasive evidence exists for personal trauma history, reasonable evidence for perceived coping style, and some evidence for supervision experiences, as important predictors of VT. Persuasive evidence for amount of exposure to trauma material and reasonable evidence for personal trauma history are indicated as important in the development of STS. Limitations of the current study and directions for further research are discussed. *An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 112th Annual Conference of the American Psychological Association, 31 July 2004, Honolulu Hawaii, USA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Person-centred therapy was developed by Carl Rogers [   Journal of Consulting Psychology 21 , 97–103 (1957); On becoming a person , Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1961)] and focuses on the importance of the therapeutic relationship for effective therapy. Rogers identified three necessary and sufficient conditions that are related to a positive outcome in therapy. These are: acceptance of the client, accurate empathy and congruence on the therapist's part. The present paper considers the definitions of the three core conditions and examines ways in which interventions, developed by cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), can be informed by these conditions, as identified by Rogers and his followers. We argue that CBT, while using different interventions than those traditionally used by person-centred therapists, can be practiced as a highly empathic, person-centred form of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact and long-term psychological consequences of the 11th September 2001 terrorist attacks in the USA involving commercial aircraft are likely to be far-reaching. Pilots were directly affected by these events though it is too early to comprehend the specific psychological and occupational repercussions. While psychologists have written much on the selection of commercial and military aircrew, surprisingly little has been published on the mental health of pilots. They are a unique occupational group in terms of their selection, training, lifestyle, frequent competency and medical checks, as well as the nature and changing demands placed on them. Their 'office' is normally a cramped flight deck on board an aircraft at altitudes of thousands of feet. While some aspects of their job and lifestyle appear attractive to some, their working conditions are, at worst, inhospitable and unpleasant. This paper provides an overview of current research on the mental health of pilots, gathered from a number of different fields and specialities within commercial and military aviation. The review covers their lifestyle, psychological requirements for medical certification, psychological problems amongst air crew, personality factors, disruption to personal relationships, reactions to incidents and accidents, alcohol and drug misuse, suicide by aircraft and environmental challenges. Flight crew should have easy access to psychological support; however, many pilots are distrusting of mental health professionals. Further research is needed to improve an understanding of mental health issues among pilots, especially in order to better understand the psychological impact of the terrorist attacks upon them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces this issue of the periodical which has papers based on presentations given at a special workshop on human rights and mental health, at a conference on Human Rights held in Paris, France on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and on models of mental health service and education.