Index
The psychologist is a professional graduated in higher education and working in the health field , with an average duration of 5 years. But unlike other professions in the field, psychology has a focus on the study of the human mind.
Role of the Psychologist
Part of the work of a psychologist is the analysis of people’s behavior and the identification of personal and social problems, as well as helping to overcome these problems.
It is very common to confuse the work of a psychologist with that of a psychiatrist , which is not the same thing. The psychiatrist is a doctor trained and specialized in diagnosing and treating mental disorders and her work can sometimes be complementary to that of a psychologist, although this is not a rule.
Women in the Psychology Market
Psychology colleges usually attract more women than men. According to data from the Federal Council of Psychology, in all Brazilian states, the number of psychologists is at least three times greater than that of men who practice the profession.
It is not known exactly why the profession is so attractive to women, but this is probably due to the tradition and customs of the society in which we live. Which is not bad, considering that, since so many women work in this profession, the job market ends up being very open and receptive to female professionals.
What is the Profile of a Psychologist?
There is not a very restricted personality type when it comes to the profile of a psychologist. As the profession covers a wide range of activities within different market niches, those who wish to work in the field of psychology can choose between different ways of working , whether in groups, individually, in private or public sectors.
Professional Characteristics
In addition to being able to specialize in specific areas such as traffic psychology or work psychology, for example. In general, we can say that the main characteristics of those who work as a psychologist are:
- Interest in human behavior
- Communication skills
- Good analytical and critical skills
- Ability to separate the professional from the staff
Of course, these are not the only characteristics and are not mandatory for anyone who wants to study psychology, but generally these items are part of the profile of most psychologists.
What Does a Psychologist Do?
The answer to this question can vary a lot according to the branch in which the professional works. In general terms, the role of the psychologist is to analyze, identify and help people to understand and overcome the causes of their suffering or anguish. But as the study of human behavior is very vast, several areas are in charge of carrying out this work. Some of them are:
- Clinical psychology
- social Psychology
- Work Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Traffic Psychology
Each of these areas acts for the purpose mentioned above in the text, but in different ways and with different groups or types of people. For those who wish to enter the area, it is important to know the differences between each of these specializations and how each requires a different professional profile.
It is important to know that psychologists do not only serve people with psychological disorders such as depression , anxiety disorder or panic syndrome, but anyone who is dissatisfied with some aspect of their life and wants to improve.
Clinical psychologist
The clinical psychologist is the professional we are most used to imagining when we talk about the profession. This type of professional works directly in the health area, usually in clinics, serving clients individually or in multidisciplinary teams.
This professional has the function of accompanying clients, analyzing their behavior and monitoring their diagnoses , both those who suffer from psychological disorders and those who just want to improve some aspect of their life, such as relationships with their families or at work, for example.
Social Psychologist
The function of a social psychologist is to study the behavior of groups and how people behave in certain groups, that is, this type of professional studies human behavior towards their social groups.
Despite being a very specific activity in the area, there are different places where a social psychologist can work, the academic environment is the most common place, but it can also be hired by companies or work for government agencies.
Work Psychologist
Work psychology, also called organizational psychology, is the branch of psychology that acts directly on an individual’s relationships with the environment in which he works. A work psychology professional works within companies within the human resources sector, often helping to recruit new employees, through the application of tests.
A work psychologist is also responsible for the psychological orientation of a newly hired worker, carrying out the construction of her career plan within the company, in addition to observing personal relationships within the company, intervening when necessary. The ultimate goal of an organizational psychologist’s job is to promote quality of life within the company where she operates.
It is an area of psychology where you have many job opportunities because you can work in almost any type of organization. Therefore, it is also an area where many people are interested in working, but it is more suitable for those who have more affinity with business environments, which is not the case for all psychologists.
Educational Psychologist
An educational psychologist studies the learning processes in both children and adults. Most professionals working in this area follow the path of psychology within schools, with the aim of understanding children’s behavioral problems in relation to teaching and helping them to overcome these problems so that they have a full education.
There are also some educational psychologists who work in private clinics, but with a focus on education, some only for children and others who also deal with problems with adults.
Traffic Psychologist
The traffic psychologist is a professional who works on two fronts. The first is academic, conducting research related to the behavioral problems of people in traffic. Through these studies, psychologists can develop better signs and ways to avoid accidents . The second is performing psychometric tests, evaluating people to see if they are psychologically able or not to drive.
