Maria Bravo Aguilera

As a provisional psychologist and researcher, my areas of interest are mental health and dual pathology. I have completed a two-year specialisation in behavioural medicine (master’s degree in clinical psychology: evaluation and clinical interventions). I have developed my clinical and academic skills working in collaboration with a wide range of professionals and from diverse settings: clinical (inpatient clinics, outpatient Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services), community-based organisations (NGO, consumer organisations), and Research institutions (The University of Sydney, The University of Tasmania, IDIBAPS). I have worked with a wide range of high-risk populations, such as health professionals suffering from a mental health and/or substance use disorder, sex workers at risk of contracting HIV and other STDs and opioid-dependent populations with increased risk of overdosing. I have worked and studied across different health settings under different regulations in various countries, including Barcelona, Rome, and Sydney.

Date of Birth: 29/06/88

• Awarded with an Erasmus scholarship at 'la Sapienza' University. Psychologist Faculty. Rome, Italy
• Voluntary service at the Infectious Disease service. 2010-2011. Hospital Clinic de Barcelona. Barcelona, Spain
• New South Wales Premier's Awards finalist. Project: The NSW Overdose Response with Take Home Naloxone (ORTHN) project. Category: Tackling longstanding social challenges
• South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Improvement and Innovation Award winner. Project: The NSW Overdose Response with Take Home Naloxone (ORTHN) project. Category: Health Research and Innovation
• Shortlisted (45 spots granted across disciplines) for final Interview (among all Spanish citizens applying) for PhD funding with La Caixa Foundation
• Recipient of A Tasmanian Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRST) covering University fees and living allowance
• Provisional registration as psychologist granted on 03/31/2022
• Unrestricted Working visa (500)

Monds, L. A., Crowe, A., Bravo, M., Ridley, N., Newcombe, D., Mantell, R., . . . Withall, A. (2023). The Feasibility of Goal Management Training to Address Cognitive Impairment in an Outpatient Alcohol Treatment Population: Findings from a Novel Case Series. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-023-01052-8

Bravo, M., Gretton, M., Sanderson, B., Peacock, A., & Bruno, R. (2023, November 12-15). Developing practical tools for identifying and supporting treatment-relevant cognitive dys/functions [conference session]. APSAD, Adelaide, Australia. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.13749

Bravo, M., Sanderson, B., Adan, A., Monds, L. A., Peacock, A., & Bruno, R. (2022, November 23-25). A systematic review of self-report and behavioural measures of the Addiction Neuroclinical Assessment constructs of incentive salience and negative emotionality, in adults who use psychoactive drugs [conference session]. Lisbon addictions, Lisbon. Portugal. https://www.lisbonaddictions.eu/lisbon-addictions-2022/presentations/systematic-review-self-report-and-behavioural-measures-addiction-neuroclinical

Monds, L.A., Bravo, M., Mills, L., Malcolm, A., Gilliver, R., Wood, W., Harrod, M.E., Read, P., Nielsen, S., Dietze, P.M., Lenton, S., Bleeker, A.M., Lintzeris, N., 2022. The Overdose Response with Take Home Naloxone (ORTHN) project: Evaluation of health worker training, attitudes and perceptions. Drug and Alcohol Review. doi:10.1111/dar.13474

Lintzeris, N., Mills, L., Suraev, A., Bravo, M., Arkell, T., Arnold, J. C., . . . McGregor, I. S. (2020). Medical cannabis use in the Australian community following introduction of legal access: the 2018–2019 Online Cross-Sectional Cannabis as Medicine Survey (CAMS-18). Harm Reduction Journal, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-020-00377-0

Lintzeris, N., Monds, L. A., Bravo, M., Read, P., Harrod, M. E., Gilliver, R., . . . Malcom, A. (2020). Designing, implementing and evaluating the overdose response with take‐home naloxone model of care: An evaluation of client outcomes and perspectives. Drug and Alcohol Review, 39(1), 55-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.13015

Suraev, A., Hoyos, C., Mills, L., McGregor, I., Bravo, M., Arkell, T., M. Benson & Lintzeris, N. (2019 June 8-12). Cannabis use patterns for sleep disorders in Australia: A subanalysis of an online cross-sectional survey[conference session]. Journal of Sleep Research. San Antonio, United States. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jsr.68_12912

Bravo, M., Cowan, T., Foster, B., Hayes, V., Rivas, C., Black, E., . . . Lintzeris, N. (2019, November 10-13). Ecological momentary assessment (EMA): monitoring clients from OTP clinics after the introduction of DEPOT Buprenorphine in Australia [conference session]. APSAD, Hobart, Australia. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dar.12991

Lintzeris, N., Monds, L. A., & Bravo, M. (2019). The NSW Overdose Response with Take Home Naloxone (ORTHN) project. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/aod/programs/Documents/take-home-naloxone-research-summary.PDF

Bravo, M. & Lintzeris, N. (2018, November 4-7). Self-identified health conditions reported for the use of medical cannabis: sleep disorders and its comorbidities [poster presentation]. APSAD, Auckland, New Zealand.

