Who is a psychologist?
Psychologists are mental health specialists who use psychological assessments and talk therapy to assist individuals in learning to more effectively manage their mental health concerns and life and relationship problems. Depression, anxiety, anger, or grief are some of the issues that psychologists can help patients overcome. They try to understand their patient's thought processes and identify behavioral and emotional patterns.
Once they diagnose the disorder, they recommend appropriate treatment plans to help cope with such feelings and lead a healthy, happy life. Psychologists work in clinics, hospitals, schools, community health centers, and nursing homes. They can also work in rehabilitation centers, prisons, research centers, and workplaces.
What kind of education and training do psychologists receive?
Aspiring psychologists complete their graduation and then study and train for another 4 to 6 years before they can begin practicing. During their graduate and post-graduate programs, students research and teach apart from their regular coursework. They must do a one-year supervised internship and pass a national exam and additional state licensing tests.
Psychologists must continue their education even after this to earn several credits every year. It helps them keep updated with the latest developments in their field. In Virginia, psychologists are not allowed to prescribe medication, unlike in a few other states.
Some subspecialties in psychology include child psychology, sports and performance psychology, experimental psychology, counseling psychology, and clinical psychology. Health psychology, developmental psychology, brain science and cognitive psychology, and forensic and public service psychology are other subspecialties in this field.
Different types of psychologists
A few of the common subspecialties in psychology include the following:
- Cognitive and perceptual psychologists
Cognitive and perceptual psychologists study human thinking, memory, and perception. For instance, how humans produce and understand language and how the mind sees or defines reality. Cognitive and perceptual psychologists collaborate with behavioral neuroscientists to study the biological fundamentals of cognition or perception. They also work with researchers to understand cognitive bias among people suffering from depression.
Counseling psychologists help people identify their inner resources and strengths to cope with or manage serious adversity and daily problems. They conduct teaching, scientific research, psychotherapy, or counseling sessions with people of all ages, organizations (hospitals, schools, businesses), and families. Counseling psychologists help people understand their behaviors and how it affects their quality of life and environment.
Forensic psychologists apply the principles of psychology for legal purposes. Their expertise is most useful in the judicial system. They can analyze a defendant's mental ability to face a trial and help a judge give the proper judgment. They can even help decide the custody of a child in divorce cases. Forensic psychologists also research eyewitness testimony and jury behavior. Some forensic psychologists may receive training in both law and psychology to serve the judicial system.
- Developmental psychologists
Developmental psychologists focus on the psychological development of human beings throughout their lifespans. Earlier, they mainly focused on the formative years of human beings: childhood and adolescence. However, as life expectancy improved beyond 80 years, developmental psychologists began focusing on aging's behavioral, mental, and physical aspects. They help older adults lead independent lives as much as possible.
Health psychologists focus on how psychological, social, and biological factors affect human health and illness. They study why some patients don't follow medical advice and how some handle their mental state during an illness. It helps them develop effective ways to change poor habits and manage chronic pain in patients. They develop treatment plans to promote physical and emotional well-being.
Why should you visit a psychologist?
If you have persistent thoughts or emotions that prevent you from going about your daily life, you should see a psychologist. For instance, if you feel hopeless and life seems no longer worth living or need an unbiased person to help you sort out your emotions. Psychologists can also help you with drug or alcohol abuse or coping with overwhelming feelings.
The death of a family member, the loss of a job, or a divorce can affect a person drastically. Similarly, an illness, problems at work, behavior that seems out of control, or constant negative feelings can affect our daily lives. Psychologists can help with all of these problems and get things back on track with talk therapy.
Psychologists can help with trauma, unhealthy habits, phobias, sleep disorders, self-confidence issues, and stress management. They can also help with gender dysphoria, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, postpartum depression, and obesity. Further, visit a psychologist near you if you have a hoarding disorder, unexplained pain, school or work performance issues, or family and relationship problems.
Are psychologists and clinical psychologists the same?
