What careers could I pursue if I choose to specialize in clinical psychology? This is a common question among those who are still studying and deciding what their future careers will be. Having already got some idea about the different specialties are, you should now have a good idea which one is best for you. Simply put, there’s no cookie-cutter answer as to what a clinical psychologist can do. There is no straight-forward answer or in-depth details about what career options are available for clinical psychologists—this is because it’ll change depending on which branch of the field the individual has his or her focus on.
A clinical psychologist can work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools, prisons, nursing homes, private practice and more. Clinical psychologists often treat patients with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety disorders, addictions and personality disorders. They also work with individuals who have developmental disabilities or physical illnesses that affect their mental health.
In addition to traditional therapy sessions, a clinical psychologist may also provide career counseling; perform assessments on children and adults to identify learning disabilities or mental disorders; evaluate whether someone is competent to stand trial or make medical decisions; conduct research studies on various topics related to psychology; and consult with other professionals who need help understanding psychological concepts.
What jobs can a clinical psychologist do
Introduction
What is a clinical psychologist?
Clinical psychologists work with people suffering from a range of problems including mental illness, emotional disturbance and psychological distress.
Clinical psychologists work with people suffering from a range of problems including mental illness, emotional disturbance and psychological distress. They can help you manage your feelings and understand yourself better.
To become a clinical psychologist, you need to complete a five-year course at university or college to become registered as a psychologist. You will then need to get experience working in the NHS or private practice before qualifying as a fully qualified clinical psychologist
You will assess their needs and provide talking treatments aimed at helping to improve their mental health.
As a clinical psychologist, you will assess their needs and provide talking treatments aimed at helping to improve their mental health.
Your patients could include adults, children, couples, families or groups.
Your patients could include adults, children, couples, families or groups. As a clinical psychologist you will be able to help with a wide range of emotional and mental health problems. You will also need to be flexible and adaptable as some people may have more than one problem at the same time.
Working in the NHS, you will usually be based in a general hospital or mental health hospital.
Starting out, your first job will be working in the NHS, typically based in a general hospital or mental health hospital. You’ll work with people who have psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety disorders; people who have mental health problems like schizophrenia and psychosis; individuals who have experienced trauma or abuse; and those dealing with addiction problems.
Working in the community is another common career path for clinical psychologists. You’ll often see clients at their home or workplace if they don’t require more intensive support to manage their difficulties (this might be necessary if they are having suicidal thoughts). Your client group will likely include adults who may not currently be suffering from any particular disorder but want help developing resilience so they can cope when things get difficult in life.
You may also work within a community setting such as a GP surgery or voluntary agency.
You may also work within a community setting such as a GP surgery or voluntary agency. These roles can range from providing support to people with mild and moderate mental health conditions, to giving therapy to those who have experienced more severe mental health problems. You will need to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council before you start working in this way, but there are no specific entry requirements for this type of role.
This flexibility means that clinical psychologists often find themselves working in places where they may not have expected to end up when they first started out – including prisons, schools and hospitals – simply because someone needs their help!
You are likely to work normal office hours but you may need to work evenings and weekends if you are supervising staff or have research commitments.
You are likely to work normal office hours but you may need to work evenings and weekends if you are supervising staff or have research commitments. You may also be required to attend meetings, give talks and write papers.
As well as working for the NHS in acute care or mental health settings, clinical psychologists are now employed in roles outside the NHS such as:
As well as working for the NHS in acute care or mental health settings, clinical psychologists are now employed in roles outside the NHS such as:
- Occupational psychology
- Educational psychology
- Counselling psychology
- Forensic psychology
- Health psychology
Clinical psychologists can also be involved with mental health issues within specific groups, such as those who play sport or exercise regularly.
occupational psychology;
Occupational psychology is the scientific study of the workplace. It’s a relatively new discipline, formally recognized as a profession since 1948, but it has come to play an important role in helping companies achieve their goals. Occupational psychologists work with managers and employees to improve the quality of work life by increasing productivity and employee satisfaction. They also help people deal with job-related stressors and interpersonal conflicts, provide advice on how to reduce absenteeism, improve recruitment and selection processes, assist in performance appraisals (including 360 degree feedback), develop training programs for employees that align with organizational goals, evaluate teamwork effectiveness and foster good communication between managers and staff members.
educational psychology;
Educational psychologists are experts in the academic, emotional, and social development of children. They work with students from childhood through college to develop strategies for improved learning and behavior.
