Luciana Costa Fiuza
Salt Lake City,UT
Summary
Highly motivated clinical professional with extensive experience in Clinical Psychology (Brazil, 2001–2011) and Clinical/Medical Social Work (UT, 2019–present). Strongly commitment to Social Work ethical standards and to organization's policies and procedures. Devoted to Social work competency in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Medical LCSW
University of Utah Hospital
SLC, UT
11.2024 - Current
- Serves as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) across multiple units, including Maternal Newborn Care, Women's Special Care, OB Emergency Services, and the Intermediate Care Nursery (ICN).
- Responds to inpatient social work consult requests, conducting comprehensive psychosocial assessments and addressing patients' and families' psychosocial needs.
- Provides supportive counseling to patients and families in acute medical settings, promoting emotional well-being and ongoing excellence in patient care.
- Connects patients with community resources across Utah and neighboring states, demonstrating strong knowledge of support systems and services.
- Collaborates with interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams to coordinate patient-centered care and discharge planning.
- Contributes as an active member of the hospital Social Work Education Committee.
- Provides informed decisions, utilizing deep clinical judgment, ensuring ethical SW interventions and patient-centered decision-making.
- Facilitates referrals to community-based programs, including home visiting services, while honoring patient autonomy and individualized care needs.
- Maintains a strong commitment to cultural competence and social work best practices.
- Participates in case consultations with the social work team, supporting complex case management and reporting requirements.
- Adapts to evolving departmental policies and procedures with diligence, reliability, and attention to detail.
- Completed U of U Social Work Preceptor Training and supported onboarding and mentorship of new staff.
- Engaged in ongoing professional development, including SW team meetings and continuing education (CEUs).
Clinical Social Worker
Safe UT/HMHI Huntsman Mental Health Institute
Salt Lake City, UT
12.2020 - 11.2024
- Provided crisis intervention services through Safe UT via text and chat.
- Practiced crisis response through the Huntsman Mental Health Institute Crisis Line, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams (MCOT).
- Conducted daily suicide risk assessments and delivered real-time crisis intervention and safety planning.
- Collaborated regularly with schools, families, students, law enforcement, DCFS, hospitals, and community agencies based on individual risk factors and intervention needs.
- Provided emotional support to individuals experiencing psychological distress and acute mental health crisis.
- Connected individuals and families across Utah and neighboring states with appropriate community resources to address psychosocial needs.
- Educated clients and families on coping strategies and behavior modification techniques to support stabilization and recommendations for further therapeutic supports.
- Developed and implemented crisis response and safety plans within the community.
- Participated as a member of the HMHI crisis team, contributing to case consultations and clinical decision-making for complex cases.
- Safe UT shift leader in 2024.
Clinical Counselor LCSW
Blomquist Hale Solutions
Salt Lake City, UT
08.2023 - 03.2024
- Provided individual psychotherapy to adolescents and adults, besides couple counseling.
- Practiced through the clinical lenses of the Brief Solution-Focused Model in the setting of an Employment Assistance Program.
- Utilized a great variety of clinical skills from diverse therapeutic modalities, according to client's needs.
Psychiatric Technician Adv
UNI/WRC/HMHI - Huntsman Mental Health Institute
Salt Lake City, UT
08.2015 - 08.2020
- Delivered psychosocial education to mental health patients in both individual and group settings at the Wellness Recovery Center (WRC) during the initial years of employment at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute (UNI), now HMHI.
- Provided a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment for psychiatric patients, addressing care needs as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team.
- Promoted patient safety while working in the UNI Float Pool, responding to behavioral codes, conducting de-escalation interventions, and following seclusion and restraint protocols, along with facilitating therapeutic processing and team debriefings.
- Facilitated skills training across multiple units, including child, adolescent, adult acute care, geriatric, mood disorders, and detoxification units.
- Demonstrated professionalism, interpersonal skills and adaptability in dynamic clinical environments, adhering to policies and guidelines of 9 different units as a float psychiatric technician.
