Is there a real difference between Clinical and Counseling Psychology?
I want to be a Psychologist. I’ve rarely seen Counseling Psychology when researching. It’s always Clinical. What is the big difference between the two? And how long would i have to go to school? People tell me different things.
sctag1015 said,
Wrote on August 15, 2010 @ 7:53 pm
Honestly, the difference between the two is more in people’s opinions of them than anything else. While counseling psychologists tend to work more in group counseling settings, and clinical psychologist tend to do more individual services, they both focus on the same therapeutic interventions and research training. The place you’re more likely to encounter a difference when you set out to become a psychologist is between the PhD and the PsyD. PhD programs emphasize clinical interventions as well as research to contribute to the field. In contrast, PsyD programs focus almost exclusively in clinical intervention with little to no focus on research.
To earn any of these degrees, you’ll first need a Bachelor’s degree (4 years). Beyond that, most PhD programs run 4-8 years, depending on dissertation and internship time. PsyD programs are typically somewhat shorter, running 4-5 years. You may also want to pursue a Master’s degree between your Bachelor’s and Doctoral Degree, though many Doctoral Programs will have you complete a Master’s in them.