Clinical Psychologists

Clinical psychologists are mental health professionals who assess, treat, and study people with psychological problems. Clinical psychologists work in a discipline founded around the beginning of the 20th century by Lightner Witmer, who not only coined the term clinical psychology but also opened the first psychological clinic and created the field’s first professional journal. Since Witmer’s day, the field of clinical psychology has expanded tremendously. It is populated by an increasing number of professionals whose training experiences and professional activities span a wide range. This entry focuses on how clinical psychologists are educated, what they do, and how they compare with other mental health professionals.