How To Become A Clinical Psychologist?

The Coronavirus (Covid -19) pandemic has really underlined the need of the hour with an increase in cases resulting in mental health and other disorders. According to a report from WHO, nearly 7.5% of the Indian population suffers from some sort of mental disorder, and catering to the demographic, the country has less than 4000 mental health professionals. This leads to a huge gap between the awareness that the professionals want to create by bringing a change when it comes to mental health stigma and battling it with all might. People are too conscious when it comes to sharing their disorders, but these days, the technology plays a greater role in breaking taboos, so if you are one who loves Psychology and would contribute to a better place in this world, these are the steps you must follow to become a good clinical psychologist in India:

·      Introduction to Clinical Psychology.

·      Key objectives and skills required becoming a clinical psychologist.

·      Steps to become a clinical psychologist in India.

·      Opportunities to bring a change to the world.

    What is Clinical Psychology?

  Clinical psychology is the integration of science and clinical knowledge which encourages the purpose of understanding, preventing and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction enhancing the well-being and personal development of an individual. Clinical psychologists engage in research, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, program development and administration adhering to its practice that caters around psychological assessment, clinical formulation and psychotherapy. Clinical psychologists are experts in providing psychotherapy which provides vivid orientations- psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and family therapy.

   Key objective and skills required becoming a clinical psychologist:

Steps to become a clinical psychologist in India:

To make your journey easy, follow the steps to become a good Clinical Psychologist in India:

·      Selecting psychology in 10+2 as the main subject is the first step from any stream.

·      Pursuing graduation in Psychology to any of the courses whether BA(Hons)Psychology and BA(Hons)Applied Psychology or B.Sc(Psychology).

·      Pursuing post graduation in Clinical Psychology where the study is in detail making one experience the theoretical concepts in real life.

·      Pursuing M.Phil in Clinical Psychology, thereby working under a senior psychologist and handling patients, writing a detailed paper under the senior’s guidance at the end of the final year and obtaining license from the Rehabilitation Council of India to practice independently as a professional.

Top colleges/universities for Clinical psychology in India:

• Chandigarh University.
• Parul University.
• MSU- The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
• Amity University, Noida.
• AUD – Ambedkar University Delhi.

 Opportunities to bring a change to the world:
This integration of Clinical psychology has made a huge progress in the last century. Recent progress in neuropsychology is laying the foundation for equally bringing more dramatic changes in clinical psychology. In the words of P Valry, “The purpose of psychology is to give us a completely different idea of the things we know best.”

Author : Tunisha Banerjee

Also Read:

• Psychology Courses: Next Big Thing Post Corona

• Bachelor of Science (Clinical Psychology)