What is a psychologist ?
A psychologist is a professional expert in psychology, the science that deals with the inner life (knowing, feeling and aspiration) and the behavior of man. The Dutch psychologist has a bachelor's degree (HBO) level or a master's degree (university level), depending on the level at which he / she has studied psychology. In Belgium, by contrast, can someone just mention psychologist if one has completed an academic study of psychology and then sought approval by the Commission of Psychologists. This is the Belgian government agency that regulates the title of psychologist through an approval procedure.
There are many different subcategories of psychologists. The most common are psychologists working in mental health (in Belgium are called clinical psychologists) and child and youth psychologists working in the youth health care. There are also a lot of work and organizational psychologists, who often work for companies. They are active in the area of recruitment and selection of employees, but they are also used in the reduction of work-related absenteeism such as burnout and conflicts and bullying at work. A fourth major sub-category includes school psychologist. They are active in the entire width of the educational system. A fifth major category includes among psychologists working in the academic sector, as a teacher or researcher. In addition, psychologists are also more active in the forensic sector in the advertising sector, etc.
Psychologists in the (mental) health can specialize further, as physicians to this as a medical specialist. In the Netherlands these are called specialized professionals 'GZ (health) psychologists' or 'Psychotherapists', they are registered in the BIG register kept by the Dutch government. In the Netherlands also further specialization as a clinical psychologist or clinical neuropsychologist. In Belgium, despite a number of legislative proposals in that direction, no such formal recognition for the possible specialization of psychologists.
Psychologists and special educators working in education can specialize further by the two-year post-master training school psychologist. School Psychologists offer important guidance to students, teachers, supervisors and internal (school) directors. With the advent of the appropriate teaching school psychologist forms a vital link in education.
Differences between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
For many people seem almost the same as clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, but there are important differences.
One difference is that a clinical psychologist is a behavior and that the psychiatrist is a physician who is trained to identify and treat physical disease processes. A psychiatrist is a doctor of education through training. The psychiatrist then has four and a half years, specializing in mental illness. A clinical psychologist is training for a master-education psychology. The clinical psychologist has again at least six years, specializing in mental illness. Because a psychiatrist is a doctor, he should only prescribe medication. A clinical psychologist is more specialized in the psychological treatment of complex problems and is uniquely able to conduct psychological (eg cognitive, personality) research. The psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist are both specialized in the diagnosis of psychiatric and psychological disorders.
Another difference concerns the substantive focus of both professions. A psychiatrist is generally especially trained in mental illness, the behavior that results from it, and how it can be improved through medical treatment (often with medication). A clinical psychologist is trained in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, but has a wider and deeper education which examines human behavior and the underlying think / feel / experience / brain processes, how this came about and what they maintains or how they may be changed. A clinical psychologist and the psychiatrist to provide qualified psychotherapy, both are second-line workers and treat deeper behavioral and relationship problems and personality disorders. Their treatments usually require a longer treatment period in contrast to the primary psychologist who treats less for other types of problems and more serious problems by referring to the clinical psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist.