Department of Medicine
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Division of General Internal Medicine

Faculty Profiles

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photo Jose Giovanni Luiggi-Hernandez, PhD, MPH

General Internal Medicine

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Email: jgl58@pitt.edu

Contact
 
E-mail: jgl58@pitt.edu
Education and Training
Education
BA, Psychology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, 2014
MPH, General Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, 2015
MA, Clinical Psychology, Duquesne University, 2017
PhD, Clinical Psychology, Duquesne University, 2023
Training
Pre-Doctoral Internship, Clinical Psychology, VA Caribbean Healthcare System, 2022
Research Interest
As a qualitative methodologist, Dr. Luiggi-Hernández is interested in the optimization of qualitative and mixed methods research design and implementation by either choosing the most appropriate method(s) or combining elements of various qualitative research methods. Among his interests are the designing of new methods or modification of previously existing methods, the use of art in data collection or in the process of data dissemination, and collaborating with stakeholders with the aim of meeting their needs and humanizing research. Being trained under the phenomenological tradition, he is particularly interested in describing novel phenomena and reconceptualizing traditional understandings and practices.

Drawing from a background in clinical psychology and public health, Dr. Luiggi-Hernández is involved in diverse research endeavors. His work encompasses studies on psychotherapy and behavioral interventions for medical conditions such as chronic pain and diabetes, as well as digital mental health and clinical decision-making. Furthermore, he investigates health disparities and social determinants of health, including the impact of discrimination on health and access to services, particularly among LGBTQ+ individuals and racially minoritized groups.

Dr. Luiggi-Hernández is at the forefront of efforts to decolonize psychological theories and practices, recognizing the influence of colonialism on social structures and lived experiences. He has studied the ways in which hope and hopelessness are experienced under precarious, colonial conditions, its impact on people and communities and the resistance of oppressed groups. He explores how colonial legacies shape health outcomes, quality of life, and overall wellbeing, advocating for structurally sensitive approaches to research and practice.
Clinical Interest
As a clinician, Dr. Luiggi-Hernández is invested in approaches rooted in the Psychology as Human Science tradition. He draws upon existential-humanistic, psychodynamic, relational-cultural, and feminist therapies to provide holistic and patient-centered care for physical and mental health issues. Additionally, he is proficient in traditional cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure (PE), and skills training in affective and interpersonal regulation (STAIR). He also counts with training and experience in interpersonal therapy (IP) and motivational interviewing (MI). Dr. Luiggi-Hernández has experience providing individual, couples, and group therapies of various therapeutic models, offering a comprehensive range of therapeutic modalities to patients.

Dr. Luiggi-Hernández advocates for collaborative evaluation, which involves patients in the process of interpreting assessment results to promote shared understanding and informed, shared decision-making. He explores alternatives to conventional psychiatric diagnostic systems such as the Power Threat Meaning Framework, reflecting his commitment to innovative approaches that prioritize patients' experiences and perspectives.

Furthermore, Dr. Luiggi-Hernández is at the forefront of efforts to decolonize psychoanalytic and humanistic-existential theories and practices. His contributions to landmark publications by the American Psychological Association underscore his dedication to fostering structurally sensitive therapeutic approaches.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Gatambide, D. J., Feliciano-Graniela, F. E., Luiggi-Hernandez, J. G., Escobar, E. V. M. Decolonizing psychoanalysis: Anti-Blackness, coloniality, and a new premise for psychoanalytic treatment. In L. Comas-Diaz, H. Y. Adames, & N. Y. Chavez-Duenas (Eds.). Decolonial psychology: Towards anticolonial theories, research, training, and practice. 2024; 321-334.
Luiggi-Hernández, J. G., Woo, J., Hamm, M., Greco, C. M., Weiner, D. K., Morone, N. E. Mindfulness for chronic low back pain: a qualitative analysis. Pain Medicine. 2018; 19(11): 2138-2145.
Luiggi-Hernández, J. G., Rivera-Amador, A. I. Reconceptualizing social distancing: Teletherapy and social inequality during the COVID-19 and loneliness pandemics. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 2020; 60(5): 626-638.
Anderson-Carpenter, K., Sauter, H. M., Luiggi-Hernández, J. G., Haight, P. E. Associations between perceived homophobia, community connectedness, and having a primary care provider among gay and bisexual men. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. 2019; 16: 309-316.
Luiggi-Hernández, J. G., Laborde-Torres, G. E., González-Domínguez, J., Carrasquillo-Sánchez, G. M., Piñero-Meléndez, M., Castro-Medina, D. M., González-Rentas, C. D. Outing the discrimination towards LGBT people during the hiring process: What about their well-being?. Revista Puertorriqueña de Psicología. 2015; 26(2): 194-213.
Jacobs, B. L., Hamm, M., Cameron, F., Luiggi-Hernández, J. G., Heron, D. E., Kahn, J. M., Barnato, A. E. Radiation oncologists’ attitudes and beliefs about intensity-modulated radiation therapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy for prostate cancer. BMC Health Services Research. 2020; 20(1): 1-8.
Cumba-Avilés, E., Piñero-Meléndez, M., Luiggi-Hernández, J. G., Feliciano-López, V. Correlates and predictors of chronicity among adolescents living in Puerto Rico with a history of depressive symptoms. Revista Puertorriquena de psicologia. 2021; 32(2): 190–206.
Notable Achievements
Distinguished Dissertation Award, McAnulty Graduate School of Liberal Arts, Duquesne University, 2023
Josselson Student Research Award, Society for Qualitative Inquiry in Psychology, 2021
Graduate School Award for Excellence in Scholarship, McAnulty Graduate School of Liberal Arts, Duquesne University, 2020
Departmental Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Department of Psychology, Duquesne University, 2018