If a career in psychology is on your agenda, but you have not decided what field of psychology you want to enter, you may want to consider a health psychology career. The psychologists in this field study how social, biological, and physiological aspects affect the physical well-being of an individual. Here is some information you may need if this field of psychology peaks your interest.

Duties of a Health Psychologist

As a health psychologist, you will perform many different tasks, depending on the type of specialty and where you work.

• Clinical- In a clinical setting, such as a hospital or doctors office, you will most likely work directly with doctors and other medical professionals. You will be expected to conduct interviews, do psychological assessments, perform personality tests, and may even be involved in interventions for patients who need help overcoming obstacles like smoking, drinking, and drugs.
• Public Awareness- In some cases, health psychologists work with private or governmental agencies to help raise awareness of public policies regarding health. You may have to speak to government official about new and old health care policies, lobby for new health care policies, or take care of inadequacies in the health care system.
• Research- In the area of research, you will most likely conduct studies regarding the prevention, causes, and treatment of health problems.

Where Are The Best Places to Pursue Your Career as a Health Psychologist?

Health Psychologists can work in a variety of different places, including:

• Hospitals
• Doctor’s offices
• Government agencies
• Colleges and Universities
• Rehabilitation centers
• Mental health centers
• Private psychology practices

Earning a Health Psychology Degree

If you wish to work in the health psychology field, you need to earn the right degree. Most health psychologists have a doctorate degree in psychology. In many cases, employers will only hire on health psychologists with this type of degree. Sometimes, though, an employer will only require you to possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree in health psychology. These lower degrees may limit you in terms of employment opportunities and salary, and your work may be closely monitored by a licensed psychologist.

Most of these psychologist study general psychology in an undergraduate program. After completing these courses, the psychologists will move on to graduate school, where they will specialize in the field of health psychology.

Pay Rate for Health Psychologists

The American Psychological Association states that psychologists who are employed specifically for direct human services earn about $80,000 a year. They also estimate that 13 percent of the psychologists working for direct human services are health psychologists. Of course, this estimation of pay may reflect more advance psychologists. Those who are just starting out in the field may earn significantly less.

If a career as a health psychologist isn’t right for you, check out the other psychology specialized fields on our site.

If you are interested in a career in psychology, you may want to consider becoming a health psychologist. In this field, you will have the opportunity to work in many different areas, performing various tasks to help determine the prevention, causes, and treatment of health problems.

Specialized Fields in Psychology: The Health Psychologist is a post from:

Whether we acknowledge it or not, media in today’s world has an impact on our daily lives. Media psychology is one of the newest and most rapidly progressing types of psychology fields today. If you are interested in becoming a psychologist, but are not sure which types of psychology fields you want to be a part of, here is some information you may need to know.

What is Media Psychology?

Media psychology is the study of how any type of media affects the behavior and thoughts of an individual or group. This psychology field is used to determine how individuals or sociological groups perceive, react, and use media they are presented with on a daily basis. Due to the ever present increase in technology, media psychology has become a much needed and popular field of study

What Types of Media is Studied  in Media Psychology?

Almost any type of media can be used for research and evaluation in media psychology. Here are just a few common kinds.

• Graphics
• Marketing and Advertisements
• Audio
• Movies
• Television
• Internet
• Books
• Magazines
• Newspapers

How do you Become a Media Psychologist?

Becoming a media psychologist will require the completion of a master’s degree or Ph.D. in media psychology. This specialization is offered at many universities due to it’s growing popularity. The courses within this specialized psychology field will allow you to:

• Take your insight on psychology and apply it to changes in social and global behavior
• Have an understanding of multicultural behavior and how it is affected by the media
• Understand and apply all of the concepts and theories you have learned during the course of your education to effectively use, impact, and influence the media

Some of the classes you may have to complete in order to obtain your master’s or doctorate degree in media psychology may include:

• Psychology and the Media
• Contemporary Issues with Psychology
• Statistics
• Understanding Research
• Psychology and Social Change

Depending the program you are enrolled in, you may or may not be required to write or present a media psychology thesis. A thesis involves the research, development, and presentation of a new experimental study. Some colleges may not require you to write a thesis, and may instead want you to attend additional classes in place of a thesis.

