What Skills Do You Need to Be a Successful Psychologist?
Published on: April 17, 2024
Working in the psychology field can be highly rewarding, especially when you're able to see the direct and positive impact your work has had on another person's life. However, psychology is also a complex field that requires a great deal of knowledge, skill and continuous development to master.
With this in mind, what exactly does it take to become successful as a psychologist, and what can you do to start building upon these essential skills?
The Vital Role of Psychologists
Psychologists play such a central part in the health and well-being of their clients. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the primary role of a psychologist is to study behavior and brain function. This is done through observing patient behavior as well as meeting with clients directly.
From there, psychologists work to diagnose behavioral, psychological and emotional disorders in patients while coming up with customized treatment plans so patients can lead happier and healthier lives.
Skills Needed to Be a Psychologist
Psychologists need to possess a number of hard and soft skills to perform their jobs well. While the following is not a comprehensive list, it does cover many of the most critical skills you need to be a psychologist in this dynamic field.
Empathetic Understanding
One of the most crucial soft skills to have as a psychologist is empathetic understanding, or the ability to put yourself in other people's shoes. In doing so, you'll be able to offer a sense of acceptance to your patients without judgment, which helps build trust and confidence.
Exceptional Communication Skills
Additionally, psychologists must be masters at communication. While a significant part of your role involves active listening, it’s important to recognize effective communication is also essential. From there, you'll also need to be able to communicate effectively (both verbally and in written form, when necessary) to ensure patients clearly understand diagnoses, treatment plans and other important information.
Ethical Judgment and Integrity
At their core, psychologists must possess a strong sense of ethical judgment, trustworthiness and overall integrity. This is especially essential when you consider the vulnerable spot that patients at a psychologist's office might be in; more than anything, they need to be able to trust that their psychologists can provide them with completely unbiased, judgment-free care.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
In many cases, psychologists need to draw on their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to diagnose symptoms and come up with the most effective treatment plans. At the same time, it is crucial for psychologists to continuously think outside the box and consider potential diagnoses and treatments that might not be "the norm."
Research Competence
Psychologists should dedicate time familiarizing themselves with research methods and processes as well as reading the most recent publications in their industry. More specifically, a solid understanding of contemporary research methods is a must when working as a psychologist, as is following the American Psychological Association's Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines for any research done in the field.
Assessment and Evaluation Skills
Psychologists need to become experts in observation, too, taking the time to really pay attention not just to a patient's words or actions but also their body language and other subtle clues. The ability to carefully assess and evaluate patients can lead to more accurate diagnoses, better treatment plans and improved patient outcomes overall.
Patience and Resilience
Even though working in psychology can be considerably rewarding, the work may also be challenging and even frustrating at times. This is where having a strong sense of patience and resilience pays off. Rather than accepting defeat, psychologists must be determined and committed to exhausting all available options and avenues to help their patients.
Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity Awareness
Being a psychologist inherently means working with a wide range of patients across diverse backgrounds. With this comes a responsibility for psychologists to have a strong sense of cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness. In doing so, you can avoid accidentally offending a patient while demonstrating that you care enough to have done your own homework.
Advancing Your Skills as a Psychologist
Now that you have a better understanding of the skills you need to be a psychologist and help patients with their mental health, what can you start doing to advance these skills?
Continuous Professional Development
First, it's important for all psychologists to be committed to a lifetime of learning and continuous professional development. Because new innovations and insights emerge in the psychology field all the time, professionals need to stay up to date on this news as it becomes available. This way, they can continue to best serve their patients and apply the most current methods and research in their practice.
Gaining Practical Experience
When it comes to building skills as a psychologist, nothing beats hands-on experience in the field. Of course, this is something you need a psychology degree to achieve. For example, consider exploring a degree program that will include an internship or other clinical placement. From there, you can gain practical experience and start building upon some of these skills naturally.
Even while in school, you can gain some relevant experience without a degree by working in a psychologist's office in an administrative role. This can be an excellent way to see firsthand the inner workings of a psychology practice while getting a chance to interact directly with patients and their families.
Networking With Fellow Psychologists
As with many fields, working in psychology can be closely tied to who you know. Taking the time to build a strong professional network early on can pay off numerous times over down the road while helping you build key soft skills. Explore different avenues to network with fellow psychologists or psychology students, such as professional sites like LinkedIn. Attending industry events (like conferences and workshops) is a great way to make new connections in your field as well.
Advanced Degrees and Certification
Last but not least, consider advancing your skills and education with additional degrees and/or certifications. If you already have a bachelor's degree in psychology, an advanced degree at the graduate level might be the logical next step. You can also differentiate yourself with special designations and certifications that align with your interests.
Advance Your Psychology Education With a Psychology Degree
There are various skills you can begin working on now to prepare yourself for a more successful future in psychology—but one of the best things you can do to advance your career is to pursue a formal psychology degree.
At Husson University, we offer both a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Applied Psychology program so you can work toward the degree that best suits you. Plus, both of these career-focused programs are offered 100% online with flexible start dates, allowing you to progress at your own pace.
Get in touch today to learn more about psychology degree offerings at Husson University, or get started with your online application.
Back to All Blogs