In our country, alongside the growing attractiveness of the psychologist profession and the increasing interest in psychological services, the number of individuals who, without proper university/academic education, have started presenting themselves as psychologists and “offering” psychological services has also increased in recent years. However, this is only one side of the problem. Another aspect is that some “colleagues” willingly began “training” such individuals for private psychological practice in exchange for a fee. A third aspect is that, to this day, there are no specific laws or legislative acts in our country that regulate the field of psychological services. Therefore, the solution to this problem from “above” is currently impossible. The only way to counter amateurism is to raise public awareness.
Attention:
In this article, by “professional psychologist,” I specifically refer to psychologists engaged in psychological counseling and psychotherapy. However, it is important to note that psychologists involved in other fields and/or performing other types of work (research, pedagogical, etc.) are also considered professional psychologists.
For this purpose, I believe it is necessary to first highlight the key differences between a professional psychologist and an amateur. I considered it important to point out the following five:
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Education: A professional psychologist has higher, university/academic education in psychology, at minimum a bachelor’s degree. They may also hold a master’s, specialist, Ph.D., or doctorate degree. An amateur psychologist is self-taught, has read professional literature, and at best has attended various training sessions and courses, “studied” under certain individuals but lacks formal academic education in psychology.
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Specialization: A professional psychologist typically has a specific specialization/qualification (clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist, child psychologist, etc.) obtained during their master’s studies or a 5-year educational program. An amateur psychologist, lacking formal education in psychology, cannot have an academic specialization.
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Continuous Professional Development: After obtaining academic education, a professional psychologist continues developing professionally, regularly participating in academic and training programs, conferences, and publishing scientific articles. They acquire practical skills to work with specific psychological problems (stress, phobias, etc.) and mental health disorders (anxiety disorders, depression, addictions, etc.). Some amateur psychologists also regularly attend various trainings, but lacking academic education and fundamental knowledge in psychology and related sciences, they are unable to conceptualize and integrate new knowledge into internal practice.
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Methodological Orientation: A professional psychologist works within a specific theoretical-methodological framework (psychoanalytic, existential, humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, integrative-eclectic, etc.). Many amateurs have no understanding of these methodological differences, as they lack formal education in psychology, although some may present themselves as representatives of one school or another.
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Supervision: A professional psychologist, as a rule, periodically attends supervision or personal counseling with another psychologist to address personal and professional issues. An amateur psychologist cannot have a supervisor because, according to professional ethics, no professional psychologist will agree to supervise an amateur.
It is also important to remember that:
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This article only attempts to outline some guiding points for potential clients and does not claim to be absolute truth, as exceptions may exist.
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The listed criteria are necessary but not exhaustive.
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Sometimes, neither academic degrees nor diplomas alone guarantee a psychologist’s competence. However, this does not justify devaluing the importance of higher professional education.
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Clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and psychotherapy belong to the healthcare sector’s scientific and practical activities and should be regulated by law. Therefore, clear professional education standards and competency criteria are essential.