Perhaps you are seeking treatment for depression, stress or anxiety. You or your family may be considering counseling or therapy to improve the quality of important relationships. There are many reasons people turn to psychologists. If you are reaching out for help from a psychologist, you are not alone. Psychological problems affect millions of people worldwide. They are more prevalent than cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and traffic accidents and second only to heart conditions. Psychologists are specially trained to assist this large population, and their services help sufferers effectively deal with their problems so that they can live happier, healthier lives. Every year thousands of Californians visit professional psychologists for help in better understanding themselves and others and in dealing with personal problems. If you think you may need to see a psychologist, this brochure can help you. It will explain your rights as a patient, provide guidance for choosing a psychologist and explain what a psychologist should and should NOT do. It also will tell you what to do if you think your psychologist has acted unprofessionally.
How Can a Psychologist Help You?
Psychologists provide many important services. They develop,give and interpret psychological tests. For example, they perform intelligence and achievement evaluations, disability evaluations,workers’ compensation evaluations, fitness-for-duty evaluations,and child-custody evaluations. They also help patients understand and resolve various psychological problems like depression, anxiety and substance abuse. They may provide treatment to individuals (adults and children), couples, families,groups, organizations or businesses using behavior modification, psychotherapy, hypnosis or consultation.They provide these services in in-patient psychiatric hospitals, day treatment programs, and out-patient offices.When providing assessment or treatment, psychologists take into account personal characteristics that make each patient unique. These factors include age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture,national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability,language, and socioeconomic status. Psychologists’ understanding and sensitivity to the impact of these various qualities allows psychologists to provide service to many different people. Although psychologists in California do not prescribe medications, they may be helpful in providing appropriate physician or psychiatric referrals. Additionally, psychologists play key roles in management consultation for businesses and other organizations.
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