A lot of people struggle to understand the concepts of Counselling Psychology and Clinical Psychology and the difference between the two. This is because of the fact that there is an overlap between them. There are many psychologists who work in both these fields. Understanding the difference between clinical vs counselling psychology can help you make an informed decision in choosing the right psychology program for yourself. Let us explore and find out more about the difference between the two courses.
- The kind of work they do
When you take up a certification course in counselling psychology, you will be trained to have a stronger focus on healthy individuals. The patients you deal with will have fewer pathological mental problems. A clinical psychologist on the other hand will be trained to have more emphasis on people with psychosis and other serious mental health problems. While both these courses overlap in the fields of research and supervision activities, a person who has undergone counselling courses in Mumbai will be mainly involved in vocational and career assessment. A clinical psychologist, on the other hand, will be given projective assessment training.
- The origin of the courses
When it comes to the orientation of both these courses, there is a lot of overlap. In recent research, a lot of similarities were found in both these courses but a few differences were also highlighted. A person aspiring to become a clinical psychologist will be given more focus on psychoanalytic persuasions and behavioural issues. Whereas, leading counselling courses in Mumbai lay emphasis on humanistic and client-centred traditions. When it comes to theoretical orientation, clinical psychology aspirants prefer psychodynamic research while counselling students lean more towards cognitive behaviour.
- Employment opportunities
Health care is becoming more and more holistic these days. There are a lot of clinical and psychological professionals working in a variety of settings. Meaning, there are a lot of professionals working in both these fields. However, there are notable differences. A person with a certificate course in counselling is more likely to be employed in a university, delivering counselling services. A clinical psychologist on the other hand will be working in hospitals highlighting the difference between the two fields.
- Research areas
This is the part where the difference between clinical and counselling psychologists can be notably highlighted. Counselling courses in Mumbai will train the students for vocational assessment and minority/cross-cultural psychology while clinical psychologists will favour psychopathological conditions. However, it is important to take note that when detailed research was conducted there were evident similarities in faulty research areas. Therefore, it can be concluded that the major difference lies in the frequency of the disciplines participating in the programs.
5. The Bottom Line:
There is a thin line between the two courses and the differences can be hard to pinpoint because of the overlaps between them. What can be gathered from the studies and research is that the main difference lies in their approach. Candidates undergoing counselling courses in Mumbai are observed to be more interested in a humanistic approach. They deal directly with behavioural issues that must be addressed in the community. Clinical psychology professionals on the other hand prefer to deal with more serious mental health problems, where proper medical attention is necessary.
