Psychology is both a science and a profession. The science of psychology examines such vital issues as how we learn, how the brain functions, how we develop, personality, societal influences on behavior, emotional and behavioral disorders, and treatment of mental disorders. Professional psychologists learn and apply this knowledge to help individuals, promote health, and benefit society.
Members of many professions are directly or indirectly involved in mental or behavioral health care. Clinical psychologists have the greatest breadth and depth of training of all mental health care providers. They independently diagnose and treat all mental disorders (see Mental Disorders for an overview). Louisiana law allows specially trained medical psychologists to prescribe medication to help treat mental and behavioral disorders. Go to Medical Psychologists for more information.
Due to psychology’s broad applicability to numerous career fields, many people study psychology in graduate school, college, and even high school. However, the professional practice of psychology is limited to those who have acquired a doctorate in psychology and have met the training requirements for licensure. For information, click on Career Opportunities or Psychologists’ Credentials.
Privacy and confidentiality are primary concerns in psychological treatment, but the legal and ethical issues are sometimes complicated. Recently the federal government has issued new regulations regarding confidentiality of health information (see Confidentiality and HIPAA Regulations).
If you are seeking a psychologist for yourself or a family member, you can search for a licensed LPA psychologist in your area at Find a Psychologist.
