How to Be a Clinical Psychologist: What You Should Learn

By Monique M. Chouraeshkenazi, Ph.D., PsyD, MSCP  |  08/23/2024

Clinical psychology is a fast-growing field, and the number of psychologists has significantly risen in the 21st century. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 72,000 clinical and counseling psychologists are currently practicing in the United States.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, that already large number is projected to increase by approximately 11% by 2032. As a result, it’s safe to assume that clinical psychologists are a valued and significant part of society.

There is no question that the demand for clinical psychologists significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Alliance of Mental Health (NAMI) reported in 2021 that one in five adults has been diagnosed with a psychiatric condition or has suffered from mental health problems.

To put this in perspective, that’s nearly 23% of the U.S. population, or 57.8 million Americans. Put in this context, clinical psychologists were needed to assist the public with a mental health crisis.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Clinical Psychologist?

A clinical psychologist is a professional whose expertise focuses on diagnosing and treating mental disorders. However, clinical work for a psychologist is complex.

Clinical psychologists work in various settings, including:

• Academic institutions
• Community organizations
• Hospitals
• Laboratories
• Private practices
• Mental health clinics
• Outpatient clinics

The work of clinical psychologists is also research-based. Practitioners can conduct psychological testing and assessments to determine a diagnosis. For instance, they may conduct interviews, provide questionnaires and standardized tests, or gather other pertinent data to improve the accuracy of a mental disorder.

Patients' biopsychosocial and medical histories of patients are also significant components in diagnostic work and can provide an all-inclusive concept for individual assessment.

Once the research is done and a diagnosis is determined, clinical psychologists develop specialized treatment plans based on the assessment results and clinical guidelines within their purview. However, this work does not occur in a vacuum. Clinical psychologists collaborate with other clinicians, mental health professionals, and medical staff to ensure comprehensive and collaborative care.

Finally, clinical psychologists will provide therapy and counseling services, including individual, group, and family therapy. These forms of therapy are developed by incorporating approaches based on well-established and empirically based research, such as behavioral, humanistic, and psychodynamic practices.

In addition to therapeutic services, clinical psychologists provide crisis intervention assistance by offering immediate support and resources during mental health crises. Furthermore, they can develop crisis management plans and provide follow-up and referral services if a patient’s mental health concerns persist after a crisis.

Academic Research

Outside of a therapeutic service setting, some clinical psychologists are predominantly researchers who work in academic institutions. Conducting research is essential to clinical psychology, as staying abreast of the latest research is pivotal to integrating new phenomena into practice. Most importantly, research and education are vital to educating clients, their families, and the community regarding mental health issues.

In the academic arena, clinical psychologists are commonly appointed to psychology department positions. They serve as psychology practitioners through their clinical work and as instructors to students, providing real-world experience in the classroom. Having a clinical psychologist in the classroom is valuable for students to obtain vital, relevant knowledge from actively practicing professionals.

Consultation and Supervision

Two responsibilities of the clinical psychologist that are not commonly discussed are consultation and supervision. After all, someone has to keep a trained eye on people practicing to become psychologists, right?

Those trained eyes are clinical psychologists who obtain specialized training and credentials to be supervisors. By training and guiding psychological trainees, doctoral externs, interns, and post-doctoral graduates gaining clinical time to be eligible for licensure, clinical psychologist consultants provide services to other professionals and organizations based on their experience and needs.

What Disorders Can a Clinical Psychologist Diagnose?

Licensed clinical psychologists can start an independent practice in the area of their choice if they have the necessary training and expertise. With the necessary training, they can diagnose any mental disorders recognized in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (i.e., the DSM-5-TR). Such disorders include:

• Alcohol use disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Cultural issues
• Depressive disorders
• Disruptive, impulse, and conduct disorders (i.e., behavioral disorders)
• Eating and feeding disorders
• Elimination disorders
• Gender dysphoria
• Mental disorders due to medical conditions
• Neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• Neurocognitive disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injuries)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorders
• Paraphilic disorders
• Personality disorders
• Schizophrenia and psychotic disorders
• Sexual dysfunction
• Sleep-wake disorders
• Somatic symptom disorders
• Substance use disorder
• Trauma and stress-related disorders (e.g., Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

As for specialties within the field, a licensed clinical psychologist may choose to focus on one or more areas, such as:

• Licensed professional counseling
• Counseling psychology
• School psychology
• Child psychology
• Medication prescription (i.e., prescriptive authority for clinical psychology)
• Abnormal psychology
• Substance abuse
• Cognitive psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Forensic psychology

Note: A clinical psychologist must obtain additional education, training, and clinical requirements to prescribe medication. Also, prescriptive authority is only legally approved in Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, and New Mexico.

Collaborative and Multidisciplinary Approaches in Clinical Psychology

Collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches in clinical psychology are vital to integrating innovative insights, methods, and procedures from various disciplines. It enriches professional development among practicing clinicians and fosters collaboration with other mental health professionals and medical physicians.

