Counselling psychologist

You would help people who have had difficult experiences or mental health issues to understand and change their behaviour for the better.

You’d combine your understanding of psychological theory and research with therapeutic practice. You’d try to help your patients make changes so they can deal with their issues and hopefully become less distressed.

You would see people who are struggling with very difficult experiences like bereavement, violence or abuse or have problems with relationships or mental health issues and disorders.

You would:

• talk with a person to find out what has happened to them

• find out how they feel about it

• assess their mental health

• explore other issues for their feelings and responses

• identify a psychological explanation

• plan therapy sessions to help them understand their behaviour

• plan therapy to encourage the person to change the way they act

• assess the success of the counselling sessions.

You would work with adults or children either individually or in families or groups.

You could work in:

• hospitals, including psychiatric hospitals

• GP surgeries

• private hospitals

• prisons

• community healthcare services

• education support services.

You could also work independently as a consultant.

You would have to deal with people who may be very upset or confused. They may show challenging behaviour and be difficult to work with. You would need to be calm, very patient and have a high level of self-awareness.

• British Psychological Society - learn more about what counselling psychologists do and how to become one

• Disclosure Scotland – more about the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme

• Health and Care Professions Council - Regulates people working in health, psychological and social work