Whats the difference between clinical psychologist and psychologist

Psychologists fall into different subtypes. At Better Self Psychology in Adelaide, we employ registered psychologists, clinical psychologists, provisional psychologists, psychologists who specialise in children, and a soon-to-be sports psychologist.

Registered vs. Clinical Psychologists

Both registered and clinical psychologists have undertaken extensive training to assist with a variety of mental health concerns.

The differences? A registered psychologist is somebody who has completed a four-year university degree and has obtained either a post-graduate university degree or completed an equivalent of two years of supervised practical training to obtain registration as a psychologist. Both Ksenia and Caitlin are registered psychologists.

On the other hand, a clinical psychologist has completed a six-year university degree and undertaken an equivalent of two years of supervised practical training. Our team of clinical psychologists include Tristan, Tamika, Rebecca and Kate. Ksenia is a clinical psychology registrar (meaning she is completing her two years of supervised practical training to become clinical).

You can learn more about our psychology team here >

All psychologists, Registered and Clinical must be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and meet high standards in education, training, along with ongoing learning and development.

How do Clinical Psychologists differ from a Provisional Psychologists?

A provisional psychologist is somebody who is currently in-training to become a fully registered psychologist (we’re on our “P plates,” if you will!). For the most part, we can assist with the same concerns as a registered or clinical psychologist, but we receive supervision while we are doing so.

Guillermo and Will at Better Self are our resident provisional psychologists, despite their differences in how they got here! Guillermo trained to become a psychologist over in Spain, and he is now completing additional training to gain registration in Australia. Will, on the other hand, is currently completing his post-graduate psychology degree.

Some of our psychologists specialise in working with children too

When working with children, psychologists use play-based therapy to assist with separation anxiety, learning difficulties, social skills, behaviour management and emotional regulation. Another key role of a psychologist who works with children is working alongside parents to support children with their big emotions and sometimes their big behaviours!

Our role with the little ones is to help them safely share their experiences, teach them new skills and help them develop confidence in their abilities. Tamika and Rebecca work with children.

And lastly, what is a Sports Psychologist?

A sports psychologist is a professional that uses psychological knowledge to help improve athletic performance and wellbeing. As sports psychologists, we use various therapy tools to assist athletes, coaches and parents with sports-related concerns, including motivation, anxiety and depression, athletic injury and transitions in and out of participating in sport. We typically take a cognitive-behavioural approach to therapy, meaning that we focus on how your thoughts and actions impact your life as an athlete. Will is currently undertaking a Master of Psychology (Sport and Exercise). After this, he plans to undertake the two years of supervised practical training necessary to become a registered sports psychologist!

Feel free to call Better Self on 8432 0007, and we can have a chat to figure out how we can help.

You can also learn more about what to expect on your first visit to a Psychologist here >

The content of this page is only for informational purposes and is not intended, expressly or by implication, as a guarantee of employment or salary, which vary based on many factors including but not limited to education, credentials, and experience. Alliant International University explicitly makes no representations or guarantees about the accuracy of the information provided by any prospective employer or any other website. Salary information available on the internet may not reflect the typical experience of Alliant graduates. Alliant does not guarantee that any graduate will be placed with a particular employer or in any specific employment position.

If you're considering a clinical psychology degree, counseling psychology degree, or any other graduate degree in psychology, you have many choices in higher education ahead of you. From what type of degree to earn to which school to make your academic home, the end goal is to make you a professional psychologist qualified to pursue career paths in mental health counseling and more depending on the path you choose. One of the most basic-yet most important-decisions you will make about an advanced degree in psychology is what type of psychology you want to study. While there is some overlap between different branches of psychology, there are also differences, and the area you decide to study will determine your educational and career path for years to come.

A clinical psychologist and a counseling psychologist share many functions in mental health sciences. For example, both groups of psychologists have proficient counseling skills, provide psychotherapy and participate in research. They're employed in similar settings, such as universities and college counseling centers, community health clinics, hospitals, and private practice. When it comes to licensure, there's also no difference between the groups-clinical psychologists and counseling psychologists are both considered licensed psychologists in all 50 states (Morgan & Cohen, 2008; Roger & Stone, 2020).

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Knowing the differences between clinical vs. counseling psychology can help you choose the ideal psychology degree program. Let’s explore clinical psychology versus counseling psychology a little more in-depth.

What is Clinical Psychology?

Clinical psychologists receive a wealth of training in theoretical orientations, including psychoanalytic, behavioral, and cognitive-behavioral theoretical foundations, among others (Norcross, 2000). Clinical psychologists work in a variety of settings, such as, but not limited to, universities, community mental health centers, private practice, hospitals, inpatient settings, primary care settings, and academic medical centers (Brems & Johnson, 1997; Norcross, 2000). While clinical psychologists work with a broad range of psychopathology and clinical diagnoses, they also receive more extensive clinical training with serious psychopathology, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorders, among others (Morgan & Cohen, 2008). 

