The clinical psychologist on the resilience of vulnerable sectors affected by natural catastrophes

Abstract

After a natural catastrophe, the population is vulnerable to situations that affect mental health and require immediate attention, not only to recover material losses but also for psychological stability; for this, professionals from different areas contribute to the achievement of this task, one of them is the psychologists through their intervention, for which they require competencies that allow them not only to assist others in that process, but also to maintain their emotional stability. The objective of this article was to identify the actions carried out by the clinical psychologist in the psychological intervention and promotion of resilience in vulnerable sectors due to natural disasters in the Ecuadorian context; a descriptive study that used at the theoretical level the inductive-deductive, analysis-synthesis methods, and at the practical level semi-structured interview to 50 psychologists practicing the profession in both the public and private sectors of several localities of the country; among the results it is highlighted that the population has been affected with disorders such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress, and that in order to face this type of emergencies, the psychologists require knowledge about psychological first aid and crisis intervention, both individual and group, tools management , as well as personal and professional qualities such as emotional intelligence, empathy, therapeutic alliance, active listening and the development of resilience to strengthen the individual and communities to face adverse situations and minimize latent social problems.