- Committed to the PROMISE standards and ongoing excellence in patient care.
- Enhanced professional skills in the context of HMHI's various units, working with diverse populations, with diverse mental health concerns and during, approximately, 6 years of swing shift work, demonstrating resilience and enhancement of professional skills with humble confidence.
Social Worker Intern
Salt Lake Regional Medical Center
Salt Lake City, UT
01.2017 - 11.2017
- Contributed to an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) by providing individual and group psychotherapy to a geriatric population under the supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
- Delivered psychoeducational workshops and connected older adults with community resources through senior community centers.
- Collaborated in partnership with Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services to support the well-being of the geriatric population.
- Facilitated skills-training groups in an inpatient setting at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, working within multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams to provide integrated care.
Social Worker Intern
Alta View Hospital
Salt Lake City, UT
12.2016 - 12.2016
- Delivered SW hospital services under the supervision of LCSW at the hospital's surgical floor and at the maternal health unit.
- Served as a member of a multidisciplinary team in matters related to case studies and discharge planning.
- Completed psychosocial assessments and attended to patient's and family's psychosocial needs.
- Advocated for patients and placed referrals to community outpatient services according to patient's discharge needs.
- Navigated their hospital health technologies to facilitate the search for community resources at discharge planning.
- Developed a networking community project, which consisted in building and strengthening partnerships within the community, gaining greater knowledge of resources to meet the hospital's population needs. Examples: contributed to building partnerships with SNFs -Skilled Nursing facilities and Assisted-Living facilities to provide the best resources to attend to patients' individualized needs.
- Contributed with case management duties, overall.
Assistant Manager
Eaton Alliance
Salt Lake City, UT
02.2015 - 08.2015
- Served as a member of the Madison Program management team, collaborating in the organization of activities, scheduling, and daily operations.
- Supported children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities in developing activities of daily living (ADLs), while promoting confidence, self-esteem, independence, and personal growth.
- Planned and facilitated recreational activities, teaching life skills and coping strategies to individuals with disabilities and their families.
- Implemented therapeutic interventions in accordance with individualized behavioral contracts and treatment plans developed by social workers while I was an assisting staff.
Special Needs Educational Psychologist
Public School Almirante Tamandare/NAPE
Fortaleza, Brazil
05.2006 - 03.2011
- Assessed and monitored students' academic progress, mental health, and social development using formal evaluation tools.
- Coordinated the development and implementation of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for children and adolescents with special needs.
- Designed and facilitated developmentally appropriate support groups and activities for students with diverse physical and mental health needs.
- Led psychoeducational and emotional support groups for parents of children and adolescents with physical and mental health conditions.
- Fostered strong parent-teacher partnerships to enhance student learning and overall development.
- Collaborated within multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams, working alongside teachers, recreational and art therapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists to support schools.
Healthcare Psychologist
Public Health Clinics and Labs Of The Ceara State
Fortaleza, Ceara
04.2005 - 12.2006
- Led the development and implementation of a Humanization Program tailored to the specific needs of public healthcare settings.
- Designed and delivered a series of workshops, along with a structured 3-day immersive program conducted off-site, aimed at enhancing the quality of person-centered patient care.
- Supported healthcare professionals in strengthening empathy, communication, and patient-centered practices across public clinics and laboratories.
- Delivered tailored organizational coaching sessions to enhance team dynamics and promote a culture of collaboration.
Clinical Psychologist (Gestalt-Therapist)
Institute of Gestalt Therapy of Ceara State
US
07.2001 - 07.2006
- Provided Gestalt psychotherapy through the PAS Project, a reduced-cost initiative offering mental health services to individuals and families experiencing economic hardship.
- Utilized evidence-based therapeutic techniques to facilitate client engagement and promote emotional resilience.
- Focused on a Dialogical approach to psychotherapy.
- Practiced mindfulness activities, the Here and Now, with focus on the conscious mind in the present moment.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Clinica Vitae
Brazil
04.2003 - 03.2004
- Individual Psychotherapy to Adults.
