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Types of Psychologist

The British Psychological Society runs a Directory of Chartered Psychologists, which lists those psychologists who have had their qualifications and training accepted as being of sufficient standard. There are several areas of psychology in which people can qualify as a Chartered Psychologist and it is these that the Society recognises as the main types of psychologists.

• Clinical psychologists
• Counselling psychologists
• Educational psychologists
• Forensic psychologists
• Health psychologists
• Neuropsychologists
• Occupational psychologists
• Sport and exercise psychologists
• Teachers and researchers in psychology
• Other areas of psychology
  
• Related fields
• Need help?
  

Clinical psychologists

Clinical psychologists aim to reduce psychological distress and to enhance and promote psychological well-being. They deal with mental and physical health problems including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, addictions and relationships. Clinical psychologists deal with both adults and children, so if you are looking for a 'child psychologist' you may well want someone with a clinical background.

• More information about clinical psychology

Counselling psychologists

Counselling psychologists work with clients to examine mental health issues and explore the underlying problems that may have caused them. They work across a diverse range of human problems, such as bereavement, past and present relationships, mental health issues and disorders. If you are looking for someone to examine the wider causes of a particular problem/condition, a counselling psychologist may be for you.

• More information about counselling psychology

Educational psychologists

Educational psychologists apply psychology to helping children and young people and most work within the local education authority system. They deal with difficulties in learning and social adjustment, so if you are looking for a 'child psychologist' then an educational psychologist may be able to help.

• More information about educational psychology

Forensic psychologists

Forensic psychologists deal with psychological aspects of legal processes, including applying theory to criminal investigations, understanding psychological problems associated with criminal behaviour, and the treatment of criminals. Sometimes people speak about a 'profiler', 'criminal psychologist' or 'criminologist' but very often it may be they want to speak to a forensic psychologist.

• More information about forensic psychology

Health psychologists

Health psychologists work in a relatively new field where psychological principles are used to promote changes in people’s attitudes, behaviour and thinking about health and illness. They deal with topics such as quitting smoking, skin care in the sun or promoting safer-sex. The aim is promote good health and prevent illness.

• More information about health psychology
  

Neuropsychologists

Neuropsychologists look at the relationship between the brain and neuropsychological function. This means neuropsychologists deal with things related to the brain, such as vision, memory, smell, and taste, or on the biological basis for conditions like depression. Psychologists within this field also help with assessment and rehabilitation of people with brain injury or other neurological disease such as strokes, dementia, tumours and degenerative brain diseases.

• More information about neuropsychology
  

Occupational psychologists

Occupational psychologists help an organisation to get the best from its workforce and improve the job satisfaction of the individual. By applying psychological expertise, they work to increase the organisation’s effectiveness and improve the career development of employees. This can involve topics such as how to motivate staff, recruit the best people for the job or help individuals gain new skills, plan careers, or cope with redundancy. Occupational psychologists may also design or use psychometric tests, as a way of measuring people’s suitability for a particular role.

• More information about occupational psychology
  

Sport and exercise psychologists

Sport psychologists work with sports participants across a range of both team and individual sports and from amateur to elite levels of competition. An exercise psychologist is primarily concerned with the application of psychology to increase exercise participation and motivational levels in the general public. Some experts work in both fields.

• More information about sport and exercise psychology

Teachers and researchers in psychology

Professionals can also be a teacher or researcher in psychology, although usually the two go hand in hand. Teaching staff may have qualified in one of the applied psychological professions or be specialists in a research area. They will be involved in teaching and conducting research in an academic institute and may also combine this work with their role as a practitioner.

• More about teaching or research in psychology

Other areas of psychology

Sometimes you may hear someone referred to as another type of psychologist not mentioned on this page such as child psychologist, social psychologist, cognitive psychologist, consumer psychologist or animal psychologist, but the Society does not specifically recognise these terms.

Mostly, people who are described by one of these terms will be a Chartered Psychologist in a more general area who specialises in these more specific areas. However, there is no currently law to prevent anyone from calling themselves a psychologist, so if you would like to check if someone describing themselves as a psychologist is chartered, please consult the Register of Chartered Psychologists.

Related fields

Sometimes enquiries do not fit within these main categories. For more guidance please contact the British Psychological Society on +44 (0)116 254 9568.

It might also be possible that you are looking for a professional who deals with mental health in one of the related fields and professions to psychology.

Need help?

If you feel you may need the help of a psychologist for a mental health problem then please visit your General Practitioner (GP) in the first instance. If you would like to see a psychologist for another issue, you can find qualified psychologists on our Directory of Chartered Psychologists.