Being a clinical psychologist can lead to a highly fulfilling career. In a clinical setting, such as a hospital, outpatient clinic, treatment center, or private practice, clinical psychologists interact directly with clients. Clinical psychologists provide mental health diagnosis and care.
So in this article, you can explore the clinical psychology career path and learn about pay and responsibilities.
Who Is a Clinical Psychologist
A clinical psychologist is an expert in mental health who is qualified to administer different psychological tests to identify and treat mental illness. To be eligible for licensing, you must possess a psychology master’s or doctoral degree along with clinical experience. The particular licensing requirements are governed by each state.
Psychological assessment and individual, family, or group client consultations are typical work responsibilities. Clinical psychologists can also identify and treat mental and behavioral issues, such as through offering therapy.
In order to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan, psychologists observe the client’s social interactions as well as their cognitive and emotional processes. Clinical psychologists don’t write prescriptions for drugs. A clinical psychologist’s workplace frequently consists of rehab clinics (such as alcohol and drug treatment programs), psychiatric hospital wards, or private practice.
What Do Clinical Psychologists Actually Do
Clinical psychologists assess, identify, and handle behavioral, emotional, and mental health issues. They assist people in resolving situations ranging from sudden crises to severe, ongoing conditions. They use a range of techniques, including dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, depending on the needs of the individual.
Individuals, families, or groups may be the clients of clinical psychologists. A psychologist frequently focuses on a particular group of people, such as teenagers, women, or members of the LGBTQ+ community. Professionals may work in clinics, schools, jails, hospitals, or health facilities. A lot of people decide to open their own private practice. Clinical psychologists primarily deal with clients one-on-one; however, depending on their area of expertise and where they work, they may also do additional tasks.
Some psychologists conduct research, which entails creating hypotheses and gathering data; nevertheless, other psychologists carry out laboratory experiments or make use of naturalistic observation. In addition, psychologists frequently conduct clinical research, surveys, or questionnaires.
Competencies and Abilities
You need a high degree of empathy, active listening abilities, and a solid moral compass to be successful as a psychologist. However, compassion fatigue is a regular occurrence for psychologists, which can cause them to lose touch with their client’s emotions. About 20–60% of mental health professionals were burnt out prior to the epidemic.
Being highly empathic makes psychologists more susceptible to emotional suffering, making them particularly prone to this. In this way, if you don’t take care of yourself, the inherent selflessness and compassion you have as a therapist may weaken your capacity to assist others.
The stigma associated with mental health professionals obtaining therapy has diminished recently. To maintain your own mental health and ability to help others, you must have the self-awareness and humility to ask for assistance.
Who are therapists
A therapist, sometimes known as a “counselor,” frequently offers counseling or psychotherapy services to their clients in order to help them learn coping mechanisms for their unique problems or situations and assist them in overcoming obstacles in order to enhance their general mental health. Meeting and conversing with clients during traditional therapy is a procedure that aids in resolving difficult emotions, attitudes, behaviors, and relationship concerns.
Leading group therapy sessions, using talk therapy techniques to support clients, interviewing, observing, and assessing clients through talking and conversation, guiding clients through healthy decision-making processes, developing a treatment plan with the client to meet their specific goals for therapy, and collaborating with other providers, like medical professionals or school counselors, with the client.
directing patients to other treatments that might be good for them and their mental health.
Credentials and Licenses to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
The psychology board of their state issues licenses to clinical psychologists. The qualifications for schooling, internships, and work experience vary by state. They can sit for the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is offered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), once they have obtained state licensing.
State licensing standards for therapists differ from state to state. Additionally, they receive professional credentials in a number of different fields, such as:
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LCADAC)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and more.
What is a Clinical Psychologist’s Salary
Clinical psychologists earn an average yearly salary of $106,674 in the United States. Cities like Brooklyn, Sacramento, and San Diego offer the best salaries. The average annual wage for therapists in the country is $74,849. The cities with the highest salaries are:
- New York, New York
- Los Angeles, California
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Jackson, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia
How to Become a Clinical Psychologist
Education is the initial requirement to become a clinical psychologist, and it begins with a bachelor’s degree.
#1. Get a Bachelor’s Degree
A psychology undergraduate degree is the first step on the road to clinical psychology. If you don’t have undergraduate coursework, you might need to take more classes to get the foundational knowledge required for advanced degrees. However, some master’s programs will allow you to count undergraduate coursework toward your psychology master’s degree.
The majority of master’s programs in psychology will still accept you even if you have a bachelor’s degree in another field.
#2. Obtain a Graduate Diploma
You’ll likely need to enroll in a master’s program if your bachelor’s degree is not in psychology. A master’s degree in psychology is typically required for admission to doctoral programs, especially if your undergraduate degree was in another field.
If you already hold a psychology undergraduate degree, you may be able to apply to several doctoral programs without first completing your master’s requirements. Check the requirements for the doctoral program before applying because they can vary substantially.
#3. PsyD versus Ph.D.
There are two alternatives available for graduate degrees: Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) and Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy). Verify if the American Psychological Association (APA) has approved your program.
When thinking about pursuing a doctorate in psychology, there is an additional choice. After receiving your undergraduate degree, you may decide to attend medical school and pursue a psychology-related specialization. A medical professional who works in this area and prescribes medication and traditional psychotherapy is known as a psychiatrist.
