CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Description of Occupation
A clinical therapist diagnosis or evaluates emotional and mental disorders through treatment plans, visitations, and mental tests/examinations.

Education and Training Requirements
To become a clinical psychologist you must either get a doctoral degree or be in a post doctoral training program.

State and National Median Wages
In Texas, a clinical psychologist's median wage is $65,000~ or so.
Nationally, a clinical psychologist's median wage is $72,580~ or so.

State and National Employment Trends: In the state of Texas, jobs for clinical psychologists has an annual trend of 23.6% growth, unlike nationally, which is a 19% annual growth. Job Outlooks are very high and new jobs are hiring. Almost 3,500 employees are hired each year

*Rewards of the Job: Rewards for being a clinical psychologist are being able to care for people and give them a safe space to talk about their mental or emotional disorder(s). Also, as a clinical psychologist, you know you're helping someone plan their future and help change their life. Another reward is the high paying salary which can help buy supplies or research organizations to help give people the necessary treatment they require

Knowledge Needed

• Math and Science (Psychology, Anatomy, Understanding of the brain and chemicals that can affect it.)
• Health (Body Systems, Therapy, How certain activities can help with certain disorders)
• Customer Service (Conversation skills, being able to talk to people and serve them)

Skills Required

• Being a good listener, able to focus on what the patient is saying
• Being a good problem solver or finding another way around a problem
• Be a good communicator and properly expressing ideas

Abilities Required

• Being able to record and document patient information and progress
• Be able to have empathy towards others and able to read body languages and how the patient is being affected
• Being aware of your surroundings and able to understand why something happened
• Being able to logically answer difficult questions in detail and being able to come up with a solution in a difficult situation

Job Occupation (Specific Tasks)

• Referring them to a colleague for further treatment (ie: referring to a grieving counselor to further help with emotional stress after a loved one has passed)
• Doing medical tests to diagnose the patient (ie: brain wave tests to measure brain activity when put under different levels of stress)
• Talking to a patient and understanding how they have progressed or changed since the last session (ie: a depressed person might be getting worse based off of the situations they've discussed in the session and need a way to distance themselves from negativity)

Generalized Work Activities

• Diagnosing patients through medical tests and talk sessions
• Formulating treatment plans
• Recording and Documenting patient sessions and information
• Help distress patients and provide a safe space by accepting any information given

Resources

• www.careeronestop.org
• www.mynextmove.org
• www.careerinfo.net
• www.payscale.com
• www.allpsychologyschools.com
• www.bls.gov

thank you