What is a Clinical Psychologist?

All practicing psychologists should be registered with the Board of Psychologists through the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This is helpful for clients as it guarantees that the therapist has a nationally recognized qualification. The Board of Psychologists also provides clients with an infrastructure to lay complaints against professionals that act inappropriately.

A clinical psychologist needs to have a master’s degree or a doctorate degree from a recognized university. The formal training for a clinical master’s degree is made up of two components: academic and practical. The academic qualification includes relevant psychological theory and information. In addition to this each psychologist needs to learn how to conduct research in order to evaluate and contribute to existing scientific knowledge. The practical part of clinical training requires a supervised internship at an academic hospital. It is common to be a part of a treatment plan in collaboration with a psychiatrist.