2Comparing Clinical Psychology toOther Mental Health CareersPart A - Clinical Psychology Compared to PsychaiatrityAlthough clinical psychology and psychiatry seem similar, they differ significantly attheir cores. It is the approach to behavioral and emotional problems that is where these two areasdiffer fundamentally. Psychiatrists’ training and education emphasize the biology of the brain somuch so that psychological disorders such as depression, ADD/ADHD, general and specificanxiety disorders, personality disorders, etc., are viewed primarily as physiological abnormalitiesof the brain (Borges et al., 2013). Because psychiatrists are first and foremost medical doctors,psychiatry focuses on prescribing medication to alleviate the brain’s physiological abnormalities.While clinical psychologists are trained to recognize the biological component of thebrain, especially neuropsychologists, for clinical psychologists, the physical features of brainabnormalities do not have to be their defining attribute. Clinical psychologists also do not viewprescribing medication as the go-to treatment option; instead, they view their clients’ disordersand abnormalities originating from brain activity (Avorn, 2018). Clinical psychologists look tofind the reason behind these dysfunctions and help ease the symptoms through various therapyad interventions. Clinical psychologists also dedicate a significant amount of time to furtheringresearch where psychiatrists mostly rely on general knowledge.Part B - Clinical Psychology Compared to Non-Clinical PsychologyClinical and non-clinical psychology are related and based within the same realm but dovary in several ways. Many clinical and non-clinical psychologists have similar degrees, see thesame types of clients, and sometimes collaborate as colleagues working alongside each other.
