Connexion to Secure PortalWhat do psychologists do?
Psychologists promote the psychological health of individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations. Their interventions support better psychological health or aim to establish a good state of psychological health.
Psychologists also work to restore mental health. When mental health is compromised, a new balance must be established. The psychologist has a range of interventions and treatments at their disposal to evaluate, recommend and implement as needed.
Psychologists perform many different professional activities.
Assessment of psychological and mental functioning
A psychologist addresses emotional and cognitive functioning. Based on information gathered through interviews and/or testing, they evaluate your emotions, abilities, attitudes, thoughts, preferences, interests, motivations and personal resources—all with the goal of helping you better understand yourself. They will then offer personalized interventions tailored to your needs.
A psychologist can make a clinical assessment of how an individual, group or organization is functioning in order to establish a clearer picture of the situation and then make recommendations or draw up an action plan.
For example, a school psychologist might examine how your child’s classroom functions. They could conduct a clinical assessment of the learning environment by observing class dynamics and interactions between students, teachers and classroom assistants. Based on their observations, they would offer personalized recommendations and interventions tailored to your child’s specific needs.
Psychotherapy
During psychotherapy sessions, you work with your psychotherapist to explore in depth the thoughts, emotions, behaviours and habits that led you to seek help.
Psychotherapy is an effective psychological treatment that can take many forms, depending on the approach and techniques your psychologist recommends based on your specific issues and needs.
Diagnosis of mental disorders
A psychologist can diagnose mental disorders. To do so, they conduct an assessment and make a clinical judgment based on available information about changes in thinking, mood and behaviour that may be causing the psychological distress. They then determine whether a mental disorder is present and also the appropriate interventions or treatments.
Among the various mental disorders that psychologists can diagnose are:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Specific learning disorders
- Intellectual disability
- Personality disorders
Diagnosis of neuropsychological disorders
A neuropsychologist establishes connections between brain function and behaviour.
To diagnose a neuropsychological disorder, the neuropsychologist conducts a clinical assessment of cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties related to a specific brain injury.
To do so, they use a variety of techniques—including interviews, psychometric tests and questionnaires—to assess higher mental functions such as attention, memory, reasoning and organizational skills. They also evaluate behaviour to determine the nature and severity of the neuropsychological disorder. By establishing your cognitive profile, they can then identify appropriate interventions or treatments for your situation.
Activities specific to the psychologist’s area of practice
Psychologists practice in a variety of fields, each with its own unique features.