What is Counseling Psychology?

In contrast to their clinical counterparts, counseling psychologists tend to ascribe to humanistic and person-centered theoretical orientations and are often employed at universities and university counseling centers and in human service settings, such as mental health centers and family services (Brems & Johnson, 1997; Norcross et al., 1998; Norcross, 2000). A psychologist counselor tends to work with healthier patients who have less severe psychological problems. After completing a counseling psychology program and becoming a licensed professional counselor, their work focuses more on emotional, social and physical issues that arise from typical life stresses or more serious issues associated with school, work or family settings (Norcross, 2000). Counseling psychologists might see patients for relationship issues, substance abuse counseling, career counseling, difficulty adapting to life changes and other such issues.

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Should I Be a Clinical or Counseling Psychologist?

The American Psychological Association (APA) accredits doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology, as well as internships and postdoctoral residency programs. Accreditation demonstrates that the graduate program has satisfied the Standards of Accreditation in Health Service Psychology (SoA) and that graduates are competent in providing psychological services to the public (https://accreditation.apa.org/why-accreditation-matters). Also, some licensing boards require candidates to have graduated from an APA-accredited doctoral program, so ensuring that you select an APA-accredited graduate program has multiple benefits following graduation. All APA-accredited doctoral programs have been found to be consistent with the Standards of Accreditation; however, each program has aims that are unique and define the training goals for their graduates. 

Your choice of graduate psychology program will depend on your interests. Are you interested in studying psychopathology and working with patients with serious psychological and mental health disorders? Or are you more interested in providing emotional and vocational support for a healthier population base with psychology counseling?

Whatever your career preference, a doctoral program in either clinical psychology or counseling psychology can serve you well. In fact, a peer-reviewed study of counseling and clinical psychology programs around the country found a significant number of similarities between the two types of programs, and noted it was more important to select a doctoral program that offered specialized concentrations and faculty whose interests align with yours (Morgan & Cohen, 2008).

No matter where your career interests lie, Alliant International University’s California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) can help you on your way. Our psychology graduate school offers Doctorate in Clinical Psychology degree programs at a number of campus locations throughout California. Each program also offers hands-on experience and a wide range of emphasis areas to further specialize your studies and guide your future career after graduation.

To learn more about Alliant’s PhD in Clinical Psychology degree programs, PsyD in Clinical Psychology degree programs or our Master’s in Clinical Counseling degree program, call us today at (866) 825-5426

Alliant International University offers many educational programs, master’s degree programs, PsyD and PhD clinical psychology programs, and more at our campuses in California and online. Apply to a counseling program today!

SOURCES:

  • American Psychological Association (n.d.). Why APA accreditation matters. Retrieved December 8, 2020 from https://accreditation.apa.org/why-accreditation-matters
  • Brems, C., & Johnson, M.E. (1997) Comparison of recent graduates of clinical versus counseling psychology programs, The Journal of Psychology, 131(1), 91-99, doi: 10.1080/00223989709603507 
  • Morgan, R. D., & Cohen, L. M. (2008). Clinical and counseling psychology: Can differences be gleaned from printed recruiting materials? Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 2(3), 156-164.
  • Norcross, J. C., Sayette, M. A., Mayne, T. J., Karg, R. S., & Turkson, M. A. (1998). Selecting a doctoral program in professional psychology: Some comparisons among PhD counseling, PhD clinical, and PsyD clinical psychology programs. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 29, 609–614. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.29.6.609 
  • Norcross, J. C. (2000). Clinical versus counseling psychology: What’s the diff. Eye on Psi Chi, 5(1), 20-22.
  • Roger, P. R., & Stone, G. (2020). Counseling psychology vs. clinical psychology. Society of Counseling Psychology: American Psychological Association Division 17. https://www.div17.org/about-cp/counseling-vs-clinical-psychology/

What makes a psychologist a clinical psychologist?

A clinical psychologist is a psychologist who is an expert in mental health. They have undertaken highly specialised APAC-accredited training in the assessment, diagnosis, formulation, and psychological treatment of mental health, behavioural, and emotional disorders across the lifespan.

What does a clinical psychologist do?

Clinical psychologists work with clients to recognize their physical, mental, and behavioural problems. The psychologist can identify any current or possible conditions through findings, interviews, and examinations. Instead, they devise a recovery plan together with the client as per the needs of the client.

Which is better clinical psychologist or psychiatrist?

Conclusion. Both psychologists and psychiatrists are equally capable in their field to work with mental illness. No one is better than the other, they are experts in their own areas of specialization and effective results are seen when both of them work together to improve an individual's mental wellbeing.