40 higher education providers around Australia offer accredited and approved three year psychology degrees. To become a registered psychologist, the degrees must have been approved by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA). 

To become a clinical psychologist, a further one year of additional study is needed.  Prospective psychologists can then do either two years of supervised work, or fifth year of study and one year of supervised work.

Specialisations

Psychologists may specialise in:

• Counselling psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Clinical neuropsychology
• Community psychology
• Educational and developmental psychology
• Forensic psychology
• Health psychology
• Organisational psychology
• Sport and exercise psychology

A variety of other specialisations are also possible.

Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist

While both psychologist and psychiatrists both engage in psychotherapy and research, there are significant differences between the professions.

A psychiatrist has a degree in medicine followed by five years of specialisation. Psychologists study for four years then do a further two years of training.  Additional training may also be required in order to specialise in particular areas.

Psychiatrists may prescribe medication while psychologists may not. They can however request the assistance of a GP for patients requiring medication.

A referral is required to visit a psychiatrist, however this is only needed for psychologists under particular conditions, such as obtaining a Medicare rebate.

In the workplace

Research has found that one in five adults has experienced a common mental health disorder. In the Australian public service alone, stress claims have increased by 53% in the past five years.

Work focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been found to have greater benefits than normal CBT for common mental health issues. The results include more effective return to work results, a decrease in mental health problems and therefore gains for employers.

Contexts in which Psychologists may see Patients

• EAP – an EAP is a work-based intervention program which is designed to enhance the emotional, mental and general psychological wellbeing of employees. This includes services for immediate family members. It aims to provide preventative interventions to assist in the early detection and resolution of issues which impact on performance and wellbeing.
• Seeing people with work injuries – This may occur under the workers’ compensation system, or employee initiated. 
• Medicare – Medicare has a Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative which provides up to ten individual sessions in a calendar year and up to ten group therapy sessions under the Medicare rebate. Access to psychologists under this scheme requires a referral from a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician. They are also required to complete a mental health assessment and treatment plan.
• Organisational psychologist – an organisational psychologist works within organisations, as the name suggests. Their focus is generally on the workplace, with the aim of improving performance, satisfaction, safety, health and wellbeing. They may also provide advice on hiring practices, training, change management, performance management and management practices.

Employer discussions with Psychologists

Confidentiality is a vital part of the psychologist’s ethics and it is therefore vital that employers make it clear that they are enquiring about the employee’s return to work capacity and not personal details of the therapy and its progress. This should only ever occur with the informed consent of the employee.

How can you identify good practice?

Not all psychologists are trained in the work relevant aspects of psychology. It is worthwhile researching to find good psychologists in your area. Ask how do they deal with people who have challenging personalities, how do they deal with disability issues, what is their view regarding involvement in RTW meetings, how much experience do they have with third party payers? These questions are fine for employees, employers or other parties to ask. 

While some psychologists listen passively as their patients discuss their problems, others may be more active and assist the patient with strategies they may be able to use. The latter is generally preferable and gains more effective results.

To work out whether a psychologist is doing a good job, consider:

• What goals are set?
• What is worked on?
• Is there homework?
• What is suggested?
• What style are they using?
• Do they provide reading material?
• Do they discuss trauma?
• Do they discuss strategies to manage pain?
• Do they discuss how to manage stress?
• Are there discussions about how to overcome barriers to return to work?

A good psychologist will assist the patient by helping them develop strategies to deal with their problems.  If they are not making progress, it is sensible to question the treatment strategy.  If the patient says they feel it is good to have someone who will listen to them, and not much more is happening in the consultations, change may be needed.