Aviation psychologists utilize their knowledge of psychology to ensure that only the best people are chosen for these critical roles. Aviation psychologists might also work with other professionals, including engineers and human factors psychologists, to design different components of airplanes such as the cabins or flight decks. By taking human psychology into consideration during the design process, aviation psychologists can help ensure that these products are developed with perception, attention , memory , and other capabilities in mind.
These psychologists are also sometimes called biological psychologists or physiological psychologists. They study and perform research on the brain and behavior. By examining the neural bases of behavior, biopsychologists are able to understand different biological factors that might impact how people think, feel, and act.
This type of psychologist might also investigate how brain disease and injury impact behavior. By better understanding how people are affected by such injuries and diseases, researchers can also find new ways of preventing, treating, and managing serious brain illnesses and trauma.
Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose and treat individuals experiencing psychological distress and mental illness. They also perform psychotherapy and develop treatment plans.
Clinical psychologists often work in hospitals, mental health clinics, and private practice. They are trained in a variety of treatment techniques but may specialize in treating certain disorders or working with certain populations. For example, a clinical psychologist might specialize in an area such as substance abuse treatment, child mental health , adult mental health, or geriatric mental health.
While clinical psychologists often work in medical settings, they are not physicians and in most cases cannot prescribe medications. Cognitive psychologists investigate how people think, including topics such as decision-making and problem-solving.
This type of psychologist is interested in how the brain processes, learns, stores, recognizes, and utilizes information. Cognitive psychologists may work in a variety of settings, including universities, research centers, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, government agencies, and in private practice.
Professionals in this field often perform a range of duties such as conducting research and working with patients. As with other areas of psychology, cognitive psychologists often choose to specialize in a particular area such as memory, language development, attention, problem-solving, or learning disabilities.
This type of psychologist conducts research on community health issues. They also seek to educate the community and develop prevention programs. These professionals are focused on helping lead positive changes at both the individual and community levels.
You may find community psychologists working in a range of settings at universities, government agencies, community organizations, and private businesses as professors, consultants, policy advisors, program directors, and researchers. Research in this area tends to be very action-oriented and focuses on developing real-world solutions that can immediately be put into practice.
Community psychologists work to address social problems, promote health and wellness, and enact policies that improve people's lives. Comparative psychologists study the behavior of different species, particularly how animal and human behavior differs. Why study animals? Because while there are obviously major differences, it is assumed that some things may hold true for all species.
Therefore studying the behaviors and responses of animals such as rats and dogs can provide insights into human behaviors as well. Such observations have proven important throughout much of psychology's history. Thorndike's work with cats , Pavlov's work with dogs , and Skinner's work with pigeons are just some of the examples of comparative psychology in which animal behavior can provide insights into human behavior.
Also known as marketing psychologists, consumer psychologists research consumer behavior and develop marketing strategies to promote businesses. This type of psychologist is involved in helping businesses better understand what makes consumers purchase products and services. They research how buyers respond to marketing messages, analyze decision-making strategies, and investigate the role that emotions play in purchasing choices.
These professionals help businesses develop marketing messages, identify target audiences, develop products that appeal to specific consumers, and learn about how attitudes toward brands and products form and change. They accomplish these tasks through the use of market research surveys, experiments, naturalistic observations , and consumer focus groups.
Counseling psychologists provide psychotherapy to people experiencing psychological disturbances, behavioral problems, emotional difficulties, stress, and related issues. These professionals share many commonalities with clinical psychologists.
As with clinical psychologists, they provide psychotherapy and can legally identify themselves as licensed psychologists. Cross-cultural psychologists look at how people vary across cultures and how cultural affiliations influence behavior. They often explore how different aspects of behavior may be either universal or varied across different cultures. For example, cross-cultural psychologists might investigate how parenting styles differ between collectivist cultures versus individualist cultures as well as how these differences in upbringing influence adult behavior.
Developmental psychologists research human development across the entire lifespan. Some focus on a specific period such as early childhood , adolescence, adulthood, or old age. These professionals may perform tasks such as evaluating children who may have a developmental delay or disability, investigating issues associated with aging, and studying how language skills are acquired.
