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Approaches to clinical psychology
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Clinical Psychology
Psychology is an extraordinarily diverse field with hundreds of career paths. Some specialties, like treating the mentally ill, are familiar to most. Others, like helping with the design of advanced computer systems or studying memory, are less well-known. What psychologists have in common is a shared interest in mind and behavior. In their work they draw on an ever-expanding body of scientific knowledge about how humans think, act, and feel, and apply the information to their special areas of expertise. The profession of clinical psychology encompasses both research and statistics, through which is learned fundamental data about behavior; and practice, through which that knowledge is applied in helping to solve problems. Training for clinical psychologists differs from other areas of expertise. Contemporary clinical psychology incorporates “culture, traditions, and gender” into the study of behavior (Plante, 2011, p. 27). Therefore, most present-day clinical psychologists consider human behavioral problems from many aspects.
History
Clinical psychology has evolved over the past 60 years into a dynamic field separated in specialty by age group of clients and different schools of thought or theoretical approaches to practicing clinical psychology. Beginning after World War II, when veterans were returning from war by the thousands with various psychological issues, psychiatrists and those in the medical field realized they did not have the workforce to treat every soldier. Therefore, in 1946, the Veteran's Administration “requested 4,700 clinical psychologists be employed in the VA system” (Plante, 2011, p. 49). In 1947, The American Psychological Association Committee on Training in Clinical Psychology...
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...hological well-being of clients. Thus, regarding the clinical psychology field, continual research is very important and should not be underemphasized or ignored for effectiveness and advancement in the field.
Works Cited
Altshuler, S. (2009). School social work: Increasing the legitimacy of the profession. Children & Schools, 31(4), 207.
Berke, D. M., Rozell, C. A., Hogan, T. P., Norcross, J. C., & Karpiak, C. P. (2011). What clinical psychologists know about evidence-based practice: familiarity with online resources and research methods. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67(4), 329-339.doi:10.1002/jclp.20775
Curtis, M. A. (2004). The changing face of school psychology: Trends in data and projections for the future. School Psychology Review, 33(1), 49.
Plante, T. G. (2011). Contemporary clinical psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Theron, M.J. (2008). Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology [PDF] available at The University of South Africa website; umkn-dsp01.unisa.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10500/2554/dissertation.pdf?sequence=1 (p.32)
Heitler, Susan. Ph.D. “8 Reasons to Cheer for Psychotherapy and to Broaden Its Availability.” Psychology Today. N.p. 10 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2013
Merrell, Ervin, Gimpel. School Psychology for the 21st Century. New York, NY: The Guildford Press, 2006.
A health psychologist has a substantial functions including primary care programs, inpatient medical units, and specialized health care programs such as pain management, rehabilitation, women 's health, oncology, smoking cessation, headache management, and various other aspects of health (APA Division 38, 2015). This is an important subfield of psychology with a vast majority of health psychologist working with federal agencies, colleges and universities. Health psychologists focuses on cognition, feelings, and actions that effect social issues, that are important to human health as a whole (APA Division 38, 2015). Career prospects in this area of psychology have expanded with positions available in many employment areas
Many associate psychology with sitting in a chair in a small office as someone taking notes, asking how you feel about a certain event or feeling, analyzing your deepest secrets and memories. However, it branches off into many other fields. A clinical psychologist’s main job is “to reduce the distress and improve the psychological wellbeing of clients” (Bond). This can include anything from depression, eating disorders, and addiction, to mental illness, family and personal relationships, and learning disabilities (Bond). A clinical psychologist usually will choose to have an emphasis in a certain field such as children and learning disabilities and work in schools or social work facilities, or mental illness and work in a hospital (Bond). According to Vicki Cohen, people “typically are referred or come to therapy because they have a symptom”. These are defined by emotional, social, and or physiological.
As a Psychologist with a specialization in Human Services, my skills include counseling, proper documentation of client files, screening for mental and/or behavioral concerns and ensuring day-to-day operations of a busy office. My experience though it is not quantified in years it has included both small and large numbers of patients, and as a result, I am familiar with the need to be flexible and encouraging and I find myself excited by the prospect of a new challenge.