- Vocational Counseling/Professional Orientation - population of young adults who aspired to become church leaders.
- Psychological Testing / Personality Testing.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Clinica Lucia Tavares
Fortaleza, Ceara
08.2001 - 08.2003
- Provided Individual Psychotherapy to children, adolescents and adults.
- Vocational/Professional Orientation.
- Psychological testing/personality testing.
Mental Health Psychologist
Walter Cantidio University Hospital
US
02.2001 - 08.2002
- Conducted psychological assessments and clinical triage to evaluate patients' mental health needs and recommend appropriate hospital programs and therapy support groups according to individualized needs.
- Referred patients to individual and group psychotherapy based on comprehensive clinical evaluations.
- Facilitated both open and closed therapeutic groups, including community support groups for individuals with depression, anxiety disorders, besides substance use concerns.
- Collaborated with the mental health department's interdisciplinary team on a therapeutic group specifically developed for psychotropic medication treatment education offered to psychology interns, patients, and their families, supporting informed treatment participation.
- Assisted in the training and supervision of psychology interns, including instruction on the ICD-10 diagnostic manual, an older version of the DSM at that time.
- Collaborated within an interdisciplinary team—including social workers, psychologists, art and music therapists, and psychiatrists—to deliver integrated, patient-centered mental health care services.
- Conducted individual and group therapy sessions focused on specific mental health issues, fostering peer support and shared experiences among participants.
Education
Master of Social Work -
University of Utah
SLC, UT05-2019
Executive Medical Assisting - in Good Standing
LDS Business College
SLC, UT09-2014
Certification in Gestalt Therapy -
Instituto Gestalt of Ceara
Fortaleza, Brazil12-2002
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
University Of Fortaleza (UNIFOR)
Fortaleza, Brazil06-2001
Skills
- Humanistic modalities - Gestalt Therapy, Carl Rogers/Person-Centered and Existential/phenomenological therapy
- Patient-Centered, Dignity and Respect of individuals
- Honor to the University of Utah PROMISE standards
- Ownership and Accountability
- Effective and ongoing enhancement of Communication skills
- Devotion to Multidisciplinary teamwork
- Cultural competence and acknowledgement of Diversity
- Commitment to Medical and Clinical Social Work Competence
- Social Justice advocacy
- Integrity and ethics of the social work profession/NASW Code of Ethics
- Strong clinical experience and clinical judgment
- Suicide assessment and crisis intervention expertise
- Motivational interviewing techniques
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy Certification (DBT)
- Bilingual (Portuguese Proficiency - U of U Language Proficiency Exam/2025-2026)
Timeline
Medical LCSW
University of Utah Hospital
11.2024 - Current
Clinical Counselor LCSW
Blomquist Hale Solutions
08.2023 - 03.2024
Clinical Social Worker
Safe UT/HMHI Huntsman Mental Health Institute
12.2020 - 11.2024
Social Worker Intern
Salt Lake Regional Medical Center
01.2017 - 11.2017
Social Worker Intern
Alta View Hospital
12.2016 - 12.2016
Psychiatric Technician Adv
UNI/WRC/HMHI - Huntsman Mental Health Institute
08.2015 - 08.2020
Assistant Manager
Eaton Alliance
02.2015 - 08.2015
Special Needs Educational Psychologist
Public School Almirante Tamandare/NAPE
05.2006 - 03.2011
Healthcare Psychologist
Public Health Clinics and Labs Of The Ceara State
04.2005 - 12.2006
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Clinica Vitae
04.2003 - 03.2004
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Clinica Lucia Tavares
08.2001 - 08.2003
Clinical Psychologist (Gestalt-Therapist)
Institute of Gestalt Therapy of Ceara State
07.2001 - 07.2006
Mental Health Psychologist
Walter Cantidio University Hospital
02.2001 - 08.2002
Master of Social Work -
University of Utah
Executive Medical Assisting - in Good Standing
LDS Business College
Certification in Gestalt Therapy -
Instituto Gestalt of Ceara
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
University Of Fortaleza (UNIFOR)