CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Introduction

The different approaches towards the treatment of behavioural problem are referred as psychotherapy and is been done by a trained professionals. It is a form of helping or help giving in which trained healer or therapist tries to relieve a sufferer’s distress by facilitating certain changes in his feelings, attitudes and behaviour. So the therapist does not force but console the patient. It may be defined by psychological means. It also defined in terms of special kind of relationship or interpersonal relationship in which unique types of social learning, emotion arousing interactions and growth experience takes place.

Concept of Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologist may be confused with psychiatrist, which generally has similar goals (e.g. the alleviation of mental distress), but is unique in that psychiatrists are physicians with medical degrees. As such, they tend to focus on medication-based solutions, although some also provide psychotherapeutic services as well. In practice, clinical psychologists often work in multidisciplinary teams with other professionals such as psychiatrists, occupational therapists, and social workers to bring a multi modal approach to complex patient problems.

a. Psychiatrist: The psychiatrist is a Doctor of Medicine who has specialized in the field of mental health, being a doctor; he can prescribe the patient medicines.
 Clinical Psychologist: The clinical psychologist is postgraduate in psychology and has specialized in clinical psychology. A professional specialty concerned with diagnosing and treating diseases of the brain, emotional disturbance, and behavior problems.

c Psychiatric Social Worker: The psychiatric social worker assists the psychiatrist in interviewing the family in their residence and helping the patient to cope up with the problems of daily living after discharge.

d. Psychiatric nurse: The psychiatric nurse is a graduate in nursing who has specialized in psychiatry. He/she play an important role in ward management of admitted patients, carrying out observation of patients, administering medicines as prescribed and helping in restraining violent and suicidal patients.