Personal experience of Latin American therapists on their clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic (Experiencia personal de terapeutas latinoamericanos sobre su práctica clínica durante la pandemia por COVID-19)

Abstract

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. RESUMENLas condiciones de salud generadas por la pandemia por COVID-19 restringieron severamente la terapia presencial, y se puso en práctica la no presencial. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir y analizar desde la perspectiva del terapeuta, cómo la pandemia ha influido en su experiencia y en su práctica clínica. Se realizaron entrevistas cualitativas a 24 terapeutas latinoamericanos que habían realizado terapia no presencial durante la pandemia. La información fue analizada siguiendo los procedimientos de codificación de la Teoría Fundamentada. A partir del análisis se ARTICLE HISTORY

Practice-based evidence: bridging the gap between research and routine clinical practice in diverse settings (Evidencia basada en la práctica: construyendo puentes entre la investigación y la clínica rutinaria en entornos diversos)

“…The article by Fernández et al (2022) is a collaborative study between researchers from different Latin American countries that explores the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic had on therapists' routine clinical practice in the region. Using a qualitative approach based on in-depth interviews, the study seeks to characterize and understand the subjective impact of confinement on (a) the incorporation of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) to clinical practice, (b) the therapeutic process developed through this new remote working modality and (c) the therapist's personal life.…”

“…El artículo de Fernández et al (2022) es un estudio colaborativo entre investigadores de distintos países latinoamericanos que se centra en la contingencia de los efectos de la pandemia por COVID-19 en la práctica clínica rutinaria de terapeutas de la región. Con un abordaje cualitativo basado en entrevistas en profundidad, el estudio busca caracterizar y comprender el impacto subjetivo del confinamiento sobre (a) las formas de incorporación de las nuevas tecnologías de la información (TICs), (b) el proceso terapéutico desarrollado por medio de esta nueva modalidad de 'teletrabajo', y (c) la vida personal del terapeuta.…”