Born in the Canary Islands 54 years ago, Leocadio Martín is one of these indefatigable psychologists who, in addition to devoting himself to teaching, directs and coordinates a website where he disseminates content related to mental health and positive psychology. A lover of running and of travelling to the most remote places on the planet, we wanted to meet with him to delve into some aspects of the profession of psychologist, as well as to get to know his opinions and thoughts first-hand.

Leocadio, how did your vocation for psychology begin?

I’d say without intending to. I started out studying chemistry, but I got bored. I switched to psychology almost without thinking, and found my passion.

The beginnings were very special. They were the first years that AIDS appeared, and the role of psychology was beginning to be very important for society. I landed in the Home Care for AIDS Patients in 1988. We were clandestine psychologists, even for our family.I like to think that this is what has marked my career.

You work as a psychologist in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tell us: what are the main concerns of your patients? Do you specialize in any particular area of psychotherapy or clinical psychology?

A few years ago I decided to stop the psychotherapy practice to dedicate myself to training and groups. I can say that I have worked in several areas of clinical psychology, but mainly I have worked on addictions, and all their derivations.

At present I like to say that I am dedicated to the promotion of mental well-being .

What influence do you think the economic crisis has on the mental health of citizens?

All of it. Many “certainties” about our life have been taken away from us. We can say that the human being has been turned into one of the little dogs of the “learned helplessness” experiments.

It is also true that, fortunately, we are able to come out of the most adverse circumstances and the resilience of people is being the great news of these times. This, together with the awareness of belonging, solidarity and generosity, will make us come out stronger from this imposed and artificial adversity.

How do you value the profession of psychologist in the current context? Do you think there is still a certain stigma that makes many people not go to therapy despite needing it?

I do not think there is a stigma beyond that which exists for other professions, such as medicine. At the moment if people don’t go to the consultation it is either because they don’t think they need to or because their previous experience has not been satisfactory. In the last twenty-five years, psychology has been able to make its role known in a multitude of areas, from education, to the clinic, to emergency psychology.

Perhaps the only outstanding subject is still in the adequate presence (in number of professionals), in the academic or public health fields. When we are able to make people understand that our work is preventive and can save many resources and suffering, perhaps the administrations will understand this and be able to give psychologists and mental health professionals the necessary space.

There is a lot of talk about Positive Psychology. What do you think this approach can bring us?

For many years, psychology has been making a name for itself in the treatment of the disease, in the clinic. We are experts in helping people to change, to modify behaviors and thoughts.

Positive psychology tells us that our capacity as professionals can go much further. We can help people to change what they want, to know themselves, not to go into “automatic mode” for life.

Identifying strengths, learning to be aware of the moment in which we live, is a field of our discipline in which we are experts. And it would be good for us to understand it this way and abandon complexes. Otherwise, we will be trampled on, as is already happening in some cases.

Regarding the disclosure of topics related to psychology… Do you think people are better informed than before about the latest research?

The effort we are making, more and more, to get to “count psychology”, I think is more and more important. In any case, we still have a long way to go. Not only to explain and to bring the latest research: also the classical or modern theories that support the different psychological therapies and interventions.

The question what is psychology for? , still has a way to go. But yes, I think we are getting people to know more and more about what we do and what we can do.

Much has been said lately about the tendency in psychiatry to solve all mental disorders by means of drugs. Moreover, it is often said that clinical psychology is also in the habit of over-diagnosing some disorders. What is true about this and what role do you think the psychologist should play to avoid this problem?

Undoubtedly, the use of drugs to solve some mental disorders is a trend that comes from a type of society oriented towards quick solutions. To define people by their supposed disorders. This, in a clinical setting, can be useful, to ensure effective or coordinated intervention. But it is having an undesirable effect. That of people who identify with their disorders and find it very difficult to understand who they are beyond the clinical label.

The role of clinical psychology should not remain in the diagnosis, but in an adequate therapeutic program that allows the person to recognize himself as such, and assume his disorder as something he can handle, with help.

I think we’re on that path. And fortunately quite distant from pharmacological solutions.

We have seen that you move like a fish in water on social networks. Why do you think it is important for a psychologist to know how to communicate through the network?

No doubt about it. We are at the beginning of using these tools to make our profession known. When I studied psychology, access to scientific or informative documentation was minimal.

Nowadays, the possibility of online treatments, of showing our capabilities, of debating… through these new forms of communication is a space that will undoubtedly make us reach places and people we would otherwise never have reached.

We are right at the beginning of the academic year and many young people are taking their first steps in the faculties of psychology, as new students. What would be the best advice that an experienced psychologist like you could give them?

Passion . A single word to define this profession. It is vocational, I am absolutely clear about that. It is necessary to have the curiosity to learn and help others. This and to keep an open mind. We can enter the career thinking that we want to dedicate ourselves to a specific area and discover another one that will hook us. Do not close doors.

We are in the study of the human mind. And psychology is an exciting kaleidoscope, which can take us down unsuspected and wonderful paths.