​​Straight Up Psychology

David Fillmore   Registered Psychologist

What is a Psychologist?

Psychologists are specialists in human behaviour.

They use scientific methods to study the factors that influence a person’s thoughts and beliefs, behaviours and actions, and emotions or feelings. Psychologists then use evidence-based strategies and interventions to help people to overcome the particular issues they may be facing.

Practicing psychologists have the professional training and skills to help people learn to cope more effectively with a range of life issues including relationship problems, eating disorders, learning problems, substance abuse, parenting issues, or to manage the effects of a chronic illness, or/as well as mental health problems/disorders such as anxiety and depression.

What do they do?

Psychologists help to ensure the mental health and well-being of people. They are specialists in human behaviour and are trained to help a wide variety of people and treat many kinds of problems.

Psychologists have studied the brain, memory, learning, human development and the way people feel, think, act and interact. They work to understand and improve people’s functioning at home, at school, at work, at play, in their cultural and religious pursuits, and in society in general. They provide treatment for people of all ages and to individuals, families, groups and society as a whole.

Psychologists can assist people who are having difficulty controlling their emotions, thinking and behaviour, or with mental health problems, providing treatment for anxiety and depression, phobias, panic disorders, eating disorders, addictive behaviours, relationship problems as well as serious and enduring mental illness, and childhood behaviour disorders.

Psychologists use therapy and counselling tailored to their clients’ problems, and best fitting the patient’s characteristics and preferences, to help them to learn  the strategies and practical skills needed to reduce distress, promote emotional well being and help them achieve real and long lasting change in their lives.

Psychologists use a wide variety of evidence-based approaches - including CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), Mindfulness, Positive Psychology, IPT (Interpersonal Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy), client-centred and psychodynamic therapy, or a combination of a few therapy styles. The most effective therapy is chosen by the psychologist in collaboration with the client, following an initial assessment session.

For some conditions, therapy and medication are a treatment combination that works best. For people who benefit from medication, psychologists work with GPs, paediatricians and psychiatrists on their overall treatment.

How are they trained?

Psychologists must be qualified and licensed by regulatory authorities. They are subject to a professional code of ethics and must maintain high standards of practice.

Psychologists complete a University Degree incorporating study in the science of mental functioning and human behaviour, and the systematic application of this knowledge to applied problems. Coursework includes subjects such as ethics, statistics, individual differences and the biological, cognitive and social bases of behaviour, as well as specific training in psychological assessment and therapy.

After graduating, psychologists are also required to undertake two-years of full-time supervised work in order to become registered.

Once licensed to practice, psychologists must keep up their knowledge by earning several hours of continuing education credits as well as continuing professional supervised training each year.

Psychologist vs Psychiatrist

Psychologists and psychiatrists are both trained to help you deal with mental health issues. However, the differences in their background and training generally results in different approaches to treatment.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who are trained in medicine and in pharmacological solutions, with psychotherapy introduced in the later stages of their training. As medical doctors, psychiatrists are always considering whether a person’s mental health problems might be caused by an underlying medical/physical disorder such as a chemical imbalance, the most appropriate medicinal remedy, and whether these problems might contribute to other health issues. 

A psychologist’s primary focus is on the patient’s thoughts, feelings and general mental health while taking into consider someone's unique values, characteristics, goals and circumstances. Psychologists receive specialist training in the study of the mind and human behaviour and in non-medical intervention using psychotherapeutic techniques. Psychologists are also trained in giving psychological tests (like IQ tests or personality tests) that can help in the assessment of a condition or provide more information about the way a person thinks, feels and behaves.

Psychologists cannot and do not prescribe medication. Numerous studies have shown however that psychological treatments are often as effective as medication in treating conditions such as depression and anxiety and in most cases the effects can be longer-lasting.

A combination of counselling and medication can also be highly effective in treating certain mental health issues, and psychiatrists and psychologists will often work together in the treatment of patients. If a psychologist believes that medication might be helpful, he or she can make a recommendation to a client that they consult their GP or a psychiatrist in order to receive medication advice. Psychiatrists too, often refer patients on to fellow psychologists to receive counselling and/or mental health therapy.