Azucena Guzman (PhD, MRes, CPsychol)

Lecturer in Health & Ageing

Biography

Background

I am a HCPC Registered and Chartered Clinical Psychologist with the British Psychological Society.  My teaching, supervision and research specialise in cognitive, behaviour and social science, particularly researching complex trauma and neurodegenerative disease in adults and older adults with and without cognitive impairment. I also enjoy working clinically to improve their mental health, particularly applying trauma-focused CBT, ACT and EMDR interventions.  My national and international research has involved developing interventions in the field of trauma and alcohol/drug misuse to improve patients' quality of life, as well as development of psychosocial interventions and staff training programmes to improve dementia care. I have additional experience working in other neuro rehab techniques such as TMS to treat depression and Psychomotor Therapy. I currently collaborate with institutions in Latin America implementing person-centred care and psychosocial interventions to optimise the prescription of antipsychotic medication to manage 'behaviours that challenge' in dementia. I enjoy sharing my clinical and academic experience with undergrad, postgrad students and the general public. 

Responsibilities & affiliations

  • Clinical Psychologist/ HCPC                                                                                                                         Since  2014
  • Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychology Society                                                        Since  2014

Division of Clinical Psychology and Faculty of Older People Psychology

  • INTERDEM Specialised International Group for the study of Dementia                                      Since  2017
  • ACBS (Association for Contextual Behavioural Science)                                                                     Since  2018
  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) Association UK & Ireland                 Since  2017
  • SDRC (Scottish Dementia Research Consortium)                                                                                  Since 2015

 

Postgraduate teaching

I co-ordinate year 2/Older Adults teaching module on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Programme and teach within the programme.

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Current PhD students supervised

DClinPsych Thesis:

  • The relationship between exposure to trauma and distress in old age: the role of emotional regulation and quality of life (Trainee: Klaudia Suchorab)
  • The relationship between childhood traumatic events, cognitive schemas and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among older adults (>65 years): a mediation analysis (Trainee: Eleni Vasilopoulou)
  • Psychological adjustment in people with Parkinson’s disease and caregivers: the role of coping, illness beliefs, illness severity and self-compassion (Trainee: Lorna Hodge)
  • The relationship between adverse childhood experiences and frailty in people who are older (Trainee: David Snoody)
  • A mixed-method multiple-baseline single-case study exploring the impact of the Tovertafel on staff burnout and the social environment in an acute dementia care hospital ward (Trainee: Fiona Beaton)
  • Exploring illness beliefs and self-identity in older adults with long-standing psychosis (Trainee: Danielle Wilson) 

Past PhD students supervised

DClinPsych Thesis:

  • The post-stroke Emotionalism Cognitions Questionnaire: a developmental study  (Trainee: Niamh McAleese)
  • Psychological Adjustment to a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) (Trainee: Kerry Ross)

MSc in Mental Health:

  • The needs and experiences of older homeless adults to understand their mental health (Student: Nupura Byramudi Ramachandra)

MSc in Dementia:

  • Getting to Know Me- exploring the impact of using a personal profile tool on the attitudes of nurses providing care for people with dementia in a general hospital setting (Student: Ruth Mantle)

MA Health, Science and Society

  • Mental Healthcare in the era of digitalisation: perspectives of university students and staff on using online services to support mental health and well-being (Student: Vali Constantin)

Research summary

  • Psychosocial Interventions in Dementia Care: Cognitive Rehabilitation, CBT, Person-Centred Therapy, Body oriented Psychological Therapies
  • Psychological Interventions in Older Adults Mental Health: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Mental Health Interventions for professional staff and family caregivers.

Research activity

  • Psychosocial Interventions in Dementia Care
  • Developing Psychomotor Therapy in long-term care and evaluating the impact on cognition, stress and distress in people with dementia.
  • Mental Health Interventions for professional staff and family caregivers

Knowledge exchange

Contributing to the development of the Alzheimer's Dementia Plan in Mexico

Supporting the development of clinical interventions guidelines for older adults in Uruguay and Costa Rica

Past project grants

British Academy
Go Abroad Erasmus Award
King's College Mobility Staff

View all 17 publications on Research Explorer

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