Tanney, F. (1991). Counseling psychology and health psychology: some suggestions for a burgeoning area. The counseling psychologist, 19, 392-395.
We have already seen numerous changes in the field of psychology, and these have yielded new opportunities and roles for psychologists not to mention the added benefits and new comprehensive services presented to the public. In his publication titled, Responding to Society’s Needs: Prescription Privileges for Psychologists, in the Journal Of Clinical Psychology, Norfleet urges the need for this continued trend in our future, and strongly advocates the need for prescription privileges to be a part of the equation. The author clearly lays out the importance of this advancement in the field of psychology by stress...
Clinical psychology is just one of the many subfields that psychology has to offer. Those who choose to enter clinical psychology aim to help people with addiction, emotional stress, mental illness, or any other type of mental problems. Knowing what a clinical psychologist does in their practice is important in understanding their profession. A clinical psychologist's education is the most prominent part of their career; without it, they cannot be considered a psychologist. The process and requirements of employment for psychologists are scattered, varying from state to state, as well as their salary and where they may be employed. The future and growth of clinical psychology can only be determined by the success of this career today. My purpose for this paper is to research the education, the process and requirements of employment, plus the salary and places for employment for psychologists.
Although founded and held to the ethical guidelines of the APA, I/O psychology has struggled with licensure. Should I/O Psychologists be Licensed? An article written by Howard and Lowman (1985) address the initial findings of the result of poorly developed licensing requirements. Few articles discuss the gaps between current laws and regulations. However, research reported within the article stated that there was a study conducted of the directory of the American Psychological Association in 1981 which revealed that “fewer licenses were obtained by younger I/O practitioners” (Howard & Lowman, 1985, p.40). The results of the study indicated 22% of those age 34 or younger were licensed, compared with 39% of those age 35 to 44, 51% of those age 45 to 54, and 67% of I/O psychologists age 55 to 64 (Howard & Lowman, 1985). The results may not have been seen as a major concern during the early 1980s however the article continues to highlight the many hurdl...
Mcbride, Carolina. Zuroff, David. Ravitz, Paula. Koestner, Richard. Moskowitz, Debbie. Quilty, Lena. Bagby, Michael. (2010). British Journal of Clinical Psychology. , 49(4), p529-545.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment of psychologists is expected to grow 19 percent between 2014-2024, which is considerably much faster than average. This 19 percent growth will add over 32,500 psychologists to the workforce. This growth would be seen due to the aging population and health care costs associated with unhealthy lifestyles, personal and family problems and crime and punishment. There will also be an increased demand for forensic psychology professionals in schools, law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, consulting firms and mental health centers. Due to the growing interest in this popular field jobs will most likely go to individuals with doctoral degrees while master’s degree holders will find the road to entry into the forensic psychology workplace to be highly competitive. Forensic psychologist will more than likely be employed within police departments, government agencies, prosecutor’s office, law firms, insurance companies, hospitals and consulting firms. Whereas Clinical psychologists will be employed within the legal setting working with incarcerated individuals, victims of crimes and recently released criminals, they can also work in sports therapy settings, business settings, and military settings. Clinical psychologists can hold positions in education, research, and management and within medical and community settings,
The course Psychology 361: Introduction to Clinical Psychology served as an introduction to the profession and personal life of clinical psychologists. We discussed the ethical and legal issues, the importance of the client-therapist relationship, the rights and responsibilities of the client and the therapist and the different types of therapy within this field of practice. However, after evaluating these concepts in depth, I have come to find some of the material surprising, interesting and difficult to understand. After recognizing my interests and conflicts within clinical psychology, I was able to evaluate myself and determine this profession would not suit me as an individual.
The complexities of the human mind, how it works, why it works, and why it deviates sometimes, were the factors that drew me towards the field of psychology. I was born in India and as I was growing up I realized that psychological problems were not discussed in public. The mystery and intrigue surrounding the disorders further instilled in me the need to understand them in detail. As I continue my academic journey I wish to delve into the depths of Clinical Psychology in order to understand psychopathology better and use my knowledge and skills to create customized intervention plans and to facilitate a harmonious living environment.