#4. Finish an Internship
Clinical psychologists go through an internship, just like doctors. You will get to see how someone working in the field goes about their regular business during this period. Usually, this is carried out at a hospital or mental health facility. Typically, internships last a year or 2000 hours.
#5. Amass Supervised Work Experience in the Industry
After completing your internship, you will spend one to two years working in the field under supervision, akin to a residency for doctors. You won’t be able to obtain a license in some states without completing this step.
#6. Obtain the Necessary Licenses
The next step is to submit a state licensing application. You must thoroughly research the requirements before submitting an application because the requirements for licensure differ from state to state. As an illustration, certain states can demand longer-term hands-on training than others.
#7. Make a Board Certification Application
Although it is not necessary to practice to be board certified, it does improve your credentials. The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) administers the certification process, which includes an examination and verification of your credentials in terms of education, training, and experience.
#8. Constant Learning
You must accumulate a specific number of continuing education (CE) credits over time to keep your license; the quantity and length depend on the state. For instance, in order to keep their license in the state of Nebraska, clinical psychologists must obtain 24 hours of CE credits every 24 months.
What is a Clinical psychologist Vs. Therapist
Clinical psychologists and therapists have different specialties, training, and wages:
A clinical psychologist and a therapist have different degrees of schooling, even though both have training and experience working with clients who have mental health issues. To become a clinical psychologist, one must first finish a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s degree, and eventually a doctorate, often a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), from an American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited program.
Depending on the requirements for a state’s licensure, an EdD may be acceptable. Specialty care could also call for certification. Clinical psychologists typically pursue additional education and training to keep their licenses.
Some therapists need to hold a state-issued license. Many therapists graduate from schools recognized by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) with master’s degrees in their fields of expertise, such as marital and family therapy. To keep their licensure, therapists typically pursue additional education and training.
Types of Clinical Psychologists
Clinical psychologists may specialize in a variety of areas, including:
#1. Pediatric psychologist
Child psychologists are experts in identifying and treating mental and behavioral health issues in children and adolescents. They might collaborate with a pediatrician, educators, or even those in the social work field.
Child psychologists may pursue education and studies that are completely focused on the young, growing brain, including mental and behavioral health concerns, because they specialize in mental health for young children and teens.
#2. Psychologist for Children
For patients with developmental disorders, delays, and other problems relating to developing cognitive and physiological processes in the brain and body, developmental psychologists offer care, diagnosis, and psychological treatment.
These mental health professionals might decide to specialize in treating patients with special needs who have cognitive or physiological impairments like autism and Down syndrome, or they might opt to work only with people in a certain age group like 20-somethings.
#2. Academic Psychologist
Educational psychologists are experts in working with kids and understanding how the brain processes learning. These mental health professionals are qualified to identify and manage mental illnesses linked to behavioral, processing, and learning difficulties.
Public school systems, colleges, and universities, as well as social service organizations, may hire educational psychologists to lead their educational departments. To conduct appointments, assessments, and evaluations, they may also work for local educational boards and travel to schools, community centers, and the homes of students and parents.
#3. Criminal Psychologist
Numerous legal contexts may require the services of a forensic psychologist. They mostly carry out mental assessments of criminal defendants that are required by the state in which they work. Assessing the likelihood of violence as well as determining sanity under law and trial readiness are some examples of this. They might also assist with family law, child custody, and civil cases.
#4. Therapeutic Psychologist
A rehabilitation psychologist works with patients who have chronic illnesses or impairments to help them come up with coping mechanisms for the physical and mental stress that their conditions cause. These mental health professionals could work privately with rehab centers or in the social services industry.
What is the Role of a Clinical Psychologist?
Clinical psychologists examine, identify, and deal with emotional, behavioral, and mental illnesses. Clinical psychologists assist patients in resolving challenges ranging from minor, transient issues to serious, persistent conditions. Finally, clinical psychologists are prepared to assist people using a range of techniques.
What is the Difference Between a Psychologist and a Clinical Psychologist?
General psychologists typically focus on those who are healthier, while clinical psychologists concentrate on persons who have more severe mental health concerns. Other experts have recommended combining the terms “clinical” and “general” to do away with the distinction between the two.
What are Examples of Clinical Psychologists?
- Children’s and adolescent psychology,
- School psychology
- Educational psychology
- Geropsychology
- Clinical health psychology
- Clinical neuropsychology
- Clinical forensic psychology
- And a variety of other clinical specialties.
How Many Years Does it Take to Get a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology?
The majority of psychology Ph.D. programs can be finished in four to seven years. Of fact, this is the maximum amount of time that a psychology professional may anticipate to devote to their education.
What is a PhD in Psychologist?
A psychological ‘Doctor of Philosophy’ with a psychology emphasis is a Ph.D. It is one of the two Ph.D. degrees in psychology that are most frequently awarded. Usually, it is the equivalent of five to seven years of graduate education.
Conclusion
1 in 20 adults in the United States experience mental health problems, which affect millions of people. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 10 and 14; if mental illness is not treated, it can result in suicide, especially in young people. Some, however, are only one clinical psychologist away from receiving the assistance they require to stop it.
In the field, clinical psychology is the most prevalent subspecialty. It calls for a thirst for knowledge and a desire to support others going through some of life’s most trying times.
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