Azucena Guzman (PhD, MRes, CPsychol)
Lecturer in Clinical Psychology

Contact details
- Tel: +44 (0)131 651 5162
- Email: Azucena.Guzman@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Doorway 6, Medical Quad, Teviot Place
- City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH8 9AG
Background
I am a HCPC Registered and Chartered Clinical Psychologist with the British Psychological Society. My teaching, supervision and research specialise in cognitive, emotion and behaviour science, particularly researching complex trauma and neurodegenerative disease in adults and older adults with and without cognitive impairment. I also work part-time for the NHS to keep my clinical skills particularly applying trauma-focused CBT, ACT, CFT, DBT 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 'stress and distress' 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 Europe Accredited Practitioner
- (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
-
Multicomponent staff training intervention to improve residential dementia care (PROCUIDA-Demencia): A mixed-methods 2-arm cluster randomized controlled pilot and clinical outcomes study
In:
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2021.09.035
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Post-stroke emotionalism: A qualitative investigation
(10 pages)
In:
Disability and rehabilitation, vol. 43, pp. 192-200
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1620876
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Psychosocial adjustment to mild cognitive impairment: The role of illness perceptions, cognitive fusion and cognitive impairment
(21 pages)
In:
Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301219893862
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between childhood traumatic events and complex posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in older adults (>64 years)
(18 pages)
In:
Journal of Loss and Trauma: International Perspectives on Stress and Coping
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2019.1661598
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Pilot study and key feasibility factors of a staff training intervention and reduction of antipsychotic prescription practice in Mexican urban care homes: Study protocol
(9 pages)
In:
Journal of Mental Health Aging, vol. 2, pp. 47-55
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
A qualitative analysis of trainer/coach experiences of changing care home practice in the Well-being and Health in Dementia (WHELD) randomised control trial
(16 pages)
In:
Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301218772178
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Evaluation of the 'Ladder to the moon, culture change studio engagement programme' staff training: Two quasi-experimental case studies
In:
International Journal of Older People Nursing, vol. 12, pp. 1-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/opn.12147
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
A process evaluation of a Psychomotor Dance Therapy Intervention (DANCIN) for behaviour change in Dementia: Attitudes and beliefs of participating residents and staff
In:
International Psychogeriatrics, vol. 29, pp. 313-322
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S104161021600171X
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Literature review (Published) -
Psychomotor Dance Therapy Intervention (DANCIN) for people with dementia in care homes: A multiple-baseline single-case study
In:
International Psychogeriatrics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S104161021600051X
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Evaluation of a staff training programme using positive psychology coaching with film and theatre elements in care homes: Views and attitudes of residents, staff and relatives
In:
International Journal of Older People Nursing
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/opn.12126
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)