ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY

“The mind is
everything. What you think, you become.
— Buddha

About Psychology

Psychology is the area of science concerned with the study of the human mind and behaviour. Psychologists are professionals who work within the field of psychology who are interested in how people think, feel, behave and learn. They study all aspects of the human experience. More specifically, they are interested in studying human emotion, personality, intelligence, memory, perception, cognition, attention, motivation, as well as the biological and physiological processes within the body that drive these functions and behaviours. The goals of psychology are to describe, explain, predict and change the mental processes and behaviours of others.

Psychologists can work in various settings including private psychology practices, hospitals, schools, universities, not-for-profits, elite sporting clubs and more. Psychologists fulfil various roles including providing assessment, diagnosis, prevention and treatment to people with mental health issues, providing consulting to people whom want to enhance their performance such as business owners and professional athletes, conducting research with study participants, providing input to business, corporations and stakeholders to achieve set goals, and more.

At our Gold Coast Psychology Clinic, we are a team of Clinical Psychologists who are concerned with the area of mental health and mental wellbeing where we provide assessment, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of mental health issues, such as those listed on our Services page.

Our Gold Coast Psychologists are here to help you to achieve your wellbeing goals, whatever they may be. And the important thing to keep in mind is that you do not need to have a ‘mental illness or disorder’ in order to see a Psychologist or Clinical Psychologist!

Lets address some common questions that we often get asked:

WHAT IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST?

A Clinical Psychologist is a Psychologist with additional training specialising in the area of Clinical Psychology – the area of psychology involved in assessment, diagnosing and treating severe mental illness. Clinical Psychologists have a 4-year undergraduate training in Psychology with Honours, in addition to a 2-year Post-graduate training in Clinical Psychology and followed by two years of Registrar Training in clinical psychology whilst working within a mental health setting. Post-graduate and Registrar training requires completion of a wide range of requirements including coursework, practical placements, supervision, thesis, and specialist capability competencies. Clinical Psychologists can work within a wide variety of settings including: private practice, hospitals, universities & other research institutions, not-for-profit organisations, for large corporations, amongst others.

WHAT CAN A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST HELP WITH?

Clinical Psychologists are not only able to assess, diagnose and treat severe mental illness, but they are also able to help people experiencing less severe emotional and psychological issues. For a comprehensive list of conditions and issues that a Clinical Psychologist is able to provide intervention for, please visit our ‘Areas of Treatment’ section.

 

ARE MY MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS ‘BAD ENOUGH’ FOR IT TO BE OKAY FOR ME TO SEE A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST?

Psychological concerns range along a continuum from mild to severe. For example, you may be experiencing some anxiety or depressive symptoms like feeling low, finding it hard to get motivated, feeling loss of confidence, nervous or shaky. These concerns may not be at the severity which would indicate a diagnosis of a depressive or anxiety ‘disorder’, however if they are enough to bother you, cause distress or concern to yourself and others, affect daily functioning or interfere with your relationships then you should speak to someone. It is important to understand that you do not have to have ‘severe’ symptoms for it to be helpful to see a Clinical Psychologist to get help for your wellbeing concerns. We often have people come into our practice stating that they feel ‘silly’ for being there asking for help because they think their issues are not that ‘serious’ or as ‘bad’ in comparison to others. What we want to express is that if your mental health difficulties are concerning you or interfering with your functioning and/or enjoyment, then your concerns are important and seeing a Clinical Psychologist would be helpful.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PSYCHOLOGIST AND A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST?

A Psychologist has completed the undergraduate psychology training at university and two years of supervised practice and competencies within a workplace setting to obtain full registration as a Psychologist. Psychologists have not undergone the additional training to specialise in the area of clinical psychology. The Medicare rebate for a psychological consultation with Psychologist is $84.40 and for a Clinical Psychologists it’s $126.50. Additionally, some organisations such as Centrelink or insurance companies require Psychological Reports to be completed by either a Clinical Psychologist or a Psychiatrist.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PSYCHOLOGIST & A PSYCHIATRIST?

A Psychiatrist is a Doctor who has obtained the required medical training to practice within Australia. Psychiatrists have completed their specialty training within the area of Psychiatry (as opposed to other Doctors who have chosen a different specialty such as Orthopedics, Neurosurgery etc). Psychiatrists have also undergone training in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment for severe mental illness, however their primary method of intervention is typically pharmacotherapy (medications) with some psychological strategies provided. As Psychiatrists are Doctors, they are authorized to prescribe medications to clients, where as Psychologists/Clinical Psychologists are not. Psychiatrists work within private practice, and they will also be found within public Mental Health settings such as psychiatric hospitals, community treatment teams etc as the leading practitioner for the mental health team. Clinical Psychologists and Psychiatrists often work alongside each other, however a client does not have to see both if this is not necessary for management of their presenting issues. With regards to treatment, the approach of a Clinical Psychologist is that of the provision of evidence-based psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative Therapy, Solutions-Focused Therapy, amongst others.

Latest blog articles

Concussion Cognitive Neuropsychological testing assessment psychologist Gold Coast

The Science Behind Concussions: Exploring the Neurological Impact of Traumatic Brain Injuries

by | Jun 2, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Concussions have become a growing topic of concern in the world of sports, medicine, and everyday life. These traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can occur in various...

OCD treatment psychologist Gold Coast

About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

by | Jun 2, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious disorder and chronic condition that affects around 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children in the United States. And...

child ASD Autism Assessment Diagnosis Psychologist Gold Coast

Navigating the World of Child ASD: Understanding Autism and Strategies for Daily Life

by | Jun 2, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects individuals' social, communication, and behavioural abilities. ASD is...

Adult Autism ASD assessment diagnosis gold coast psychologist

Understanding Adult ASD Diagnosis – The Essential Role of Psychometric Testing in Autism Evaluation for Adults

by | May 12, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects how an individual processes information, interacts with others, and experiences...

Neurotransmitters

How Neurotransmitters Influence Your Behaviour and Emotions

by | May 12, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

How Neurotransmitters Influence Your Behaviour and Emotions As psychologists and Clincial psychologists, we’re always fascinated by how the human brain works. One of...

What You Need to Know

Demystifying Borderline Personality Disorder: What You Need to Know

by | May 11, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

‍As Psychologists, we are able to have a good understanding of someone who has been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and the challenges that come...

Sleep Disorder Gold Coast psychology

Sleep And PTSD

by | Apr 21, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Many people have trouble sleeping – some more often than others – but if you[...]
Gold Coast Psychology Clinic

PTSD triggers

by | Apr 21, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

PTSD is difficult to live with, to put it mildly. Triggers are highly present in[...]
Psychology Gold Coast

Do I Have bipolar Disorder?

by | Apr 21, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Have your moods been really up and down lately? Have you been feeling like you[...]

Send us a message! We’d love to hear from you

We will respond to your enquiry during our reception hours Monday to Friday (Closed Public Holidays & Weekends).

At Vitality Unleashed Psychology, our patients’ experience is our priority.

We are happy to assist you with any questions or enquiries you may have, so contact us today! We will get back to you as soon as possible.