In most states, certification and licensing will not be expected of you when you enter into this type of psychology field. However, if you plan to perform any type of clinical service or counseling service with people, you will have to obtain your license and certification. You can do so by contacting your state psychology board. You may be required to take a state exam and continue with a certain amount of education while you are a practicing psychologist.

Media psychology is considered by many to be one of the most interesting types of psychology. It involves the education, research, and understanding of how psychology and the media work together and how the media impacts the everyday life of individuals. Media psychology, is it right for you?

Specialized Psychology Fields – Media Psychology is a post from:

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

This type of therapy is all about determining how the internal mapping of a person’s brain works and how it applies to their everyday life. An example is when ten people look at a picture of a dog; they won’t all have the same reaction to that picture. Certain electrical impulses travel from the brain to the rest of the body. Depending upon the electrical impulses the body, some people will feel scared while others feel overwhelmed with love. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is about using your psychology degree to take these impulses and create a map that helps explain to the patient what triggers their different emotions.

CBT-Forget the Past

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, involves encouraging patients to throw all of their baggage in the closet and closing the door. Focusing on current problems that are able to be improved upon and solved is the basis for this particular therapy. It’s all about taking huge overwhelming and pressing issues and helping the patient break them down into small, bite-sized steps that are more manageable.  These include practices tackle problems such as:

• Dealing with the after effects of a traumatic event
• Social Anxiety Disorders
• Panic Disorders
• General Anxiety Disorders
• Training for Proper Social Skills
• Depression
• Anger Issues
• Problems with Self-esteem
• Addictive Behaviors from Substances or Behavioral Patterns
• Psychological Testing and Assessments
• Managing Stress
• Change of Life Planning for: Returning-to-Work Planning, Mid-life Crisis
• Couples and/or Families for: Martial Issues, Trust Issues, Grief

Unbelievable Uses for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

You wouldn’t think that a psychology degree would be of any use to a breast cancer patient or those addicted to gambling. Studies conducted by the University of Miami psychology department have shown that those suffering from their first year of breast cancer actually improved their stress levels and coping abilities. Those suffering from gambling or drinking addictions have utilized CBT to aid in helping them in the day to day life of refraining from their addiction. They also learn alternative coping skills which allowed them to refrain from their addiction of choice.

Earning Your Psychology Degree in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A psychology degree allows you the opportunity to choose your field, one of which being Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. If you have what it takes and are interested in helping individuals recognize and deal with issues that are plaguing them now, this is one of the best and fastest growing fields of psychology. Continue to follow our site for more information on the latest psychology issues, breakthroughs, and earning your psychology degree.

Psychology Degree for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a post from:

The Terminology of this Psychology Subfield

Biopsychology is not the only term used for examining the brain’s functions in relation to mental reactions. Other terms are:

• Physiological psychology
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Psychobiology

What’s it All About?

It is not enough to have the basic psychologist qualifications if you desire a career in biopsychology. You must have a complete understanding of the body’s physiology, biology and anatomy. This equates to a working knowledge of how the nervous system works with the brain along with how a person’s neurotransmitters can cause serenity or pure havoc to their emotional state. How a person deals with a situation is not solely about their past experiences. It is also a reflection of how their body accepts the problem or solutions presented to them. Talking about a traumatic event in your life may come across quite differently to the outside world than it would for someone with different body chemistry than you have.

Neurotransmitters 101

A qualified psychologist should understand that neurotransmitters are the body’s communication system with the brain. They relay chemical messages from the brain to various parts of the body and vice versa. The cause of a biopsychological episode or problem is sometimes a mix up in the chemical communications. An example is the chemical dopamine that is responsible for learning and movement.

