Psychological impact and clinical psychology responses to COVID-19

Abstract

__Abstract.__ This paper examines four different countries with distinct health care systems to explore both global commonalities and national differences in terms of the psychological impact and the clinical psychological response to COVID-19 (Torales et al., 2020). Through four descriptive case examples from Bangalore in India, Holguín in Cuba, Virginia in the United States, and Leicester in the United Kingdom, this paper describes and explores how the profession of clinical psychology in each country has responded and adapted to the pandemic. Each case example considers how the pandemic has led to the adoption of new ways of practice by clinical psychologists who have the potential to contribute to the provision of more equal access to mental health care and so ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all (United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3). __Impact and Implications.__

The pandemic has led to clinical psychologists changing their practice. In different countries, clinical psychologists have started to offer psychotherapy online, to use digital platforms and online media to provide psychological advice, and to rethink the way psychological therapy is delivered. These changes have the potential to make mental health care more accessible to more people and so contribute to ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all (SDG 3).