Clinical
psychologists are mental healthcare professionals who work with patients with
mental or physical health difficulties, in order to reduce distress and improve
psychological wellbeing.
Clinical
psychologists work with people of all ages and backgrounds who may be suffering
from a wide range of disorders, including, but not limited to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Addiction
- Cognitive problems
- Neurological disorders
- Psychosis
- Childhood behaviour disorders
- Serious and enduring mental ill-health
Clinical
psychologists work in a number of different settings, such as:
- Hospitals
- Social services
- Psychiatric units
- Community mental health teams
- Child and adolescent mental health teams
Often,
clinical psychologists are required to work as part of a team with other
professionals such as doctors, nurses, and social workers in order to tackle
complex patient problems and to provide the patient with comprehensive care.
A
number of methods are employed in order to assess a patient. The clinical
psychologist may conduct a clinical assessment, consisting of psychometric
tests, interviews and behavioural observations in order to determine the best
course of action. This may lead to the recommendation of future therapy or
counselling for the patient.
Clinical
psychologists may help the patient in a number of different ways. For example,
clinical psychologists may provide advice on how to care for a child who has
been a victim of abuse. They help people manage and live with serious illnesses
such as cancer. They may help someone who is struggling to maintain
relationships. They can provide advice on how best to manage memory problems,
or they may deliver one-to-one psychological therapy sessions.
Experienced
clinical psychologists may be called on to act as expert witnesses in criminal
trials, or may be required to write legal reports.
It seems being a clinical psychologist encompasses a lot of different responsibilities. No two working days would ever be the same!
No comments:
Post a Comment