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Who is a psychologist, and what do they do?

A psychologist is a mental healthcare expert who helps people learn to better manage their mental health conditions and life and relationship issues by conducting psychological evaluations and providing talk therapy. They support people going through difficult times, such as those living with specific conditions like depression, PTSD, anxiety, or grieving the loss of a loved one. They undergo years of education and training before being qualified to offer various mental health services.

Psychologists study and help treat people's emotional, cognitive, and social processes and behaviors. They offer the following services:

• Identify behavioral and emotional patterns
• Diagnose disorders
• Make referrals
• Come up with effective treatment plans

Some psychologists conduct independent research and offer client consultations or patient care. They can also collaborate with medical doctors and social workers as part of a team or work with students, teachers, parents, and other educators in educational settings. To accommodate patients, private practitioners work on weekends and evenings.

Training and education of a psychologist

To become a qualified psychologist, candidates pursue 4 to 6 years of graduate school. Before this, they must earn an undergraduate degree. They hold either a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in psychology, granting them specialized training.

Students typically combine their coursework with research and teaching. This is done while they are enrolled in graduate and post-graduate programs. They have to finish a year-long supervised internship before graduating.

In some states, students must complete additional years of managed practice to receive a license. The potential psychologists must also pass a national exam and any other licensing exams their state requires.

What conditions do psychologists treat?

Your psychologist can help you manage various life stressors and treat mental and behavioral health issues. These problems could be either long-term or short-term. You can consult a psychologist if you experience the following:

• Anger issues
• Anxiety
• Alcohol and other substance abuse disorders
• Coping with a new serious diagnosis 
• Managing a chronic illness
• Gambling disorder
• Body dysmorphic disorder
• Depression
• Gender dysphoria
• Eating disorders
• Family and relationship issues
• Hoarding disorder
• Postpartum depression
• Sleep disorders
• Grief and loss
• Problems with work or school performance
• Obesity
• Phobias
• Unhealthy habits
• Trauma
• Pain
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Stress management
• Self-confidence issues

What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stems from exposure to traumatic events. It affects people of all ages, ethnicities, and cultures. It can happen due to various traumatic experiences, like natural disasters, accidents, war, sexual assault, and violence. 

People with PTSD encounter persistent, distressing thoughts and feelings linked to the trauma, including flashbacks, nightmares, sadness, fear, anger, and detachment from others. Patients tend to steer clear of reminders of the traumatic event. A diagnosis of PTSD needs exposure to a traumatic event, whether personally experienced, witnessed, or learned about happening to a close one. Symptoms fall into four categories. These include intrusion, avoidance, alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity.

Intrusion symptoms encompass involuntary memories, distressing dreams, and vivid flashbacks. Avoidance involves steering clear of triggers and avoiding discussions about the trauma. Alterations in cognition and mood in patients manifest as distorted beliefs, self-blame, detachment, and an inability to experience positive emotions. 

Alterations in arousal and reactivity may lead to irritability, recklessness, hypervigilance, being easily startled, and concentration or sleep problems. These symptoms often persist for over a month, causing significant distress and impairing daily life. Often, PTSD co-occurs with conditions like memory issues and depression. It can also co-occur with substance abuse and other physical and mental health problems.

Not everyone who experiences trauma may suffer from PTSD, and not all require psychiatric treatment. Some recover with support from family and friends, while others need professional help to overcome intense psychological distress. Trauma-induced distress is not the individual's fault, and PTSD is treatable. Early treatment increases recovery chances. Mental health professionals employ talk therapy and medication as effective, evidence-based PTSD treatments.

Psychologist vs. psychiatrist

Psychology studies the mind, emotions, and behavior, whereas psychiatry is an area of medicine that is concerned with diagnosing, preventing, and treating mental health conditions.

A psychologist has a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) with extensive clinical psychology or research training. 

Psychologists use psychotherapy to treat conditions related to mental health (talk therapy). Typically, a psychologist cannot recommend medication. Alternatively, a psychiatrist is a medical professional specializing in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. They are qualified to prescribe drugs and different types of medical care.

Subspecialties in psychology

The following are some subspecialties in psychology:

• Brain science and cognitive psychology
• Child psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Counseling psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Experimental psychology
• Forensic and public service psychology
• Health psychology
• Rehabilitation psychology
• Sport and performance psychology

What to expect on your first visit to a psychologist near you?

Although every professional has their style of practice and client interaction, in general, you can anticipate a psychologist to do the following:

Ask questions such as:

• What brings you here today?
• What is your personal history?
• When did your problem begin?
• How do you feel about using drugs and alcohol?
• What makes your situation better or worse? 

It might take more than one appointment for your psychologist to understand your mental illness, but answering these questions will help them gather information.

Take a few tests

They might ask you to take a few psychological tests after that. These can help your psychologist understand the issue you're presenting and ultimately aid in making a diagnosis. Tests might evaluate your personality traits, mood, memory, and concentration.

Talk about treatment

Your psychologist will work with you to develop a treatment plan that is suitable for you once they have a clear understanding of the issues you may be experiencing. Psychologists use various treatment methods that are scientifically proven effective. It involves multiple types of therapy, including:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Systems therapy
• Interpersonal therapy

Finding the right psychologist near you in California

Are you looking for reliable psychologists in Long Beach, California? Before making an appointment, consider several factors. These include the type of insurance, the date of the consultation, the necessary specialty, etc. Zocdoc can help you do all this. It is an online tool that makes it simple and quick to make appointments.

All you need to do to begin scheduling appointments on Zocdoc is register for a free account. Then, enter information such as symptoms, doctor specialization, date, and insurance plan. Your search results will generate a comprehensive list. Use filters based on visit type, gender, hospital affiliations, and whether or not they treat children to further whittle down the search results. Once you've chosen a few doctors to interview, read through their biographies to learn more about them, including their credentials, affiliations, awards, areas of specialization, languages, etc.

Finally, you can use Zocdoc-verified reviews by past patients to compare doctors and reserve an appointment with the right psychologist in person or virtually.

Booking appointments with a psychologist near you through Zocdoc is safe, quick, and 100% free.

Statistics about psychologists in California

According to California Health Care Foundation statistics, nearly 1 in 7 California adults experience mental illness. 1 in 26 has serious mental health problems that make daily life difficult. The numbers related to the population under 18 are also concerning. Across 2018-19, 5.9% of California children experienced anxiety, and 2.5% went through depression.

The National Library of Medicine reported that around 18.8 million adults (7.6% of adults) in 2021 had at least one major depressive episode.

As per the reports by the American Psychiatric Association, nearly 3.5% of adult Americans have PTSD annually. For adolescents aged between 13 and 18, the lifetime prevalence of PTSD is about 8%. Approximately one in eleven people will receive a PTSD diagnosis during their lifetime. 

Sources

Cleveland Clinic

Healthline

WebMD

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[1]

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[2]

National Library of Medicine

California Health Care Foundation

American Psychiatric Association

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.