• Too much dopamine released into a person’s system can be linked to schizophrenia.
• Too little dopamine is often associated with those that suffer from Parkinson’s disease.

Biopsychology, The Brain and The Nervous Systems

The brain is paired with the spinal cord to create the Central Nervous System.  It is true that only a portion of the brain is used. The active part of the brain is the cerebral cortex which is the outermost layers. This area is solely responsible for your emotions, sensations, motor skills and cognitive abilities. These are controlled by the four lobes of the brain.

Other nervous systems include those that control muscular actions, the Somatic, and the Autonomic which controls bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.  Autonomic Nervous Systems are automatic responses that the body has including that of “fight or flight” when feeling threatened and the ability to recover once such an occurrence happens.

A psychologist that specializes in Biopsychology can make proper evaluations if their patient has an overactive or non-existent “fight or flight” response.

• An overabundance could cause massive anxiety attacks or even a fear of the outside world.
• A non-existent response can cause people to take unnecessary and possibly life threatening risks.

We hope the details on biopsychology helps you to decide if this is the subfield of psychology that is right for you. For more information on psychology specialized fields, please continue to follow our website.

Psychology Specialized Fields: What is Biopsychology? is a post from:

What is Trauma Psychology

Trauma can enter an individual’s life in numerous ways. Left untreated, it can have long-term psychological affects. Psychological trauma can be caused by a serious illness, near fatal accident, or other life altering event. After being faced with a serious trauma, a person may develop anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Syndrome, or other mental illnesses that can affect their ability to function properly. The field of trauma psychology was developed to help patients cope with life changing events. Psychologist who specialize in recognizing trauma and treating it can help patients get through a difficult period of their life.

How to Become a Trauma Psychologist

Before becoming a trauma psychologist a person must first obtain a doctoral degree in Psychology from a school recognized by the American Psychological Association. In addition to the normal coursework required by most doctoral programs, a student planning to become a trauma psychologist must complete an internship.  The American Psychological Association has a list of approved programs and many colleges have partnerships with local clinics making it easier for a student to find an internship that they will enjoy.

Top Employment Opportunities

There are many employment options for trauma psychologists once they have completed their education and an internship. Psychologists can find employment at hospitals and medical facilities treating patients who have recently be injured, suffered from a debilitating illness, or have recently lost a loved one. The majority of trauma psychologists work in medical facilities, but one-fourth of the trauma psychologists in the United States are self-employed.

Self employed trauma psychologists who are self employed can expect to spend a great deal of time offering individual or group therapies. During these therapy sessions a clinical psychologist helps the patient identify the cause of their trauma (if it is not already known) and work on ways to overcome the problems. Trauma psychologists also offer counseling to those who have already received help in the past, but who are in need continued support and instruction.

Average Pay for a Trauma Psychologist

With the right education, a career in trauma psychology can be extremely lucrative. Entry level earnings average $50,000 annually with opportunities to earn as much as $80,000 after gaining experience in the field. Psychologists working independently with their own practices or for small firms have an opportunity to earn more as they gain more experience working directly with patients. Earnings will also be directly related to number of steady clientele.

Working with patients as a trauma psychologist gives a doctor a chance to help patients who have experienced something so difficult that they are not be able to move past the event without help.  A trauma psychologist has a unique chance to make a difference in the life of their patient and their patient’s family.

If a career in psychology is right for you, continue to check out our site. It’s packed with information on psychology and psychologist training.

Psychologist Specialized Fields – Trauma Psychology is a post from:

Psychology Degree Myths

• Online Psychology Degrees Don’t Provide You With The Right Information For Your Career- Okay, let me explain that one. Most people know that earning your psychology degree will provide you with the piece of paper that allows you to practice, but so many individuals are highly apprehensive about their ability to productively enter this field. If you feel you will not be fully prepared to practice as a licensed psychologist upon completing your degree, this is a myth. Your college courses will not only prepare you to deal with the diagnosis and treatment process, but your internship will provide you with the clinical work necessary to feel confident in your chosen profession as a psychologist.