Educational psychology is a wide field that includes several specialties, such as:
- School psychology: These professionals focus on the mental health of students and provide consultation to teachers on how best to help students succeed in school environments.
- Counseling psychologists: These professionals specialize in helping people solve problems related to their relationships with others or themselves. Counseling psychologists often work as therapists within schools or organizations that provide mental health services like hospitals or clinics where they can treat patients individually or in groups.
counselling psychology;
Counselling psychology is a branch of clinical psychology that focuses on the psychological needs of individuals. Counselling psychologists work with people suffering from a range of problems including mental illness, emotional disturbance and psychological distress.
forensic psychology;
Forensic psychologists can work with offenders, victims and families of offenders. They can work in the community, prisons and secure hospitals.
- Offenders in prison – Forensic psychologists are typically employed by the prison service to assess prisoners for risk management purposes (whether they are likely to commit another offence) and for treatment needs (which might include addressing issues that contributed to their offending).
- Offenders in secure hospitals – Forensic psychologists may also be employed in psychiatric hospitals where they will provide psychological support for patients who have committed very serious offences. These patients may be detained under mental health legislation or civil law indefinitely.
- Offenders in the community – Some forensic psychologists choose to specialise solely in working with criminals who have been released from prison and are living normally within society on licence conditions (or parole). This is done by assessing risk levels posed by these individuals so that appropriate action can be taken if necessary: either through supervision by a probation officer or other intervention designed to reduce reoffending rates, such as cognitive behavioural therapy courses run by charitable organisations like Unlocking Potential or ProActive Alternatives Ltd
health psychology; and
Health psychology is the area of clinical psychology that involves working with people to help them make healthy lifestyle choices, manage their health and cope with illness. Health psychologists may work as part of a team, or as stand-alone professionals.
Health psychologists can be found in a range of settings including hospitals, schools, community health centres and private practice. They may also work at universities or non-profit organisations.
sport and exercise psychology.
Sports psychology is a branch of psychology that uses psychological theories and principles to understand, assess, and treat psychological issues in athletes and sports participants. A sports psychologist can help you improve your performance through training, goal-setting, motivation, visualization and recovery/adaptation skills.
Sports psychology is a relatively new discipline but it’s gaining popularity as an alternative treatment method for conditions such as anxiety or depression while also helping athletes reach peak performance on the field or court. While there are some psychologists who specialize in this area (called clinical sport psychologists), many other mental health professionals work with athletes as well including counselors, social workers or marriage/family therapists who may offer counseling services to clients but don’t necessarily have any experience working with sports teams specifically.
Sports psychologists are licensed professionals who generally hold PhDs in clinical psychology along with specialized training towards working with athletes in particular settings such as being affiliated with a university program for student-athletes; working for professional teams like Major League Baseball teams; private practice specializing only in professional athlete clients; sports team management positions at colleges/universities where they provide mental health services only within athletic departments; etc…
The field of clinical psychology is wide and varied
Clinical psychologists can work in a variety of settings, with a variety of people, in roles that span the spectrum from clinician to researcher. There are many different ways to become involved:
- You may work directly with clients in private practice or at hospitals or universities.
- You may also become an educator or researcher, developing theories and practices that will benefit future generations.
Conclusion
Clinical psychology is a complex and diverse field. The majority of clinical psychologists work for the NHS, but there are also opportunities for private practice, in academia or with charitable organisations. The role can be challenging but you will make a positive difference to people’s lives, which can be very satisfying.
