Introduction
Psychology is a discipline that studies human behavior by understanding, examining, assessing, and analyzing the human mind. The role of a Psychologist is to understand human behavior and using which they treat people suffering from mental disorders, substance abuse, or problems. There are a lot of stigmas attached to Indian society as far as visiting a Psychologist or a Psychiatrist is concerned. However, we need to realize that in today’s stressful and competitive life, there is an increasing demand for an unbiased person who has expertise in this field to listen to our issues. This service is provided by a psychologist.
Eligibility and Skills required
A person needs to complete his or her 10+2 level examination from any stream. However, having psychology as one of the subjects is not mandatory but it is desirable. Then a person needs to complete his or her Bachelor’s in either BA or BSc with Psychology as their subject. At the undergraduate level, it is compulsory to have a degree in Psychology. After this, a person needs to complete his or her MA or MSc in Psychology. In postgraduation, a person can opt for other relating fields like Social Work or Counselling as their subjects. If one wishes to go further and obtain a doctoral degree, one can always go for MPhil or Ph.D. programs.
A psychologist is expected to have various sets of skills to possess. The most important is to have analytical and communication skills. A psychologist needs to analyze the situation of his or her client and throw insights into such a situation. Proper communication skills can only allow one to properly find a solution to any given problem. Then a psychologist should have patience and good listening skills. Compassion, empathy, and sympathy are also equally required in such a profession. A job in this field is not an easy task and a person should be passionate about listening to the worries of others and determined to find solutions to such problems. Working as a psychologist can be mentally exhausting and torturing. However, if a person is passionate about this field, it can prove to be a bonhomie and a satisfying experience for him or her.
Types of job roles
- Special Education Teacher– This job role is meant for those who derive pleasure from helping students who suffer from an either physical or mental disability. We know that there is an increased awareness for providing equal and better opportunities to kids with certain disabilities in the modern world. Here comes the role of a Special Education Teacher and thus, there is a tremendous scope in this area.
- Forensic Psychologists– People who are interested in investigating criminal and law cases, this career option seems to be the best one for them. Forensic Psychologists help the police investigators in cases of rape or murder by identifying and tapping into the psyche of a potential suspect or criminal.
- Career Counsellor– In modern times, when there are humongous career options available with an individual, students need a career counselor to help them select the best career option available for them, which best suits their ability, passions, capability, and interests. There are many creative career options available these days and students are not hesitating to try them. Students are breaking away from the traditional barriers and are exploring their potential to the fullest. Thus, the job of a Career Counsellor becomes critical and there is an increasing demand for this job.
- Neuropsychologist– The work of a Neuropsychologist is to analyze and examine how brain injuries or illness might have affected an individual’s cognitive skills and behavior. By understanding this, a Neuropsychologist is expected to treat people with mental illness or mental disorders. In this way, they help patients in improving their quality of life by treating them.
- Industrial or Organizational Psychologists– They are expected to improve organizational performance by monitoring and helping the employees in improving their performance and behavior. It also develops those skills which will help them in doing their job in a better manner. They also help the organizations in assessing the candidates and shortlisting them for different job roles that are required in a company. They help the employees in becoming determined for promotion and work towards it. This, in turn, proves beneficial for an organization.
Conclusion
While the job of a Psychologist can be stressful and mentally exhausting, it requires long working hours, training, and education, it can prove to be truly rewarding for people who are passionate about it. Each day comes as a new challenge and those who wish to run away from their monotonous routine should explore this career option. Lastly, there is a tremendous potential for job avenues in this field, and demand for Psychologists is increasing with each passing day due to the complexities of modern life.
