Protocol in somatic psychology for mental health care in the context of crises and emergencies during COVID-19 pandemic

Zelia Maria De Oliveira Fajardini; Fernanda de Souza Brito; Andréa Maria  de Carvalho Miranda

doi:10.1590/SciELOPreprints.16577

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Zelia Maria De Oliveira Fajardini Independent Researcher https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7349-0070
- Conceptualization
- Data Curation
- Formal Analysis
- Investigation
- Methodology
- Project Administration
- Resources
- Supervision
- Validation
- Visualization
- Writing – Original Draft Preparation
- Writing – Review & Editing
Fernanda de Souza Brito Federal University of Bahia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4653-8116
- Formal Analysis
- Visualization
- Writing – Original Draft Preparation
- Writing – Review & Editing
Andréa Maria de Carvalho Miranda Bodynamic International® Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0121-6406
- Project Administration
- Resources
- Supervision
- Writing – Original Draft Preparation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.16577

Keywords:

Somatic Psychology, Bodynamic® System, Treatment Protocol, Crises and Emergencies , COVID -19, Healthcare Workers, Healthcare Network

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the psychological suffering of healthcare professionals, especially those working on the front lines, highlighting the urgency of mental health interventions. This study aimed to describe the implementation and evaluate, in a pre–post design, a free online psychological protocol based on the somatic approach of the Bodynamic® System. This descriptive report concerns a service embedded within longitudinal research, with assessments conducted before (T0) and after (T1) six sessions using the DASS-21. A total of 242 healthcare workers accessed the service. For the research phase, 31 participants who completed the protocol were included in the analysis . The results indicated a statistically significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress scores from T0 to T1, with moderate effect sizes (paired d ≈ 0.62–0.75). Evidence of clinical relevance was also observed, reflected in improvements in symptom severity classifications. These findings suggest that the Bodynamic® protocol was a viable strategy associated with symptom reduction among participating healthcare professionals, suggesting potential efficacy for delivering psychological care during a prolonged public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Portuguese translation: https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.15316

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Author Biographies

Zelia Maria De Oliveira Fajardini, Independent Researcher

Zélia Maria de Oliveira Fajardini is a clinical psychologist and independent researcher. She coordinated the research project on which this study is based. She holds a master’s degree in Social Development and Management from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), is a social worker, and specializes in urban sociology. For more than three decades, she has worked in the management and coordination of social development projects with highly vulnerable populations, as well as in initiatives to promote scientific and technological outreach in urban and rural communities, at the State University of Bahia (UNEB), and in government programs at the municipal, state, and federal levels. She is certified as a Practitioner in Bodynamic (Bodynamic International), in Somatic Experiencing (SE) by the Human Enrichment Foundation, and in the Neo-Reichian approach with the Neo-Reichian Studies Circle – BA.

Fernanda de Souza Brito, Federal University of Bahia

Fernanda de Souza Brito is a professor at the Institute of Psychology and Social Work at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), is a specialist in Neuropsychological Assessment (EAN-UFBA), and also a specialist in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy by the Wainer & Piccoloto (WP) Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy. She serves as a peer reviewer for psychology journals.

Andréa Maria de Carvalho Miranda, Bodynamic International® Brazil

Andréa Maria de Carvalho Miranda is the Coordinator of Bodynamic International® Brazil, a Trainer for Bodynamic International®, and a Certified Bodynamic Therapist. She holds a Master’s degree in Physical Education from Universidade Gama Filho (UGF) and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Universidade Católica de Pernambuco (UNICAP). She specializes in Bodynamic Analysis (Bodynamic International), EMDR (EMDR Institute), Somatic Experiencing® - SE (Human Enrichment), Bioenergetic Analysis (SABERJ), and Reichian Psychotherapy (Núcleo de Psicoterapia Reichiana).