The simplest way to answer the question “how to become a counseling psychologist?” is to answer these three questions: What is psychology? What does it take to qualify to use the title of psychologist? And how do psychologists get involved in counseling?

Just What Is Psychology?

The word psychology comes from the Greek and it means literally “the study of the mind.” Psychology is based on the scientific method. It is generally considered to include the study of such areas as brain function, perception, cognition, personality, emotion, motivation, behavior, interpersonal relations, and the diagnosis and treatment of mental disease.

How Do You Become a Psychologist?

There are lots of programs that teach psychology, but to earn the right to be called a psychologist, you have to earn a doctorate degree in either psychology or education, pass a licensing test given by the state in which you intend to practice, and of course, you have to go through the formal process of applying for your license. Only a person who has earned the appropriate doctoral degree and has passed the licensing test can call themselves a psychologist. A person with a masters degree in psychology cannot call themselves a psychologist. A psychiatrist is basically a psychologist who also is a medical doctor.

How to Become a Counseling Psychologist?

If you ask how to become a counseling psychologist, it is a matter of specialization. Among other activities, a psychologist can diagnose and treat mental illness, support organizational development, evaluate human development, or council individuals and groups. While they can take special courses in counseling, the key ingredients are being a licensed psychologist and providing counseling to individuals and groups.

Why Not just Be a Coach?

The real question might not be “How to become a counseling psychologist?” but rather “Why become a counseling psychologist?” While there is no doubt, what so ever, that a psychologist can operate at a much deeper level, a coach can do some amazing good in a counseling role, without having to spend years and years pursuing a doctoral degree and then study to help insure passing the state licensing test. For me, becoming a counseling coach makes all the sense in the world.

Hope you took some great value out of this post today! I’d love to hear your feedback, so make sure you leave a comment with your thoughts or questions. And also, you can click on the Twitter button below to retweet this article…Thank you!

Dave Iuppa
JTS Advisors Strategy and Accountability Coach