Psychologists work in many different areas of society and are concerned with practical problems. Below are only a few examples:
Helping people to overcome depression, stress, trauma or phobias
Easing the effects of parental divorce on children
Speeding up recovery from brain injury
Helping to stop or prevent bullying at school or in the workplace
Ensuring that school pupils and students are being taught in the most effective way
Making sure that people are happy at work and perform to the best of their abilities
Helping the police, courts and prison service to perform more effectively
Helping athletes and sports people to perform better
For more information about the discipline, check out our ten things you might not now about psychology section.
Many of the challenges we face in the modern world are rooted in human behaviour, so psychological knowledge can help us find solutions.
People with all sorts of problems seek the help and support of psychologists. For example:
Adult mental health problems
Every day counselling psychologists and clinical psychologists help a wide range of people of all ages with all sorts of problems.
Some people have particular emotional or mental health problems, such as depression or schizophrenia. Others have difficulties with their thinking, which is also known as ‘cognitive’ problems. These can take many forms, such as problems with memory or perception after a head injury, a learning disability or dementia.
There are many more areas of life where a psychologist can help. These could include helping people manage and live with health conditions such as HIV, cancer or chronic pain, assisting people who have difficulties in maintaining relationships or providing advice about how to care for a child who has been abused.
Whatever the problem, the psychologist will consider what scientific research says about its probable cause and what