Beyond the facts about being a psychologist, learn about the many advantages of being a psychologist, including studying behavior and helping patients through treatment. We also explore the benefits of being a therapist and other types of psychologists below.
Benefits of Being a Psychologist
Like any job, there are some advantages and disadvantages of being a psychologist. The many benefits include the following:
- Opportunity for advanced education
- Advancing the field
- Helping clients improve behavior
- Option to set own schedule in private practice
- Collaborating with other health professionals
- Choosing an area of specialization
- Opportunity for research
Becoming a psychologist generally requires an advanced degree, which may take 2 or more years beyond earning a 4-year, bachelor's degree. Besides advanced education and depending on your perspective and interests, some main advantages of being a psychologist may be advancing the field through psychological studies and helping clients improve their behavior. These scientists observe and interview their clients to identify psychological issues and/or diagnose any psychological disorders, and then work to develop treatment plans for their clients. Other job duties may include:
- Testing emotional patterns
- Studying brain function
- Writing research reports
- Overseeing staff members
- Administering tests (i.e. intelligence, personality, or performance)
Another advantage is the option to work in a private practice where psychologists can set their own schedules. This may also allow them to spend more time researching or working with clients, whichever they prefer. Read on to learn about some of the benefits for other specific types of psychologists.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Required</b></td><td>Doctoral degree</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Degree Field</b></td><td>Psychology</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Other Requirements</b></td><td>Licensure (clinical)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Annual Mean Salary (2018)*</b></td><td>$95,610 (for psychologists, all other)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026)*</b></td><td>14% (psychologists)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i>
</p><h2 id="section---ClinicalPsychologistBenefits">Clinical Psychologist Benefits</h2><p>One of the biggest benefits for clinical psychologists is getting to help people on a regular basis by diagnosing and treating emotional and psychological disorders. Depending on the situation, they may be able to work with patients individually and/or conduct group psychotherapy. Clinical psychologists also often get to collaborate with other health professionals to develop the best method of treatment for a patient. As of 2019, only a handful of states allow these professionals to prescribe medication.
</p><h3 id="section---ChildPsychologistBenefits">Child Psychologist Benefits</h3><p>Some clinical psychologists may specialize to work with specific populations, such as children. <a href="https://learn.org/articles/What_Education_is_Required_for_Becoming_a_Child_Psychologist.html">Becoming a child psychologist</a> requires specialized training to learn how to work with children of varying ages.
</p><p>The pros and cons of being a child psychologist include helping children identify and possibly overcome behavioral, emotional, and psychological issues early, but working with children is often challenging. Child psychologists should be sure they have patience and problem-solving skills.
</p><h2 id="section---BenefitsOfBeingACounselor">Benefits of Being a Counselor</h2><p>A counselor, or counseling psychologist, is another type of psychologist that helps patients identify, understand, and manage a variety of problems. Some of these counselors may specialize in particular areas, such as mental health, substance abuse, or behavioral disorders. A master's degree may be sufficient to enter this field.
</p><p>Some benefits of being a mental health counselor are helping people solve their relationship problems and mental health issues. Other benefits of being a therapist include the chance to work with groups, individuals, and/or families and also the opportunity to treat a wide range of issues, such as:
</p><ul><li>Stress
</li><li>Anxiety
</li><li>Depression
</li><li>Low self-esteem
</li><li>Grief
</li></ul><h2 id="section---BenefitsOfBeingAForensicPsychologist">Benefits of Being a Forensic Psychologist</h2><p>Forensic psychologists specialize in understanding the psychological aspects of the criminal justice system. Some benefits include working with attorneys and judges and explaining to them the psychological issues in a case. These psychologists usually have the opportunity to further specialize in areas like criminal, family, or civil courts.</p>