Both psychologists and clinical psychologists help patients with mental health issues. However, a clinical psychologist treats more severe cases than a psychologist. Clinical psychologists focus on psychopathology, which studies mental health conditions. On the other hand, psychologists help people through counseling to help them address social, emotional, and physical stressors.
Clinical psychology combines clinical knowledge, science, and theory to diagnose and treat all kinds of psychological distress.
Are psychologists and psychiatrists the same?
Psychiatrists are medical doctors, unlike psychologists. A psychologist has a doctoral degree, such as a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) or a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy). Psychiatrists are certified doctors specializing in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses.
Psychiatrists can prescribe medication, while psychologists are generally not allowed to do so in most states, excluding New Mexico, Louisiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Idaho. Even in conditions where psychologists can prescribe medication, they must receive additional training and licensure.
Psychiatrists treat more complex mental health problems than psychologists. While psychologists use talk therapy to treat patients, psychiatrists combine talk therapy and medications to manage and treat their patients.
How to find the best psychologist near you?
Although acknowledging and getting support for a mental health problem or emotional difficulties can be intimidating, you must do so. A psychologist can assist you in better comprehending and overcoming the challenges keeping you from leading a happy and healthy life. Together with you, your psychologist will devise a therapy strategy that is most effective for you.
Finding a good psychologist in Arlington, Virginia, can take time and effort. Zocdoc can help you here. On the Zocdoc website or application, enter your symptoms, location, and "psychologist." Zocdoc will provide you with a list of the top psychologists in your area within minutes.
You can search for in-network providers who take your insurance. Zocdoc also maintains detailed profiles for each healthcare provider in its vast database. The profile includes the healthcare professional's education and training, gender, hospital affiliations, specialization, certifications, licensure, awards, and accreditations. You can also check the languages they speak and whether they treat children.
Depending on the psychologist's availability, you can book appointments during office hours and on weekends. You can also book online video consultations before you visit the psychologist near you in person. Just check for the purple icon on the profile of psychologists who allow such video consultations. Booking appointments on Zocdoc is safe, simple, and free!
Statistics on psychologists, mental disorders in Virginia
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 470 psychologists, 1,080 school psychologists, 1,350 clinical and counseling psychologists, and 30 industrial-organizational psychologists in Virginia in May 2021.
Psychologists can help with various conditions such as depression, suicidal tendencies or thoughts, obesity, and frequent mental distress. According to America's Health Rankings, about 19.6% of adults in Virginia were diagnosed with a depressive disorder in 2021. It included depression, major depression, minor depression, and dysthymia. Women (24.7%) were more likely to be depressed than men (14.3%). Those between 18 and 44 were most likely to be depressed compared to other age groups, with 23.4% being diagnosed with the condition. The percentage was lower in those aged 45 to 64 (18.0%) and those 65 and above (14.1%).
Further, in 2020, there were 14 deaths due to intentional self-harm (suicide) per 100,000 population in the state. More men (22.6 deaths per 100,000) than women (6 deaths per 100,000) committed suicide in Virginia.
About 33.6% of the adult population reported sleeping, on average, fewer than seven hours out of 24 hours. It was higher than the national average of 32.3%. Women (34.2%) were more likely to have a sleeping problem than men (33.0%). Those aged 18 to 44 (36.2%) and those aged 45 to 64 (36.5%) were more likely to have a sleeping disorder. The percentage was lower in those aged 65 and above (23.3%).
Approximately 34.2% of adults in Virginia were obese in 2021. It meant they had a body mass index of 30 or higher. The percentage was higher than the national average of 33.9%. Women (34.9%) were more likely to be obese than men (33.6%). The condition's incidence was highest at 42.0% in those aged 45 to 64. It was lower in those aged 18 to 44 (30.0%) and those 65 and above (31.6%).
Sources
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Cleveland Clinic
Psychology.org
WebMD
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
America’s Health Rankings[1]
America’s Health Rankings[2]
America’s Health Rankings[3]
America’s Health Rankings[4]
American Psychological Association
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