Some developmental psychologists may focus on research and add to our understanding of developmental issues that can arise throughout life. Other professionals may perform applied work with clients who need assistance in coping with developmental issues. Other factors that impact salary include the therapist's level of experience, level of education and specialized qualifications.
It takes several years to become a practicing therapist as formal education, training and licensure must be completed. Here are the eight steps you will need to follow to begin your career as a therapist:. There are a variety of different career paths as a therapist. Types of therapy include family, behavioral, cognitive and rehabilitation.
Although the path to these different careers is similar, there are choices you can make early on in your career to specialize in these different therapy areas, such as taking relevant coursework in undergraduate and graduate studies, completing certifications, attending seminars and joining industry organizations.
Related: Choosing a Career Path in 9 Steps. The first step on the career path to becoming a therapist is to earn a relevant Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
This early education can help you further explore the different fields in therapy and begin deciding to specialize. Within your degree program, you may take electives specific to your chosen type of therapy so you can develop a foundation of relevant issues, principles, ethics and strategies. You can review your state's licensure and experience requirements for therapists as the educational requirements may differ. Most states require an advanced degree, and there may be specific topics or coursework required.
Options for master's degrees include social work, psychology or family or rehabilitation therapy. The entry requirements for a master's degree can differ between institutions and programs, so you can review requirements for schools and programs you're interested in while pursuing your undergraduate degree to ensure you are eligible for admission.
To become a licensed therapist, you need several thousand hours of logged and verifiable clinic hours. This experience serves as training that allows you to apply your theoretical knowledge gained in coursework. Many undergraduate and graduate degree programs include practical clinic hours where you work with patients under the supervision of a licensed practicing therapist.
If you want to gain more hours of experience, you may find observation opportunities or an internship that allow you to work with clients.
Consider taking advantage of clinical opportunities while studying to start earning those required hours as soon as you can. As you progress in your education and become more experienced, aim to improve the soft skills therapists rely on in their work. As you work with patients, try to develop those with the guidance of your clinical supervisor, professors or mentor.
Here are some common soft skills that therapists use on the job:. Therapists must be able to identify with how their client is feeling even if they do not experience the same emotions.
They use empathy to put themselves in their client's place to better understand what they're experiencing, how they are interpreting a situation and why they may have a specific reaction. This process enables therapists to help their clients think more objectively about their experiences and work on their emotional intelligence.
These professionals must be able to pay close attention to what their patients say to help them explore exactly what they say, think and feel. They ask the most relevant and appropriate questions to guide clients. They may also repeat what a client has said back to them to show that they have heard them and to confirm if they've understood.
Therapists also practice active listening to remember key pieces of information relevant to a client's condition or experience to better connect with them and ensure treatment progresses. Many therapists may have new clients who are uncomfortable or those that do not want to talk about specific topics.
These professionals use their advanced communication skills to determine when a client does or does not want to speak and encourages them to do so. They may also need to explain complex concepts more universally or adjust their communication style to match that of their clients to promote a comfortable and successful session.
Following successful graduation from an advanced degree program in an appropriate subject and completing a log of around clinic hours, you can apply to sit for your state's legally required licensure exam. A therapist might teach skills like mindfulness , self-talk, and calm breathing.
In your therapy visits, you'll practice the skills you learn. Work out problems. Your therapist will ask how problems affect you at home and at school. You'll talk this through. You'll use the skills you're learning to work out problems. Find your strengths. Therapy helps you build inner strengths like courage and confidence.
It helps you see how capable you are. And that helps you feel happier in your life. How Can You Help Yourself? If you're going to a therapist, here are things you can do to get the most out of it: Be ready to grow. Have a positive mindset. Believe in yourself. Tell yourself, "I can" instead of, "I can't. The more you practice, the more skillful you become. The skills you learn in therapy are tools for your everyday life. With practice, these skills start to come naturally to you.
They're there for you when you need them. Ask parents, teachers, and friends for support. Spend time with people you feel good around, and who bring out your best.
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