Clinical Psychology

• The Four Goals of Clinical Psychology

  • Describe
  • Explain
  • Predict
  • Control
• The Four D's

  • Distress
  • Deviant
  • Dysfunction
  • Danger
• Clinical Psychology


  First used in print by Lightmer Witmer in 1907. Witmer was also the first to operate a psychological clinic.
• Clinical Psychologist


  A person whose work with others involved aspects of treatment, education, and interpersonal issues.
• Clinical Psychology integrates science, theory, and practice to understand, predict, and alleviate maladjustment, disability, and discomfort as well as to promote human adaptation, adjustment, and personal development.
• Clinical Psychologists study, assess, and treat people with psychological problems or disorders.
• How Clinical Psychologists are Different From...

  • Counseling Psychologists
  • Psychiatrist
  • Social Workers
  • Social Psychologist/School Psychologist
  • Professional Counselors
  • Marriage and Family Therapists
• Neurosis


  Mental illnesses where individuals maintain an intact grasp on reality
• Psychosis


  Mental illnesses where individuals demonstrate a break from reality in the form of hallucinations, delusions, or grossly disorganized thinking
• Exogenous


  Mental illnesses caused by external factors
• Endogenous


  Mental illnesses caused by internal factors
• Dementia Praecox


  An endogenous disorder similar to what is now known as schizophrenia
• The American Psychological Association published its first code of ethics in 1953.
• General Principles


  Aspirational section of the ethical code, describing an ideal level of ethical functioning
• Ethical Standards


  Enforceable rules of conduct in the ethical code
• Trust


  Clinical psychologists can build trust with their patients by establishing a positive rapport
• Genuine Interest


  Clinical psychologists should be open, honest, and display congruent behavior
• Empathy


  The ability of the clinician to perceive the meanings and feelings of the client and to communicate that understanding to the client
• Acceptance


  Avoiding judgments of the person, no matter what the behavior
• Positive Regard


  Appreciating the client as a unique, worthwhile human being with a non-judgmental attitude
• Phases of the Therapeutic Relationship

  • Orientation Phase
  • Working Phase
  • Termination Phase
• Verbal Communication


  The words a person uses to speak to one or more listeners
• Nonverbal Communication


  The behavior that accompanies verbal content such as body language, eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice, speed and hesitation and in speech, grunts, and groans, and distance from the listener
• Vocal Cues


  Also known as paralinguistic cues, including all the noises and extra speech sounds
• Action Cues


  Mainly body movements like expression, mannerism, actions, facial movements and postures
• Object Cues


  Dress, furnishings and possessions that communicate something to the observer about the speaker's feelings
• Proxemics


  The study of distance zones between people during communication
• Proxemic Zones

  • Intimate Zone (0-18 inches)
  • Personal Zone (18 to 36 inches)
  • Social Zone (4 to 12 feet)
  • Public Zone (12 to 25 feet)
• Types of Touch


  • Functional (professional)
  • Social (polite)
  • Friendship (warmth)
  • Love (intimacy)
  • Sexual (arousal)
• LADDER (Observing and Listening Skills)

  • Look at others, keep good eye contact
  • Ask appropriate questions only
  • Do not interrupt
  • Do not change the subject
  • Express emotions with control
  • Responsively Listen
• Therapeutic Communication Techniques

  • Accepting
  • Broad Opening
  • Consensual Validation
  • Encouraging Comparison
  • Encouraging Description of Perception
  • Encouraging Expression
  • Exploring
  • Focusing
  • General Leads
  • Giving Information
  • Giving Recognition
  • Offering Oneself
  • Placing Event in time or Sequence
  • Restating
  • Seeking Information
  • Summarizing
• Encouraging Expression


  To make his or her own appraisal, or assessment of his or her own feelings
• Accepting


  Acknowledges a client's emotions or message and affirms they have been heard
• Accepting


  • "I hear what you are saying."
  • "I follow what you said"
• Broad Opening


  The client has the lead on the interaction. Allowing the client to take the initiative to talk
• Broad Opening


  • "Is there something you'd like to talk about?"
  • "Where would you like to begin?"
• Consensual Validation


  It is essential that the words being used have the same meaning for all, because sometimes words or slang words have different meanings
• Consensual Validation


  • "Tell me whether my understanding of it agrees with yours"
• Encouraging Comparison


  It brings out recurring themes, the client benefits from making these comparisons, she or he might recall past coping strategies that are effective, or survive in a certain situation
• Encouraging Comparison


  • "Was it something like...."
  • "Have you had similar experiences?"