• A Psychology Degree Means You Will be Rich- While it would be nice to think that every person who spent four to ten years earning a psychology degree is financially set, this is also a myth. The national average yearly income for a psychologist, according to Salary.com  is $82,000. While this is nothing to sneeze at, it doesn’t exactly qualify as rich, but rather upper middle class. Your psychologist salary will most likely be determined by your level of degree, your area of expertise, and where you work. A psychologist who enters the field with that state of mind is destined to fail, since a great degree of compassion for others is a necessary characteristic of a valuable psychologist.

Other Myths About Psychology

Thinking about earning a psychology degree in a specialized field? Here are some other common myths about psychology, and the facts that go with them.

• Online psychology doesn’t help people- According to a study conducted under the sponsorship of the International Society for Mental Health Online, this type of psychology can be very effective and can help save lives. In response to questions about whether an online psychologist could truly help a suicidal individual over the internet, the study determined that many individuals these days are posting suicide notes on the internet in places like social networking sites and blogs. When approached, the individuals may be more likely to open up and talk to psychologists because they are not pressured by face to face contact and have less inhibitions because they remain anonymous.

• Forensic psychology works just like the televisions says it does- Although many students of psychology might wish they had exciting, heart pounding adventures like the psychologists that are portrayed on popular shows, real forensic psychology does not always work that way. These psychologist aren’t all lurking at a crime scene; more than likely they are working with a school, hospital, research center, or with the legal system.

• Sports psychology is another word for a motivational coach or personal trainer- Sports psychologists are specifically trained to deal directly with the level of mental, emotional, and physical stress that comes along with the title of professional athletes. In the line of professional sports there is a huge amount of pressure to perform and some, especially young individuals fresh out of college, do not have the skills to understand or deal with these expectations and pressure. A sports psychologist is more than a motivational coach, helping athletes to overcome fears, pressures, and to remain focused in the face of adversity. The right psychologist can help an athlete transfer these skills into a rewarding and successful life long after the games are over.

There are many myths surrounding the earning of a psychology degree. It’s up to you to break down these barriers that keep you from the facts. If you are thinking about earning your psychology degree, don’t let common myths surrounding the profession take you away from your dreams.

Top 3 Myths About Earning Your Psychology Degree is a post from:

If you read that title and thought to yourself, “Internet counselor? Online psychologist? What will they think of next?”…Keep reading.

Everyone these days uses the internet. According to statistics, average time online passed television viewing a while ago. We have become an internet accessed world. Many use social networking sites to make new friends and communicate with old ones. Some use online dating sites to find their soul mate. (No plug for eHarmony intended) Is it any wonder that the development of the online psychologist has taken off as well? With the right training, you can easily become an internet counselor or online psychologist and help clients all around the world.

Training, Requirements, and Licensing for the Online Psychologist

There are many sites online that hire psychologists willing to work via the internet, or, if you are interested, you can develop your own client base and enjoy the benefits of an independent online psychologist career. No matter what type of employment you are searching for, though, there are certain requirements that must be met before you can begin practicing psychology online.

• Online Psychologist Education- Working online does not mean that you can forego your education. Most websites that offer counseling services require their psychologists to have at least a master’s degree in psychology or a related field. Others may require a doctorate degree.

• Online Psychologist Licensing- While you may be working with clients all around the world, you must be licensed within your own state before you can begin practicing as an online psychologist. Some issues may occur when you are counseling individuals from other states, so be sure to contact the Board of Psychology in your specific state to ensure that you are properly licensed and following the law.

• Online Psychologist Requirements- Counseling over the internet requires a certain amount of knowledge about computers and other technical equipment you may have to use. Make sure that you are prepared to use the various forms of communication that the internet offers before you begin working as an online psychologist.

