What is a Psychologist?
by Richard P. Johnson, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

A psychologist is the professional one turns to when they need help solving life’s problems. Often, this means seeking help resolving feelings of depressions or anxiety, or behaviors that have taken over too much of a person’s life like addictions or obsessive compulsive patterns. Other times, people reach out to a psychologist when their marriage is in trouble or when they have family problems with which they want help.

What Training Does A Psychologist Receive? Most psychologists have doctoral degrees, although some in the state of Pennsylvania still have Master’s degrees and are just as qualified as doctoral level psychologists. All psychologists must be licensed by the state of Pennsylvania to practice and must have completed a rigorous course of study in human behavior and how to help people cope more effectively with life’s problems. Psychologists are trained in the latest techniques on how best to help people achieve the changes in their behaviors and relationships they seek to change.

What Makes A Psychologist Different From Other Mental Health Professionals? Although many mental health professionals claim to do psychotherapy (Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, Psychiatrists, Marital and Family Counselors), psychologists have some unique and distinguishing features that set them apart from these other professionals:

1. Psychologists are trained to evaluate the effectiveness of psychotherapy – Psychologists are scientists trained to examine the effectiveness of their treatment approach. This training in research methodology is helpful in guiding treatment and supervising others in providing effective treatment.
   
2. Psychologists administer sophisticated psychological tests that only licensed psychologists can legitimately use, resulting in accurate diagnoses- Psychologists are trained and know how to use psychological tests that can accurately diagnose psychological disorders that frequently confound other mental health professionals. These tests are restricted to the use of licensed psychologists only, so only those trained in the administration and interpretation can use them – in other words, psychologists.
   

What About Confidentiality? Everything you tell your psychologist is confidential – with three exceptions: 1: If you are truly suicidal and have a plan and intend to carry it out, then your therapist can do whatever is necessary to keep you safe; 2: If you truly intend to commit bodily harm to someone else and have a plan, intend to carry forth with that plan and have the means to do that, then your psychologist may have a duty to warn that individual; 3: If you are under the age of 18 and subject to the mandated reporter requirements of the Child Protective Services Act. Otherwise, your rights to confidentiality are protected. Discuss this right with your psychologist (or other therapist) before you begin therapy to be sure you fully understand the limits of your confidentiality rights.

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