18.06.09
Welcome to Melbourne Psychologist
Welcome to the Melbourne Psychologist website.
Here you will find useful psychology resources available in Melbourne, Australia.
What is a psychologist?
A psychologist is a health professional who has studied the human mind and human behaviour at a university level. Psychology studies in Australia are usually undertaken as part of a Science or Arts degree for a minimum of 4 years. During these 4 years students are taught the fundamentals of psychology – cognitive psychology, abnormal psychology, emotions, language development, child psychology, and research science, plus many more subjects. However, during these 4 years students are generally not taught how to administer psychological therapy or assessments, which requires a certain level of maturity and further training. Upon graduation from an Arts or Science degree, students are NOT qualified to practice as a psychologist.
To become a psychologist, students must continue their education with a specialist post-graduate psychology degree, or seek on-the-job supervision for a minimum of two years. These days most students are opting to complete a Masters or Doctoral degree at university as competition for jobs increases.
When a student enrolls in an accredited postgraduate psychology degree or undertakes a supervision arrangement with a senior psychologist, then they are awarded the title of 'Provisional Psychologist'. This is somewhat of an awkward title because clients and patients are usually unsure what this means, but it simply implies that the student is a psychologist in training. It is a legal requirement that provisional psychologists introduce themselves as 'provisional' rather than misleading the client to believe they are a fully registered psychologist.
After completing their postgraduate degree (usually 3 – 4 years) or supervision arrangement they are then conferred the title of 'psychologist'. As you can see, it is not an easy task to earn this title, and for 7 or 8 years the training is often very competitive with little opportunity to earn a salary throughout the process. However, the rigor of the process ensures that those who are not fully committed to being the best in the profession do not make it through.
If you seek the help of a psychologist then they should encourage you to ask about their training and qualifications. If you are not happy with their answer then you have the right to seek another psychologist.
Where is Melbourne?
For our international visitors, Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia with a population of approximately 3.7 million. It is situated in the state of Victoria and is a major centre of commerce and cultural activity.
Click below for information about:
- Different types of psychologists
- What is a psychiatrist?
- Official psychologist organisations in Melbourne
This website was registered in March, 2009, so please check back often as we add new content!Thank you!