Duties And Requirements Of A Clinical Psychologist

This paper explores post-traumatic stress and how it is seen as a disorder. Post-traumatic stress can manifest into post-traumatic stress disorder. The evaluation and review books and articles seem to reveal a relation to these symptoms and military member, either active or non-active veterans. These symptoms do not manifest strictly into the full-extent of the disorder in all cases of military, however, things such as depression and other physical symptoms are discussed through the readings. The end result is that we discovered that through the readings PTSD will in fact lead to suicide if left untreated.

Anything that can impact military readiness can be reported to a member’s commanding officer. A sad result this as caused many a service member to become very distrustful of both mental health and family support personnel. Many civilian counselors have resorted to promising service members that requests for treatment will not be reported to their supervisors. Fortunately while the stigma still exists some progress has been made about shifting attitudes up and down the ranks towards getting the necessary help. (Hall, 2008) This attitude often stems from the fact that if a member, especially one in command of other service members, makes a bad judgment call due to having a mental health issue it could very well lead to a significant loss of both life and government property. Many view or used to view seeking the help of a mental health expert as showing the inability of making sound calls in the field. (Schreiber & McEnay,

The main problem discovered is military members are experiencing psychological problems from stressors due to deployments and not seeking help for their discomforts. Many of the military members returning

Psychological support for troops has emerged as a necessity because this kind of work can deal, to a considerable extent, with a set of specific psychological problems arising within disciplinary systems at all levels, not the lower echelons alone, as is often believed. Occasionally it is just the matter of an enlistee being unprepared for discipline-abiding lifestyle (ignorance of army regulations, orders and regulatory documents). Sometimes, however, psychological problems stem from clearly expressed anti-disciplinary attitudes in some or other serviceman, which attitudes tend to disorganize military activities, mixing, and off-duty routine.

Clinical psychology is just one of the many subfields that psychology has to offer. Those who choose to enter clinical psychology aim to help people with addiction, emotional stress, mental illness, or any other type of mental problems. Knowing what a clinical psychologist does in their practice is important in understanding their profession. A clinical psychologist's education is the most prominent part of their career; without it, they cannot be considered a psychologist. The process and requirements of employment for psychologists are scattered, varying from state to state, as well as their salary and where they may be employed. The future and growth of clinical psychology can only be

This paper is about counselors who choose to work with veterans or those who suffer from PTSD. The topics that will be discussed are the specific job descriptions, the salary one could look to receive, the certification requirements, and the future of this ever growing field.

Military service members who are and have been deployed to the middle east show high levels of emotional distress and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both active duty and reserve component soldiers who have experienced combat have been exposed to high levels of traumatic stress. As a consequence, many have gone on to develop a wide range of mental health problems such as PTSD. “According to researchers, PTSD is a long-term reaction to war-zone exposure that can last up to a few minutes, hours, several weeks, and for some a lifetime.” Common symptoms include: emotional numbing, anxiety, feelings of guilt, and depression. If the disorder turns chronic veterans may experience functional impairment (Friedman, M. J. et al., 1994, p.

The OPORD 14-83 is the federal level regulation in the Military that addresses the issue of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, depression and suicide. These health issues are not new phenomena’s, especially in the military health system. PTSD can be dated back to WWI, when it was simply called “shell-shocked”. However, with the co-occurring Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and the number of soldiers returning with mental health concerns, this issue has been pushed to the forefront of the media. Every shooting, suicide, or homicide involving a service member, the news makes a point that these service members must have gone untreated. Even the president of the United States passed an executive order to address the mental health crisis (Executive order, 2012). It is alarming that RESPECT-Mil and the OPORD 14-83 are not discussed in conjunction with the numerous news stories about ailing service members. No major editorial or newspaper has discussed this policy, however, more targeted sources such as Medical Daily, local base papers such as the Ft. Campbell Courier. Huffington Post online was the most publically broadcasted article about the policy. The article titled Military Mental Health Care: One Size Does Not Fit All, was written by Dr. Engel in 2010 and updated in 2011. In this article, he praised and discussed what he described as the high-quality specialized care program that is mandated in all Army primary care clinics (Engel, C. 2010).However, this article was not in regards to