A collaborative and interdisciplinary approach also increases phenomenological development in different fields, leading to more comprehensive and effective patient care. These methods are common:

• Interdisciplinary teams – Many clinical psychologists collaborate with psychiatrists, counselors, therapists, social workers, case workers, and other healthcare professionals to develop comprehensive treatment plans to treat behavioral disorders and other disorders.
• Patient and family support – It is essential to involve families in providing education, which can ensure consistency in treatment participation and provide a support system for personalized patient care.
• Community involvement – A clinical psychologist should collaborate and provide resources within their local communities to provide necessary education to advocates, schools, organizations, and support groups. Also, working with community organizations is integral to establishing intervention and prevention programs to treat mental health issues among local residents.

Furthermore, establishing multidisciplinary approaches involves amalgamating various theoretical approaches for treatment and using a diverse background of theoretical techniques and methods with the support of research and evidence-based practices. Combining collaborative and multidisciplinary care is conducive to comprehensive care, improved treatment outcomes, and resource efficiency for practitioners.

Requirements for Becoming a Clinical Psychologist

Becoming a practicing clinical psychologist can take approximately six to 12 years of education, training, and clinical experience, depending on school and state requirements. An aspiring clinical psychologist should initially earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field and continue his or her education in a master’s program.

Depending on the institution, there are dual master’s and doctoral programs. Aspiring clinical psychologists can also immediately enroll in a doctoral degree program following their undergraduate education. 

Earning an undergraduate degree in psychology prepares students for a higher level of education in clinical coursework required for the master’s and doctoral degree programs. Proper research is also important, as most schools offer general psychology degrees.

However, if you want clinical experience at this level, find a school that offers a clinical focus. A master’s degree in clinical psychology offers advanced research, practice, and theory training, which is crucial to preparing for clinical training.

In North America (particularly the United States and Canada), most states require a doctorate – either a Ph.D. or Psy.D. to apply for licensure. Meeting state requirements is vital, as it allows clinicians to practice independently as clinical psychologists.

There tends to be confusion about the difference between a Ph.D. and a Psy.D. in clinical psychology. A Ph.D. in clinical psychology focuses on research and scientific study, while a Psy.D. focuses on applying clinical practices through training. Nonetheless, either degree prepares clinicians for licensure.

In most states, an internship under clinical supervision is required after a prospect has completed educational and training requirements. Initially, students must complete practicums or externships to prepare for a clinical internship under the supervision of a clinical supervisor (usually one year) and the final year of the doctoral program.

Also, most states require postdoctoral clinical training and additional supervision to meet the requirements for state licensure. Requirements and the number of clinical hours vary by state. Consequently, contacting your state’s licensing authority where you intend to practice for the requirements is essential.

The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology

Obtaining licensure is the final goal for a clinical psychologist who wants to practice independently in clinical practice. All states require prospective candidates to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. The United States and Canada mandate that prospects pass the EPPP to practice psychology to ensure knowledge and competency. 

The EPPP aims to protect the public by ensuring clinicians know how to practice psychology competently. The examination is based on eight critical areas of psychology:

• Ethical, legal, and professional issues
• Biological bases of behavior
• Cognitive-affective bases of behavior
• Social and cultural bases of behavior
• Growth and lifespan development
• Assessment and diagnosis
• Research methods and statistics

The EPPP is a computer-based examination consisting of 225 multiple-choice questions. Students must complete a doctoral degree in psychology and meet the requirements of their state licensing board. 

Note: A clinical psychologist must meet renewal requirements and complete continuing education (CE) credits to maintain licensure. The number of CEs and renewal requirements vary by state.

Psychology Degrees at American Military University

American Military University (AMU) offers both an online bachelor’s degree in psychology and an online master’s degree in psychology. The asynchronous learning format at AMU is designed to enable adult learners to balance their studies with family and job responsibilities more easily.

The bachelor’s degree in psychology uses classroom exercises based on real-world applications, which help students to learn and understand psychology concepts. This degree covers a wide spectrum of topics, including combat psychology, the psychology of disaster, personality theories, and scientific writing. 

The master's degree, on the other hand, combines academic research, clinical skills, and theory that prepares students to pursue a wide variety of professional pathways. Courses in this program include scholarly and technical writing, qualitative methods in social science research, quantitative methods in social science research, and multicultural issues in human behavior.

Our faculty in these programs bring real-world experience from private practice, counseling psychology, and business and government settings. This approach helps students learn about a variety of disciplines, such as human services, health psychology, and cognitive psychology. 

For more information about AMU’s psychology degrees, visit our program page.

Note: This psychology degree does not provide licensure or preparation for licensure. It also does not offer professional certification as a mental health counselor, psychologist, or practitioner.