Clinical psychologist: features of the profession and responsibilities of a specialist

Clinical psychology pays attention to the study of human intelligence, the emotional sphere, physiological manifestations, as well as social and behavioral characteristics of the individual. All this knowledge is necessary for the clinical psychologist. You need to know what are the characteristics of the profession and the duties of a specialist before you connect your life with this profession.

Assistance to a person in strengthening and protecting his mental health - such a function is performed by a clinical psychologist. The activities of this specialist are regulated not only by the science of psychology, but also by medicine. Based on them, he conducts diagnostics and corrective work on the various manifestations of a person’s mental disorder.

The formation of officially recognized clinical psychology occurred in the 19th century, when the Institute of Experimental Psychology appeared in Leipzig. Later, in 1917, the American Psychologists Association was founded, where the status of a scientist began to be regarded as his profession. At the end of the 20th century, the German E. Kraepelin began to use experimental methods in psychology, and Z. Freud developed a theory of the occurrence of a mental disorder, considering it outside the context of medicine.

In Russia, pathological processes from the psyche were investigated by I. A. Sikorsky, V. M. Bekhterev, V. Kh. Kandinsky. At the clinic of Kazan University in 1885 a scientific laboratory was opened, and later on its basis the Psychoneurological Institute. Ankylosing spondylitis. At the end of the 20th century, Russia made significant progress in the field of clinical psychology, and an applied area was formed, called pathological psychology, which was based on the intersection of psychology and psychiatry.

To date clinical psychology is the most widespread and demanded applied branch of psychology, which has great potential for further development both in Russia and abroad.

The activity of the clinical psychologist is determined by the needs of the patient and includes such sections of scientific knowledge as pathological and somatic psychology, neurological and neuropsychology. The theoretical and practical application of knowledge in these areas allows us to find a solution to the problem in the process of diagnosis and examination of the state of the human psyche, contributes to a favorable psychological mood of the patient during his treatment for various diseases not only of the psyche, but also of internal organs, and helps to optimize treatment approaches and the nosocomial environment the person’s speedy recovery, reveals the range of relationships between the doctor and the patient, as well as the relations of patients among themselves, tracks Nia, which occur in the human psyche during the course of his illness.

Clinical psychologists perform certain practical functions.

• Diagnostics implies monitoring the development of symptoms in dynamics, as well as participation with specialists in determining the site of brain damage, since different localizations have different manifestations. In addition, the character of a person who is disposed to develop various kinds of diseases is studied.
• Examination involves an expert assessment of the development of the psyche of the child, VTEC, forensic psychiatric, military medical and so on. Based on the results of the research, an expert opinion is given.
• Psychological correction is a psychological impact on a person with a specific goal according to the chosen method. Correction can be considered changes that improve a person’s condition. In the process of exposure, they work in the direction of improving behavioral skills, reduce the risk of psychosomatic illnesses, level the effects of injuries and serious illnesses, improve the adaptive capabilities of the body, and eliminate the results of psychological injuries resulting from experiencing difficult life situations.
• Psychological rehabilitation helps to restore the physiological abilities of the psyche to return to the level that a person had before experiencing a negative psychological situation or illness. In addition, there is also a type of social adaptation, which helps a person to join the society, labor or educational team.
• Preventative measures include the formation of a person’s concept of a healthy psyche and the right way of life. The next step in the preventive orientation is the detection and elimination of risks to which the psyche may be exposed in the process of illness or life difficulties. And the third step of preventive work is aimed at preventing the occurrence of relapses of a mental breakdown that occurs repeatedly after a serious illness, disability or other situations.

The modern world makes a person experience high psychological stress and experience frequent stressful situations of varying severity, which is manifested by an increase in the number of people suffering from various deviations in mental health and in need of competent professional help.

Modern training of specialists in psychological profile in the system of Russian higher education is carried out as follows:

• in the medical field - the curriculum includes a list of compulsory subjects from the field of not only psychology, but also medicine, after the graduation from such a university the specialist will be expected to work as a clinical psychologist;
• in pedagogical direction - training in this case does not imply the study of medical subjects, on the contrary, emphasis is placed on psychology and pedagogy, after completing the training a specialist can work in the field of psychology in educational institutions.

The psychotherapist is a professional whose knowledge is based on the study of psychology and medicine. He assists in the treatment of mental illness, borderline conditions, lungs and serious mental disorders.

A clinical psychologist is a specialist with a higher medical education, who, without resorting to medical treatment, works with violations of not only the will and attention, but also of thinking, as well as the spectrum of emotions. Most often, this specialist deals with the treatment of neuroses, which are inherent in people with a relatively healthy psyche.

Future applicants who choose the direction of clinical psychology should be aware that this specialty can be acquired only after graduating from a medical university, but a specialist in this profile is not considered a doctor and does not have a license that enables him to provide medical services.

This profession has its pros and cons. Its positive sides are:

• the opportunity to learn to understand people well, to understand their psychological nuances of behavior and response to various situations;
• determine how sincere a person is Does he tell the truth, what motives motivate them, what makes him react to a particular event in a certain way;
• the ability to provide people with psychological assistance and support, see the results of their work;
• use knowledge and skills not only to help other people, but for himself;
• private practice opportunity or work together with a doctor in state medical or other social institutions.

However, in addition to the advantages, the professional work of a clinical psychologist has its own negative nuances:

• psychological involvement in the emotions and problems of the patient, their joint living;
• disappointment in the event of failure due to the inability to provide assistance to the patient;
• daily high psycho-emotional stress, the need for contact with people whose psyche is unbalanced;
• long work in the profession leads to emotional exhaustion and the so-called burnout.

In addition to the pros and cons, it is worth noting that you can become a clinical psychologist only if you are not a virus carrier of any disease, do not suffer from a neurological or mental disorder, as well as migraine, your speech, hearing and vision are normal, there is no history of cardiac vascular diseases and memory disorders.

Professional standards for the position of clinical psychologist include the following duties:

• familiarization with the data of medical examinations, collecting patient complaints and receiving information during a conversation about the level of his cognitive abilities, his emotional and personal orientation, interaction with his family and society;
• assessment of the information received and the conclusion indicating methods for the provision of clinical and psychological assistance according to existing standards;
• if necessary - patient direction for consultation with a neuropsychologist or doctors of another specialization;
• development of an individual plan of rehabilitation measures and recommendations, as well as psychological support at all stages of their execution;
• joint work on the provision of clinical and psychological assistance with representatives of social services, medical and educational institutions, pedagogical commissions and other social organizations.

This list of job responsibilities implies the presence of certain theoretical basic knowledge and practical skills, as well as work experience.

According to the provisions of the professional standard, the specialty of a clinical psychologist provides for the presence of one of the options for education:

• higher education in a specialty Clinical Psychology or Psychology with additional specialization “Clinical Psychology”;
• higher education with a specialty "Psychology of performance" and the availability of retraining in the direction of "Clinical Psychology";
• undergraduate or graduate programs in the specialty "Psychology" and professional retraining in the direction of "Clinical Psychology".

In addition to the specified basic education, each specialist should strive to increase professionalism and receive new qualifications:

• take additional professional education, increasing the volume of knowledge and their quality at the modern level;
• improve your professional skills with the help of more experienced mentors and internships;
• take an active part in webinars, medical conferences, educational trainings.

You can get an education to work as a clinical psychologist in the following universities:

• Kazan Federal University;
• South Federal University;
• Ural Federal University named after B. N. Yeltsin;
• Moscow State University A.I. Evdokimova;
• Perm State National Research Institute;
• Tambov State University named after G. R. Derzhavin;
• Moscow State Psychological and Pedagogical University;
• Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen.

It is worth noting that professional training in the direction of "Clinical Psychology" should be held only in those educational institutions that have state accreditation.

In the labor market, a clinical psychologist has a high level of demand. A specialist who has just graduated from a university and does not have work experience in a specialty can earn 15,000-17,000 rubles in some regions of Russia. The average salary for employees of state institutions is about 25,000 rubles. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, salaries are higher and amount to approximately 47,000-50000 rubles. In Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Yekaterinburg, wages can be at the level of 30,000-37,000 rubles.

Clinical psychologist can carry out his work in medical clinics, rehabilitation centers, private medical institutions. Having basic medical and psychological training, he can well understand the causes of psychosomatic disorders, neurosis, work in tandem with a psychiatrist. A clinical psychologist can conduct group diagnostics and psychotherapy, take part in medical examinations, perform gestalt therapy, work in emergency care centers.

He can specialize in family psychotherapy, as well as engage in private practice.