Even though there is a high risk of mental health problems among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, there has been no systematic studies of mental health care utilization among these veterans after deployment (Hoge, Auchterlonie, and Milliken, 2006). Such studies are an important part of measuring the mental health burden of the current war and ensuring that there are adequate resources to meet the mental health care needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan (Hoge, Auchterlonie, and Milliken, 2006). When a person is in the military, he or she may experience a lot of traumatic events; therefore, PTSD becomes more prevalent in their lives post-war. There was a research conducted after other military conflicts that has shown that deployment stressors and exposure to combat result in considerable risks of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, substance abuse, impairment in social functioning and in the ability to work, and the increased use of health care services (Hoge, Castor, Messer, McGurk, Cotting, & Koffman, 2004).Veterans in America have a history of mental illness, thus it is important that there are a variety of treatment options available for veterans. Most veterans with mental health problems refused to go in for services because

The suicide prevention program is driven and maintained by military leaders (i.e. officers and non-commissioned officers) and military social workers who actively support/contribute to the entire program and the initiatives within the community. Military leaders ensure that every service member receives annual suicide prevention training through PME conducted by military leaders. Additionally, the military has issued “guidelines” (which are military policies) for how commanders can reduce the stigma of mental health services by creating a positive culture climate. Commanders use the Commanders Consultation Assessment Tool, to gain insight into unit strengths and areas of vulnerability, as well as, creating a positive climate culture. This tool also teaches service members to recognize the signs and symptoms of distress in themselves and others and to take protective action and encourage others to do the same. The goal he is to foster a culture of early help-seeking, without judgment.

Military mental health providers hold dual roles as clinicians and commissioned officers. While they are bound by the ethical code and professional guidelines of their profession, they are also held to the standard of Department of Defense (DoD) statutes and regulations. They are expected to provide competent clinical care but also enforce military boundaries and discipline (McCauley, Hacker Hughes, & Liebling-Kalifani, 2008). Likewise, there may be duality in the provider’s obligation, both to the patient/service member and to their higher command. These conflicting relationships and obligations are referred to as mixed agency (Kennedy & Johnson, 2009; Kennedy & Moore, 2008). Ultimately, the provider’s responsibility to the unit’s mission may not always align with the best interests of the patient (McCauley et al., 2008).

According to a study constructed by JAMA Psychiatry, a medical journal published by the American Medical Association, explained that one out of five soldiers, who have enlisted into the military have suffered from a mental disorder (Hastings). With this statistic, there are doubts regarding the military’s assessments of the enlisted. Matthew Nock, a Harvard University psychologist, led a study on mental disorders in the military, and concluded that

At the end of WWI, British doctors argued that up to 90% of men treated by PIE methods returned to duty with the combatant unit (Edgar, 2007). The most comprehensive study of PIE methods involves an evaluation of Israeli forward psychiatry during the Lebanon War of 1982. Psychiatrists suggested that not only was the treatment of acute effects more efficient than in base hospitals but also it served to inhibit the development of PTSD (Solomon,

As the small group grew larger, I achieved great satisfaction in the effects that it had on the participating soldiers. This confirmed my thoughts that I had found my true calling. The second event that affected my decision was when I returned from my second combat deployment in Bagram, Afghanistan. Upon returning there were hundreds of soldiers who requested to seek mental health treatment for a variety of reasons, including loss of a loved one, night terrors, and suicidal thoughts. Although every soldier that requested mental health treatment was able to meet with a mental health professional, such as a licensed clinical mental health counselor (LCMHC), a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), and a licensed professional counselor (LPC), there were still dozens of soldiers that weren’t diagnosed for months because of the lack of clinical psychologists who was required for specific testing. Understanding that there was a need for something that I was passionate about ultimately made me decide to pursue a doctorate because I plan to conduct research during the program and after licensure. A Ph.D. is a research degree that requires conceptual and theoretical knowledge; it is not enough to regurgitate

The clinical problem I am most interested in addressing during the course of my program is the effective application of therapeutic treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on the military population. When you look at this issue from a military perspective, it becomes clear that our understanding and treatment of the issue is still in its infancy.