Communication Methods For Online or Long-Distance Therapy

There are several forms of communication that you can choose to use to conduct therapy and counseling sessions with your clients.

• Email
• Telephone
• Instant Messaging
• Forums
• Webcams
• Video Messages

Although telephone counseling generally applies to communication via land line phone or cell phones, the invention of internet phone communications has expanded this kind of communication.

Ideas You Should Consider Before Launching Your Online Psychologist Business

• How you will verify that you are speaking to the real patient- this is most often taken care of through the use of usernames and passwords.

• Parental consent- in some states, children under the age of 18 are not allowed to take part in any type of therapy without the consent of their parent. Be sure to check the laws in your client’s state for information on whether parental consent is required.

• You must develop and inform your clients of what hours you will work, what fees you will charge, and any days you will or will not be available.

• Some states require you to report harmful behavior- If your state requires you to do so, inform your clients.

If you have the desire to work from home, help individuals, are tech savvy, and have the right kind of education, becoming an online psychologist may be the right job for you.

Can You Become a Licensed Internet Counselor or Online Psychologist? is a post from:

Here are the factors involved in a psychologists salary, according to the latest statistics and reports from Payscale.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Factors that Affect Psychologist Salary

There are several key factors that can and will affect the salary of a psychologist:

• Education- Level of education will, of course, affect your pay scale as a psychologist. Careers that only require a psychologist to hold the minimum, which is a bachelor’s degree will generally pay less than jobs that require a doctorate.

• Specialty- There are numerous specialized areas of psychology, and some pay better than others. For example, neuropsychologists makes on average about $25,000 more annually than a sports psychologist.

• Location- The area where the psychologist practices will affect his or her salary due to the cost of living in those areas. For instance, the psychologist salary in New York City will be significantly more than the salary of a psychologist working in Little Rock, Arkansas.

• Demand- The more the psychologist is needed, the more he or she may be able to earn. Currently, the need for qualified psychologists is increasing at a steady pace.

• Experience- Psychologists with years of experience will have a significantly higher earning potential than those who are just starting out in entry level positions.

• Job Description- The type of work that is required of the psychologist may affect the annual income of the psychologist. The more duties he or she is required to do, the higher his or her salary may be.

• Type of Employment- Psychologists can work in many different areas of health care, criminology, or research. A psychologist who operates his or her own private practice will also have a greater earning potential.

Average Annual Psychologist Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics offers some insight on the estimated average of clinical, school, and industrial-organized psychologist salaries. These salaries are based on a national average. Other websites also offer estimations of the average pay of certain fields of psychology.

• Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists in these fields earn:
  • Doctors Offices- $68,000
  • Government offices- $64, 000
  • Family Services- $57,000
  • Schools- $66, 000
  • Outpatient Services- $59, 000

• Industrial-organized psychologists earn an average of $77,000

• According to PayScale.com, a Christian counseling psychologist can expect to earn an average of $49,000 per year

• PayScale also estimates that the average salary of a forensic psychologist is $60,000 annually

• According to about.com, developmental psychologists can expect to earn about $56,500 a year, counselors make an average of $48, 000, and health psychologists start out making about $40,000 annually.

While the role of the psychologist is significant to the lives of many patients, the psychologist salary will vary depending on the factors discussed above.

2011 Psychologist Salary Guide is a post from:

As a new psychologist you may have weak areas you will only recognize once you are working actively in the field. By taking the right continuing education courses you can address these weak areas and work on the areas in which you need improvement. Below is some basic information about your CEUs.

Continuing Education Explained

In psychology, continuing education refers to any type of learning experience including:

• Online College Courses
• DVDs and CD Training Courses
• Written correspondence courses
• Workshops
• Lectures
• Seminars

While the course you decide to take may vary in form, the courses must be approved by your state’s Psychology Board or the American Psychological Association. Other high ranking psychology associations may also play a role in the types of classes approved for your continuing education.

Once you have taken these courses, you will need to submit paperwork to your psychology board proving that you took part in the classes. Some courses, however, may be automatically reported to the board.

