The students of the Social Psychology subject of the first year of the Degree in Psychology attended the UNEATLANTICO Assembly Hall to listen to the conference of Álvaro Tamayo Saiz, psychologist specialized in systemic psychotherapy.
Tamayo currently works as a clinical psychologist in the area of child and adolescent mental health at the Marqués de Valdecilla Hospital. He is an expert in family therapy, couples therapy, mindfulness therapy, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. He also has two trainings in psychotherapy based on mentalization at the Anna Freud Centre located in London. His extensive academic and professional career positions him as a reference in mental health, which is why he was invited to give a lecture entitled “Attachment and Social Learning”.
The invitation was made by Professor Jesús Espinosa, responsible for the subject, and the academic director of the Psychology Degree, Professor Juan Luis Martín. Both welcomed and introduced the speaker, highlighting the most important milestones of his career. Tamayo’s lecture raised great interest and was attended not only by the invited students but also by a large number of professors from the department and several students from the Master in General Health Psychology.
During the lecture, Tamayo presented a theoretical overview of the different attachment typologies, based on the authors’ references in this field of study. He addressed the different causes and psychological implications derived from the disorganization of attachment, focusing on two fundamental aspects of the subject. The first aspect is the concept of mentalization and the second is the parenting styles of parents and caregivers. He explained the impact of the latter on personal development from childhood to adulthood.
This activity served to bring students closer to professional practice in the field of psychology and to resolve their theoretical concerns. Tamayo’s vision brought a new approach that enriches, with his knowledge and professional experience, the content of the subject and the students’ learning experience.