Carla Guanaes, PhD is a psychologist and family therapist. She is an Associate Professor II at the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Languages of Ribeirão Preto at the University of São Paulo (Ribeirão Preto São Paulo - Brazil). Her activity at the Department of Psychology includes training, supervision and research on group dynamics and family therapy, based on a social constructionist approach. Carlas research interests address different issues in psychotherapeutic practice. Her major focus is on the embodied, relational and conversational processes in individual, family or group therapy. She places special emphasis on the discursive, relational and embodied activities that take place in the therapeutic context, through which people can create new possibilities to describe their lives and selves
EDUCATION
Psychology, PHD.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Psychology, Applied Psychology
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Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Meanings Produced about Gender Violence Against Women in the University Context Gabrielli Cerini Ferreira, Domitila Shizue Kawakami Gonzaga, Carla Guanaes-Lorenzi Interacao Em Psicologia, 2025 A violência de gênero contra mulheres é um fenômeno estrutural, presente também nas universidades. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi construir sentidos com estudantes universitárias sobre esse tema. Utilizando uma cena como recurso para produção de dados, realizamos entrevistas com onze mulheres cisgênero, heterossexuais ou bissexuais, brancas ou negras, de 20 a 26 anos, estudantes de universidades públicas ou privadas. As entrevistas foram audiogravadas, transcritas e analisadas, considerando o processo de produção de sentidos, resultando em dois eixos temáticos: 1) Repercussões dos discursos hegemônicos sobre masculinidades e feminilidades; e 2) Estratégias individuais, grupais e institucionais de enfrentamento a essa violência. Ao se depararem com a cena, as participantes apresentaram repertório que permitiu nomear comportamentos abusivos como violência. No cotidiano, sentem-se pouco amparadas para lidar com a situação, temendo sofrerem maiores violências. Para lidar com esse fenômeno, são necessários posicionamentos mais veementes das instituições no enfrentamento da violência de gênero contra mulheres.
Bringing Forth Generativities Within Relational Disquiet: An Interview With Karl Tomm Carla Guanaes‐Lorenzi, Mónica Sesma‐Vazquez, Joaquín Gaete Silva, Inés Sametband, Karl Tomm Family Process, 2025 From August 16th to 20th of 2023, the Calgary Family Therapy Centre (CFTC) 50th Anniversary and Conference: Bringing Forth Generativities Within Relational Disquiet was held in Calgary, Canada. The theme of the conference was relational disquiet, a notion introduced at the CFTC to raise awareness that something is experienced as amiss, uneasy, restless, or a sense of unfairness when something is experienced as not right during the therapeutic process. In preparation for the conference, we interviewed Dr. Karl Tomm, founder and senior advisor of the Calgary Family Therapy Centre and a professor of Psychiatry at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. In this article, we present Karl's interview, where he explains the notion of disquiet as a relational response to unwanted differences about hopes or desires emerging in our interactions with one another. Karl shares a clinical example of a possible transition from disquiet to generativity in a family therapy process. We offer some theoretical reflections on how Karl navigates disquieting interactions in family therapy conversations and discuss potential actions that family therapists can take to bring forth generativities from within relational disquiet.
Reflexões sobre a prática de supervisão clínica em uma orientação construcionista social Carla Guanaes-Lorenzi, Giovanna Cabral Doricci, Pedro Pablo Sampaio Martins Psicologia USP, 2025 Resumo: A participação em processos de supervisão como parte da formação contínua de terapeutas é bastante valorizada na literatura e na prática profissional, em distintas abordagens teóricas. Apesar desse consenso compartilhado, há diferenças importantes na forma como essa participação é compreendida, desde a sua própria nomeação, como descrições sobre seu objetivo e formas de desenvolvimento. Neste artigo, buscamos refletir sobre a prática da supervisão clínica a partir de uma epistemologia construcionista social. Por meio do diálogo com diferentes autores, apresentamos a supervisão como prática de intervisão, bem como alguns recursos conversacionais úteis para o desenvolvimento das conversas nesse contexto. Discutimos, especificamente, como a construção do contexto conversacional e a adoção de algumas práticas narrativas podem contribuir tanto para ampliação das histórias dos clientes, como da pessoa do terapeuta. Esperamos, assim, contribuir com a sistematização de algumas ideias presentes nesse campo, colaborando com profissionais envolvidos na formação contínua de terapeutas.
How to facilitate groups on sexual and reproductive health: tips from adolescents for health professionals Domitila Shizue Kawakami Gonzaga, Larissa Mitsue Hebihara Fukuda, Carla Guanaes-Lorenzi Estudos De Psicologia Campinas, 2025 Objective The objective of this article is present results of an investigation that aimed to produce meanings with adolescents about the role of group facilitators, in the framework of preparatory conversations for group participation on sexual and reproductive health, and in the group assessments. Method This is a relational action survey, whose material described and reviewed derives from the transcription of preparation and evaluation of interviews carried out with 11 adolescents, before and after their participation in a group on sexual and reproductive health in a health unit. The groups’ discussions were based on social constructionist proposals. Results Our results indicate that it is essential for facilitators to build together with the adolescents both the work agenda and the conversational context of the group, anticipating possible fears, challenges and building imaginary preferable ways of handling tense situations. Conclusion This study contributes to the field of group practices, specifically to constructing and development of groups in a collaborative logic.