Renewing Your Psychology License

Every state requires psychologists to take part in continuing education in order to renew your license. In most states, license renewal occurs every two years. If you do not complete all of your courses, your license will not be renewed and you will not be able to continue to practice psychology until your continued education is finished.

The number of hours you must complete will vary from state to state. For instance, Oregon requires that a psychologist devotes at least 50 hours to continuing education, while California only asks for 36 CEU hours. Each state may also set a certain number of hours to special areas of education, such as psychology ethics, domestic violence, or certain mental disorders.

Can a Psychologist be Exempt from Continued Education Requirements?

In certain situations your state’s psychology board may award a psychologist an exempt status from continuing education. Situations such as hardship or medical emergencies may be considered. Certain rules apply to this as well. Some of the hardships or reasons for exemption may include:

• Participation in active military service
• Relocation to a different state or country
• If you have experienced a physical or mental disability
• If you have been the sole provider of a family member who has experienced a physical or mental disability
• Medical situations, such as a lengthy illness or rehabilitation

Understanding what type of continuing education you must complete to renew your license as a psychologist is vital if you are going to stay up-to-date with the latest laws, ethics, rules, information, and regulations within the psychology world.

Continuing Education Requirements in Psychology is a post from:

We’ve interviewed a successful writer who shared her secrets to writing your psychology papers, and any other writing may want to do, such as blogging or keeping detailed papers on the progress of your patients.

Writing Your Psychology College Papers Quickly and Efficiently

The most important part of writing your psychology papers is getting the process right from the beginning. Sitting down in front of a blank document will just serve to fuel confusion and promote writers block…yes, it is real.

The key, or secret to writing psychology papers quickly and efficiently lies in the following three steps:

• Research
• Rough Draft
• Editing

If you handle the process correctly, you’ll find writing your psychology papers to be quite easy. Let’s look at the steps more closely:

Psychology Research – First, gather all your facts, quotes, and technical data from the reliable sources you’ll be using. Copy and paste all the information you’ll need onto a Word Doc. Once you’ve got all the information in one place, use bold subheadings to divide and arrange the information in the order you think you’ll be using it on your paper. Don’t get too involved in this process. Just skim over the material and quickly arrange it so you’ll be able to find it later. Don’t forget to save your sources, you’ll need to site them at the end of your paper.

The Rough Draft – Once you’ve got an idea how to begin your paper, start writing as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter right now whether your paper is grammatically correct, just write. That’s right! The secret to writing is to write. Don’t tell everyone.

While you are writing your psychology paper, you may find that your mind will race ahead of you and think of the next topic or subheading while you are finishing up the idea or thought you are currently writing. When this happens, that is a wonderful thing. You are in the writing zone, so take advantage of it by staying focused and writing as quickly as you can.

One your rough draft is finished, or partially finished, it’s time to go back over and begin the editing process.

The Editing Process

You’ll most likely need to edit your work more than once, so don’t labor too long over the editing process either. Start, of course, with the words that your Word Doc has underlined and tagged as misspelled. That little squiggly red line comes in handy that way. Next, you’ll want to go through the entire psychology paper to make sure it’s grammatically correct. Look for long, wandering, run-on sentences and tighten those up as well.  That’s it! Read over your paper one final time, checking your work against your professor’s instructions to be sure you’ve not left anything out, and you’re done.

Another key to psychology writing, especially with college papers, is to “not let the assignment intimidate you.” Psychology students who wait until the last minute to start their work run into stress and mental blocks a lot more often than the well prepared student who takes on their writing and research assignments long before they are due.

The ability to write and communicate effectively is a vital skill for psychology students. With practice, you’ll sharpen these skills and writing will become a welcome project instead of a daunting task.

We hope this article has been valuable to you as you embark on your new career. Continue to follow our site for more information on succeeding in the field of psychology.

Secrets to Writing Your Psychology Papers is a post from: