A clinical psychologist is a mental health professional who is qualified to help diagnose mental disorders, conduct tests and do psychotherapy with patients suffering from mental health disorders.
A clinical psychologist works closely with a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medications to help treat patients who experience mental illnesses. A clinical psychologist offers various tests to understand the details of the disorders. Some of the tests performed are IQ tests, personality tests, learning disorder tests, neurological tests, etc. These are usually pen-paper or verbal tests, who are systematically scored. These test scores give a detailed understanding of the specific thoughts, behaviors, and problems experienced by patients. These test results, along with the symptoms reported by patients, help diagnose patients and formulate a detailed treatment plan. It is important to note, however, that not all patients require formal testing.
Once a patient has been diagnosed with a disorder and the problem areas are understood, a clinical psychologist would design a personalized treatment plan for the specific needs of the individual patient. These plans use various types of psychotherapy, ie talk therapy. Psychotherapy is aimed at helping patients resolve emotional, thought related and behavioral difficulties.
Psychotherapy is especially helpful in disorders related to thoughts and emotions. Due to psychiatric disorders and certain traumatic experiences, people might have learned and adopted unhealthy thinking styles and behavioral patterns. Psychotherapy aims to correct these unhealthy thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This helps them resolve difficulties and move ahead. The aim is to equip patients to achieve their highest potential and live fulfilling lives where they are in control of their experiences.
A psychologist might follow a particular style of therapy, like cognitive or behavioral. Many psychologists are also eclectic in their treatment style. They may have an understanding of a variety of treatment methods and design an approach best suited to meet the individual needs of that patient. Goals are set in tandem with the client, and various techniques are discussed to go about achieving these goals. A lot of emphases is on problem-solving, decision making and critical thinking skills of the patient. Mindfulness is also an important aspect of psychotherapy. This helps the patient to stay focused on the tasks at hand.
These therapeutic discussions help patients have better control over their lives, decisions, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. The ultimate aim of psychotherapy is for clients to achieve a state of better wellbeing, inner strength and peace, as well as satisfaction with their lives and growth.
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