Category: Education & Training

In this post, I’ll discuss Clinical Psychology covering the following aspects which could give you a good idea, information and psychology facts about the subject:

Let’s discuss this promising field of Clinical Psychology in detail.

What the heck Clinical Psychology is?

Each one of us must have experienced emotional upsets, mood swings and off days when we just don’t feel like doing anything. As long as we are able to recover these feelings and perform our daily roles well, we are healthy. However, for few, these moments last longer and inability to cope with them may lead to various types of psychopathologies. The specialists professionally qualified to deal with such minor maladjustments to severe mental or emotional disorders are called clinical psychologists.

Definition of Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is the sub-domain of psychology that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of behavioral, intellectual, emotional and cognitive disorders. Some of the common disorders that a clinical psychologist deals with include substance abuse, depression, anxiety, phobias, panic disorders, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, learning disabilities etc. This branch of psychology is primarily concerned with reducing psychological distress and enhancing health and mental well-being.

Understanding Work Domain Of A Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists use various tools, techniques, assessments, interventions and therapies to help people overcome their traumatic events and difficult life transitions. They work in a variety of settings like hospitals, clinics, mental health care centers, schools, prisons, counseling cell etc. Many choose to have their own private practice as well.

Clinical psychologists generally work in integration with psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, health psychologists, forensic psychologist, school psychologists, psychotherapist, social health workers, rehabilitation and occupational therapist to provide consultation to the clients. They also specialize in psychometric assessments to diagnose the intensity and type of a psychological disorder and the level of intellectual and cognitive impairment. They have a sound knowledge on various personality tests like Rorschach, MMPI, 16 PF, Thematic Apperception Test etc. to identify the clinical symptoms associated with personality disorders.

A good clinical psychologist is also a trained psychotherapist who knows the specific interventions and therapies applicable to a psychological or mental disorder. Becoming a clinical practitioner is not the only dome in which a clinical psychologist can move in. Many experts in the domain get engaged in academics, research and teaching positions also. While some of them become the part of activities, directly related to enhancing psychological health of individuals, families, society and community in large.

What Clinical Psychology Courses Can Help Me Become A Clinical Psychologist?

The pathway to become a clinical psychologist begins with a bachelor’s degree in psychology (major) from a reputed school, college or university. The Bachelor’s degree provides foundation and orientation to the general psychology and related disciplines but does not make one specialized in the area of clinical psychology. It is recommended that a student majoring in psychology should scores good grades and earn credit points by doing internships and research assistant jobs during bachelor’s coursework. The proper professional training to become a clinical psychologist starts at masters level wherein students study all electives related to the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Most students intending to become a clinical psychologist generally choose an integrated master’s and doctoral programs instead of pursuing master’s alone. This is because the doctoral degree in clinical psychology is essential to gain license and practice as a clinical practitioner.

The two most common names associated with the doctorate level of degrees in psychology are Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.). Both degrees require approximately 4-6 years of time to complete. The Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology is an academic and research-oriented degree in which a student does extensive research on psychopathological disorders and their treatment. The student must have very good knowledge of research methodology, research designs, and experimental psychology for pursuing Ph.D in clinical psychology. In contrast, Psy.D is a professional practice of psychology in which a student learns the art of applying the practice of learned theoretical principles of clinical psychology in a clinical or hospital settings. Pursuing either of the two specializations needs extensive training and clinical experience that a student can gain by doing regular internships and part-time clinical practice along with the coursework. It is only after completing doctorate degree and a fixed number of years of clinical experience that one gets eligible to apply for license to become a licensed/ registered/chartered clinical psychologist.

Skills Required To Excel In Clinical Psychology

The road to become a successful and competent clinical psychologist is long and hard. It requires a lot of hard-work, dedication and patience from students to become successful and expert in the field. Understanding of both, normal and deviant functioning of human mind, is essential to excel in the field.

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Sports Psychology Degree

If you are interested in sports and looking for a career in which you can deal with performance issues of a sports team, an athlete, a team captain or a player, think of becoming a sports psychologist. Let’s discuss this promising field of sport psychology in detail.

Fact 1 # What Are The Career Option In Sports Psychology?

Sports psychologists are the experts who help sportsmen, athletes and players to stay on top of their games in the face of competing pressures and growing stress. The sub-field of psychology deals with the study of biopsychosocial elements of individuals who play sports and how sports affect their behavior, cognition and emotions. The career options for a sports psychologist are opening up and growing vastly in the contemporary times. They work with beginners to mature players and deal with their psychological issues that might hamper their performance in the field. Their main focus is to de-stress them and help them overcome the anxiety before the game. They are also instrumental in developing a good sports team in which players are cohesive, cooperative and play in tune with each other and in tandem with the objectives of the team captain.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), Sports psychology is a multidisciplinary field spanning psychology, sport science and medicine. This means that a student interested to become a sports psychologist must have a sound knowledge of sports science along with expertise in the areas of physiological and psychological health of players. He should be well-trained in physical education, exercise physiology, sports medicine, counseling and clinical interventions related to sports performance.

Fact 2 # Where Does Sports Psychologist Work?

Sports psychologists are appointed in sports academies, sports club, sports management companies, local authorities, schools and universities, recreational centers, and national and international sports organizations. Many also work independently in private settings and give consulting services as and when required.

Fact 3 # What Various Roles A Sports Psychologist Has To Perform?

A sports psychologist has to perform a variety of roles in his job that may range from a motivator, counselor, coach, mentor, personal trainer, manager, therapist, movement analyst, dietician, nutritionist etc. The primary job of a sports psychologist is to handle the stress of players thereby increasing their performance.