Learning from within: Therapists' actions in daily clinical practice Gabriela Silveira de Paula‐Ravagnani, Emeritus Rolf Sundet, Carla Guanaes‐Lorenzi Family Process, 2023 The integration of theories and techniques is part of family therapists' daily practice, raising the need to understand which resources are used in this professional's clinical actions. Our aim is to reflect on the use of theoretical and technical resources by family therapists in their daily practice. We developed an inquiry process inspired by collaborative action research and social constructionism. Couple and family therapy sessions were conducted by two family therapists, and we developed subsequent dialogs with them focused on describing theoretical and technical inspirations for their actions. Next, we named four categories of actions in this process: exploratory actions, actions for the construction of relational visions, actions for the construction of communication, and actions for family orientation. The therapists‐participants referred to many theoretical and technical resources that inspired their practice. For them, the choice of using one or another resource was based on the demands of the interactive moment, which involves their relational and embodied responses to what was experienced in the sessions. We argue that epistemological coherence is not something that guides the therapist's practice a priori, but something that can be achieved by talking about and reflecting on their actions. This article can contribute to clinical practice and training in family therapy by presenting an interesting reflexive process that can be useful to enhance practice in couple and family therapy (FAPESP, Process n. 2015/21316–1).
RESPONSIVENESS AND DIALOGISM: CRITICAL MOMENTS IN CONTINUING EDUCATION IN HEALTH Gabriela Martins Silva, Carla Guanaes Lorenzi Psicologia Em Estudo, 2023 Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar um processo de Educação Permanente em Saúde (EPS) desenvolvido com profissionais de Centros de Atenção Psicossocial. O estudo foi orientado pela perspectiva construcionista social, que considera a linguagem como forma de ação social e se interessa pelos processos interacionais e dialógicos na produção do conhecimento. Foram realizados sete encontros com um grupo de dez profissionais. As conversas foram gravadas, transcritas e analisadas qualitativamente, a partir da delimitação de momentos críticos. Exploramos a análise de dois momentos críticos, que indicam a ocorrência de transformação de sentidos relacionados à importância do trabalho desenvolvido pelas profissionais e à possibilidade de participação das famílias no cuidado. Foram nomeados como: “‘O afeto é transformador”: ’: construindo a importância do trabalho e dos encontros de EPS, e “‘Estamos prescrevendo corresponsabilização”: ’: transformando o sentido de participação das famílias. Por meio da análise deles, discutimos a centralidade do processo conversacional na configuração das possibilidades dialógicas, com destaque à responsividade como recurso básico de facilitação para promoção da dialogia.
EPISTEMOLOGICAL DEBATE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF FEMINIST SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST RESEARCH Domitila Shizue Kawakami Gonzaga, Carla Guanaes-Lorenzi, Conceição Nogueira Psicologia E Sociedade, 2023 In this article, we aim to establish a dialogue between social constructionist and feminist research, highlighting similarities and possible tensions. Our discussion is based on the suggestion of dividing feminist research into three moments: empiricist, standpoint and postmodern. We suggest that the interface between social constructionist and postmodern feminist research proposes the problematization of universal truths, based on the notion of the social construction of realities. The epistemological proposition of this interface is political and relational, it potentiates practices by expanding possible themes and research methods, with a special interest in the effects of oppressive discourses on everyday life. The main contribution of this article is to invite the scientific community to approach feminist social movements, recognizing their latent and urgent demands for the transformation of society.
Contributions of Fictional Narrative Research to Psychological Research with Stigmatized Populations Milena Jorge de Oliveira, Domitila Shizue Kawakami Gonzaga, Carla Guanaes-Lorenzi Paideia, 2023 This article aims to present a model of narrative research in conjunction with fiction-based research. For this, we will explain its steps and reflect on its effects for research in psychology, specifically with stigmatized populations, given the interest in broadening perspectives on the same topic. Based on the appreciation of the uniqueness of the experience, narrative research makes it possible to question absolute truths and build alternative meanings to the hegemonic ones. Fiction-based research, on the other hand, can promote affective connection through stories, in addition to ensuring greater confidentiality of information. We describe the following methodological steps for the systematization of this type of research: Choice of fiction-based research, Production of “field texts”, Moving on to “research texts” and Defining the literary style. Such steps are intended to inspire research that considers ethical and aesthetic aspects, as well as the intersection of theory and art.
EPISTEMOLOGICAL DEBATE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF FEMINIST SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST RESEARCH Domitila Shizue Kawakami Gonzaga, Carla Guanaes-Lorenzi, Conceição Nogueira Psicologia E Sociedade, 2022 Resumo: Neste artigo, temos como objetivo estabelecer um diálogo entre as pesquisas construcionista social e feminista, destacando aproximações e possíveis tensões. Nossa discussão se faz a partir da sugestão da divisão da pesquisa feminista em três momentos: empiricista, standpoint e pós-moderno. Sugerimos que a interface entre as pesquisas construcionista social e feminista pós-moderna propõe a problematização de verdades universais, a partir da noção da construção social das realidades. A proposição epistemológica dessa interface é política e relacional, potencializa práticas pelo alargamento de possíveis temas e métodos de pesquisa, com especial interesse pelos efeitos de discursos opressivos para o cotidiano. Este artigo tem como principal contribuição o convite para que a comunidade científica se aproxime dos movimentos sociais feministas, reconhecendo suas demandas latentes e urgentes para transformação da sociedade.