Types of Psychologists and Specializations within Mental Health Care
There are nearly as many different types of psychologists, therapists, counsellors and mental illness specialists as there are medical doctors. The historical view of a one size fits all approach to psychology is slowly becoming a thing of the past. As new research and technology allow us greater insight into mental health and the intricacies of the human brain, specialized psychologists are becoming more and more common.
In this article you will find information (in the form of a short summary) about some of the main types of fields and specialities of psychology that are practised today, in order to help you make an informed decision about what type of practitioner you may seek in order to maintain and better your mental health.
Following is a list of the main types of practitioners within the field of psychology - unless specified, these can involve bachelor, master or doctoral degrees in psychology with specialization. Counsellors and therapists generally have less formal education than psychologists. Also note educational and licensing requirements vary from country to country, but a basic breakdown includes:
Clinical Psychologists – Psychologists who perform many of the same functions as counselling psychologists, but in addition to this partake in areas such as teaching, research, supervision and public policy.
Clinical Neuropsychologists – Psychologists who have specialized education in the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of brain disorders that affect a wide range of functioning. This can include memory, language, learning, attention, decision making and social capabilities.
Community Psychologists – Psychologists who are specialized in helping certain groups of people, such as migrants or expat communities.
Counselling Psychologists – Psychologists who work with clients in a clinical setting to provide guidance in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a variety of mental illnesses and conditions.
Educational and Developmental Psychologists – Psychologists who are specialized in the unique developmental and mental challenges that can present with children and adolescents. They work with children, teachers, parents and others to help diagnose, assess and form treatment plans.
Forensic Psychologists – Psychologists who are specialized within the legal and criminal systems, including areas such as child protection, rehabilitation and assessment of offenders.
General Practitioner Psychologists - Psychologists who have completed a degree in psychology and are certified to practice in their regional area.
Health Psychologists – Psychologists who work in the areas that involve addiction, poor habits and comorbid health conditions. They give guidance in the promotion of healthy life choices and behaviours as well as management of conditions involving chronic pain and other chronic medical issues.
Organizational Psychologists – Psychologists who assist companies, governmental institutions and other employers in assessment of potential employees as well as management of current ones.
Sport and Exercise Psychologists – Psychologists who specialize in working with athletes to help with areas including performance enhancement, stress and injury management.
There are also special certifications and training (in Norwegian this is called fordypning) in addition to a psychologist's main area of practice and expertise. Many of these have overlaps and most psychologists can provide aid and guidance for many of them. These include, but are not limited to:
Anxiety Disorders – includes social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia and other phobias
Addiction/Substance Abuse
Dissociative Disorders – includes dissociative identity disorder and depersonalization-derealization disorder
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Geriatric Psychology
Marriage and Family Therapy
Mood Disorders – includes major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and cyclothymic disorder
PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy)
Personality Disorders – includes borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder and dependent personality disorder
Trauma Disorders – includes PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and C-PTSD (Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Sleep disorders – includes insomnia and parasomnias such as somnambulism (sleep walking) and night terrors
Ultimately, which type of psychologist you choose should not be based solely on academic credentials and specializations; the level of trust and communication that can be established between you and your psychologist is also a key component. Not every couples therapist, for example, will be the right fit for every couple. The number one way to find out if a psychologist is right for you is to meet with them and find out.
Inga Gentile holds an MA in clinical psychology, with a focus on multicultural issues, and a BA in sociology. She is a licensed couples and family therapist (MFT) as well as a licensed psychologist in Norway where she is close to authorization as a specialist in family therapy. She has her own private clinical practice in Oslo, Norway and educates and supervises clinicians in PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy). She is also an original founding core faculty member with the PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy) Institute in Los Angeles, CA. https://www.thepactinstitute.com/
In addition, she is trained in EMDR and has years of experience working with clients with a variety of disorders and challenges in hospital, community mental health clinics and private practice clinics in both Norway and the US. She is fluent in Norwegian and English and has done extensive work with the expat community.
Because it can be difficult to know if a psychologist is right for you, she offers free 10-minute online consultations in order for you to meet her and get an idea of her approach. This can help you find out if her approach and methods are right for you. You can find this option under “First Time Clients” on the scheduling page.