This month on the Metropolitan Culture Corner, we interview researcher and professor Francisco José Eiroa-Orosa.
He completed a European doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Hamburg and the Universitat de Barcelona. After stays in Dresden and Montevideo, he held teaching positions at the universities of Edinburgh and East London, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship at Yale University and a Ramón y Cajal fellowship at the Universitat de Barcelona. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Psychological Treatment and also collaborates with the Spanish Association of Mental Health Professionals, the European Network for (ex)-Users, and the Survivors of Psychiatry and the Global Anti-Stigma Alliance. His research is focused on the analysis of strategies for the awareness of mental health service users and professionals, with the aim to improve communication between them.
While these interviews here on the Metropolitan Culture Corner often focus on people from the world of the arts, our mental health—both as individuals and as a community, within the arts and outside of them—is a crucial aspect of our culture. It’s an aspect that was largely taboo, but thanks to the world of people like Francisco José and his colleagues, people are getting more used to the idea of mental health as a critical component of overall health and well being, as well as having a better understanding of the connection between the two.
If you or anyone you know wants more information on the mental health services available in Barcelona, here is a list of available resources (in English).
Last month we interviewed journalist and world traveler Alicia Escribano. Immersed in the world of radio and television since she was 17, she has since developed an extensive career in various media outlets. She is known for hosting television and radio cultural programs, such as her long-running interview program Barcelonautes on 25TV, reporting on everything from political debates to cultural showcases and more. As the tagline goes on her travel blog: You think you're going to make a journey. But the journey makes you. She’s an example of how where we go in life shapes who we are, and how opening yourself up to new experiences makes life that much richer.
Stay tuned to Barcelona Metropolitan’s YouTube channel and social media to make sure you don’t miss a single episode of our monthly interview series! We’ve got a great lineup in store for you in 2025. You can also watch the full archive of previous interviews on our official YouTube channel, or listen to all the MCC interviews as free podcasts on Soundcloud. Be sure to follow Metropolitan on Facebook: @BCNMetropolitan, Twitter: @bcnmetropolitan and Instagram: @barcelonametropolitan.