Degree in psychology
Currently, several public and private universities offer a psychology course. Those interested in attending can choose the qualification they want, undergraduate or bachelor’s degree . The average duration of a psychology course is 5 years and, within it, students learn about all the areas mentioned here, through the different theories of psychology that exist.
A psychology student must also undertake an internship to graduate, as well as undertaking a course completion work, or TCC, supervised by a professor specialized in the research line developed by the student.
As there are several private colleges that offer a psychology course, the price can vary widely from one to another, from R $ 300.00 to R $ 3,000.00 depending on the institution where you want to study and the city where you live. However, the general average for those who are going to enter a psychology course is around R $ 1,000.00.
Major Psychology Faculties
- UFMG – Belo Horizonte (MG)
- UFSJ – São João Del Rey (MG)
- PUC – Curitiba (PR)
- PUC – Porto Alegre (RS)
- UFRGS – Porto Alegre (RS)
- UFSC – Florianópolis (SC)
- PUC – Campinas (SP)
- USP – São Paulo (SP)
- UFSCAR – São Carlos (SP)
- PUC- São Paulo (SP)
Psychology Specializations
After graduating from an undergraduate psychology course, students have the option of specializing through postgraduate courses and courses specific to each area. Throughout the course, a student has contact with different disciplines and subjects and this is the most appropriate time to understand which area of psychology is most interesting to him and decide which is the best specialization to do. In addition to the activities already mentioned here, there are other specializations that a psychologist may have. For example:
- Psychoanalysis
- Specialization in Psychodrama
- Neuropsychology
Psychoanalysis
This type of specialization promotes psychology studies through the approach of the unconscious . Popularized by Freud more than 100 years ago, psychoanalysis has undergone several transformations and today it has several techniques to obtain its results. The average price of a postgraduate course in psychoanalysis is R $ 800.00.
Psychodrama
Psychodrama is a kind of group psychotherapy where dramatic representation, the approach to dreams and the sensitivity of the body are instruments used to promote spontaneous results of an individual and help him to integrate with society . The results of psychodrama have an effect on both the group and the individual. It is possible to find different prices for a graduate program in psychodrama in Brazil, ranging from R $ 500.00 to R $ 2,000.00.
Neuropsychology
The neuropsychologist is the professional who is able to identify cognitive disorders through appropriate instruments and methods and by studying the anatomy of the human brain . This type of professional must also, in addition to diagnose such dysfunctions, develop a work of cognitive rehabilitation of their patients. It is an area that involves studies related to medicine and a graduate degree with prices that can vary between R $ 260.00 to R $ 1,000.00.
All types of postgraduate courses cited here exist both in public and private universities, as well as in-person and distance courses. The best way to choose the right graduate program for you is to identify what you liked most during graduation and where the work environment most appeals to you.
How Much Does a Psychology Professional Earn?
As we have already mentioned here, the job market for a psychologist is very comprehensive and offers several career options. In this way, different types of professionals earn different salaries, always varying according to experience and training.
How much does a work psychologist earn?
- Starting salary: R $ 1,836.00
- Average salary: R $ 3,500.00
- Highest salary: R $ 7,576.00
How much does a traffic psychologist earn?
- Starting salary: R $ 1,848.00
- Average salary: R $ 2,440.00
- Highest salary: R $ 7,627.00
How much does a school psychologist earn?
- Starting salary: R $ 1,407.00
- Average salary: R $ 2,859.00
- Highest salary: R $ 5,807.00
How much does a university psychology professor earn?
- Starting salary: R $ 4,336.00
- Average salary: R $ 5,357.00
- Highest salary: R $ 17,057.00
Many professionals in the field want to follow the academic field or follow it together with the exercise of the profession in another area. The salaries of this type of professional can vary widely from institution to institution, so it is important to be aware of the average salary.
The average salary of a psychologist in each of these areas refers to the most common jobs performed. In other words, the salary of a psychologist will vary according to the position she occupies in your area, regardless of what it may be.
The study of human behavior attracts many people because we are naturally curious . Whoever chooses to work with psychology is able to deepen this curiosity and transform it into something useful for society. As we have seen, the work carried out by psychologists reflects in several areas of knowledge and in many sectors of the labor market, both to help people live in groups or to deal with an individual’s personal problems.
Therefore, all psychology professionals can play a very important social role, contributing in different aspects to society, facing some problems and dilemmas along the way.
Whoever wants to study and work in the area, should think about each one of these aspects and reflect if this is really the job they want. A psychologist loves her profession and does it for some reason, either to help people or to improve the coexistence of a certain environment.
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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