Fact 4 # Sports Psychology Graduate Programs That Makes A Successful Sport Psychologist

To become a sport’s psychologist requires 5-7 years of rigorous academic training along with hands-on experience of working with athletes, Olympians, sports team. It is important to note that sports psychology is an applied psychology field (the other major applied psychology disciplines are forensic psychology, school psychology, business psychology and clinical psychology), that assists teams and players to utilize their talent and skills to gain competitive advantage. The actual crux of the field can only be obtained by working with players and understanding their issues and challenges in the playground. Thus, internships, part-time consultant jobs, research assistant positions and summer trainings are essential for a prospective sports psychology student apart from academic degrees.

In terms of educational qualifications and degrees, one must hold a major and a master’s degree in sports psychology / physical science to be eligible to gain registered license to practice as a sports psychologist. The doctorate degrees in sports Psychology, PhD and PsyD, can make one enter in research and university positions and generate theoretical, research-based and applied knowledge of optimizing the mind of players.

Fact 5 # Sports Psychology Courses That Needs To Be Considered

Fact 6 # Sports Psychology Programs Offered At Some Top Notch Colleges

Fact 7 # Skills That Helps In Sport Psychology

It’s an important fact of psychology to understand that a good sports psychologist should be capable of instilling confidence, consistency, concentration, control and commitment in the players.

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Counseling Psychology Programs

If you believe in improving the quality of life of others by focusing on their emotional, social, educational, vocational, interpersonal and developmental concerns, you are the right person to pursue counseling psychology as a career.

Why Is There A Need Of Counselling? – Psychology Counseling

Human beings are emotional creatures. They swing on roller coaster rides when it comes to manage their feelings and emotional upheavals with others. Feeling sad, angry, elated, joyous, disturbed and at peace is a normal weave of their fabric that they experience on a day to day basis. However, there are times when their coping and defense mechanisms outreach their effective and cognitive capacities and result in disturbances that require professional help. It is at this point that the help of a counselor is needed to tackle with stresses and adjusting to emotional disturbances.

What Is Counselling?

Counseling has excited mankind since the very beginning of human civilization in one form or another. However, it is during the recent past that counseling has emerged as a distinct branch of psychology. Counselors are believed to be the people who facilitate the normal and optimal functioning of individuals, groups or society at a large. They are the ones who carry skills which can bring real differences in the lives of those who are disturbed, confused or stuck in taking significant life decisions. The aim of counseling psychologists is to establish professional relationships with clients and empower them work towards their goals by helping them overcome negative emotional states and though processes.

What Educational Credentials Are Required To Become A Counseling Psychologist? – Counseling Psychology Graduate Programs

It requires a total of 6-7 years, including 4 year undergraduate bachelor’s degree, 1-2 years master’s program and 1-2 years of internship to become a professional counseling psychologist. Those interested in pursuing academic and research careers in counseling psychology require additional 4-5 years to complete doctoral degrees of PhD and PsyD.

Note:- I have already created articles on following programs which you must check if you’re willing to shape your career in counseling psychology:

• Associate Degree In Psychology
• Majoring In Psychology
• Masters Degree In Psychology
• Colleges For Psychology
• Types of Psychology

Counselling Psychology Courses

In order to become a professional counselor, one must start with a four year Bachelor’s degree in psychology and choose counseling as an elective subject in major. In order to gain accreditation or license, one must advance to obtain a master’s degree and a doctoral degree i.e. phd in counseling from a counselor education or closely related program. It is also essential to complete internships in specialty areas such as school counseling, rehabilitation counseling, mental health counseling, career counseling, gerontological counseling, counseling for deaddiction or marriage, couple and family counseling. Counselors are usually credentialed on a specialist level, such as school, mental health, or addiction. In addition, they are licensed to practice by individual states. During the coursework, they are usually trained in remedial, therapeutic and preventive strategies and interventions to cope up with crisis and daily stressors.

Settings In Which Counselors Work

Counseling Psychologists can work in a wide variety of settings like schools, clinics, mental health and wellness centers, family courts, forensic counseling centers, relationship help centers, deaddiction and rehabilitation centers, career and vocational guidance centers etc. It is not difficult for a counselling psychology student to get placed completing their graduate coursework. However, those wishing to gain better positions and salary must complete their master’s degree. Still others, who want to enter in university academic and research positions should go for doctoral degree programs or phd in counseling psychology.

Counseling Psychology Salary

The pay-package for a counseling psychologist is appealing and rewarding. Those starting as a trainee generally may expect $30,000-40,000 as their annual mean wage. However, professionals of the field can expect a median salary range of $60,000 to 70,000. The wages are also contingent to the specialized areas of counseling in which one is expert. For example, those employed in clinical and mental health settings enjoy greater pay-packages in contrast to the ones working in educational and school settings. This is due to the greater workload and stressful working environment in a hospital setting in contrast to schools and career centers. Counselors can also work independently by establishing their private set-ups. In such a scenario, the earning of a professional is even better than the mean annual salaries. For this, a counselor should be skilled and must have obtained state license to practice in private settings.

Skills Of A Good Counselor

To become a good psychology counselor, one should be able to understand and express the concerns of a client. It requires lot of patience and tolerance to gain trust of the client if one wishes to reach at the core of the trouble. As a counselor, you should be compassionate and a great problem solver and troubleshooter. The ability to offer a wide variety of solutions to the problem of your client will make you a skilled professional groomed with the personal qualities essential for a counseling psychologist.

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