Bhardwaj, A., Bravo, M. & Lintzeris, N. (2017, November 12-15). Psychologists’ attitudes towards cannabis agonist replacement therapy [poster presentation]. APSAD, Melbourne, Australia. https://ashm.eventsair.com/QuickEventWebsitePortal/apsad2017/home/ExtraContent/ContentPage?page=10

Braquehais, M. D., Eiroa-Orosa, F. J., Holmes, K. M., Lusilla, P., Bravo, M., Mozo, X., . . . Sher, L. (2016). Differences in Physicians’ and Nurses’ Recent Suicide Attempts: An Exploratory Study. Archives of Suicide Research, 20(2), 273-279. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2014.996693

Navarro, Mª C., Pujol.T., Calvo, M.D., Bravo. M., Mozo, X., Mezzatesta, M., Casanovas, M., Braquehais, M.D., Bruguera, E. & Casas M. (2014, April 25-26). Physicians suicide attempts: transversal descriptive study [poster presentation]. “Encuentros nacionales en Psiquiatria”. Seville, Spain.  https://www.encuentrosenpsiquiatria.com/inicio/exposicion_posters/

Braquehais, M.D., Pujol,T., Bravo, M., Calvo, M.M., Díaz, A., Bruguera, E., & Casas, M. (2014, April 25-26). Strategies for suicide prevention among physicians [poster presentation].“Encuentros nacionales en psiquiatria”. Seville, Spain. https://www.encuentrosenpsiquiatria.com/inicio/exposicion_posters/

Bravo, M., Casanovas, M., Mozo, X., Mezzatesta, M., Bruguera, E. & Casas, M., (2013, April 12-13). Analysing objective and subjective lethality correlation suicide attempts among physicians [Poster presentation]. “Encuentros nacionales en psiquiatria”. Seville, Spain. https://www.encuentrosenpsiquiatria.com/ediciones-anteriores/

Mezzatesta, M., Mozo, X., Casanovas, M., Bravo, M., Pujol, T., Braquehais, M.D. & Bruguera, E. (2013, April 12-13) Female physicians suicide attempts admitted to the Barcelona Psychiatric Inpatient Unit for health professionals [Poster presentation]. “Encuentros nacionales en psiquiatria”. Seville, Spain. https://www.encuentrosenpsiquiatria.com/ediciones-anteriores/

Casanovas, M., Mozo, X., Bravo, M., Pujol, T., Mezzatesta, M., Braquehais, M.D. & Bruguera, E. (2013, April 12-13). Burnout level in physicians admitted in an inpatient unit for health professionals after a suicide attempt [Poster presentation].“Encuentros nacionales en psiquiatria”. Seville, Spain. https://www.encuentrosenpsiquiatria.com/ediciones-anteriores/

• HIV in Spain 2010 conference, Barcelona, Spain, 10/2010
• HIV Course, University of Barcelona, 01/2011
• How can we use emotional intelligence in our psychological interventions seminar, COPC, 05/2012
• Youth in legal proceedings of breaking down partnerships seminar, COPC, 05/2012
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) clinical applications seminar, COPC, 06/2012
• Proprioception character and temperament diagnostic course, COPC, 02/2013
• Psychiatrist encounter conference, Spanish Society of Psychiatrists, 04/2013
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) course, Adana Foundation, 07/2013
• III Dual pathology international seminar, Vall d’Hebrón Hospital, 10/2013
• XV course in autism spectrum disorder (ASD): intervention strategies for children, Miram´m Foundation, 11/2013
• Youth committee of the Official College of Psychologists of Catalonia (COPC) presentation, COPC, 02/2014
• Mental health at the workplace, Galatea Clinic, 11/2014
• Investigator Site Personnel ICH GCP Training Certificate, Biopharma, 2016
• APSAD Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 11/2017
• APSAD Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 11/2018
• APSAD Conference, Hobart, Tasmania, 11/2019
• Good clinical practice (GCP) training for research sites and staff Training certificate, Praxis Australia, 2019
• Sleep Technician training course, The Woolcock Institute, 2019
• Budget building tool one-on-one training sessions, The University of Sydney, 2020
• Excel for Researchers, The University of Sydney, 2020
• Motivational interviewing, NSW health, 2021
• Vedic meditation course, Bondi Meditation Centre, 2021
• Communicating research (XGR502), University of Tasmania, 2021
• Coursera- Introduction to Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by Johns Hopkins University, Online, 2021
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Introductory Workshop, EMDR COURSE, 11/25/2021
• APSAD Conference, Virtual, 11/2021
• Sessions with ESTHER PEREL, Virtual training, 2022
• Lisbon addictions conference, Lisbon, Portugal, 11/2022