Psychology is a discipline that is concerned with the assessment and diagnosis of problems involving thinking, feeling, and behavior. It is also about helping people understand, overcome and deal with their problems.

There are several branches in psychology:

• clinical psychology;
• work ;
• social and family;
• school;
• or neuropsychology.

Many subjects fall within the scope of psychology. These include:

• mental health issues, such as trough, anxiety, the phobias ;
• the management of suffering, stress, anger;
• degenerative diseases of the brain;
• developmental and behavioral problems;
• psychological problems associated with the physical conditions of the disease, such as diabetes, stroke or heart disease;
• criminal behavior;
• assistance to victims;
• smoking, alcoholism or drug use;
• or even couples’ relationships, family problems.

The psychologist can work in various structures, such as hospitals, specialized institutions, childcare centers, rehabilitation centers, private clinics, detention establishments, schools, or even liberal ones. He can work with individuals, groups, families or couples.

Its role is to listen, support and care.

For this, the psychologist:

• asks the person who came to consult him, to better understand what brings him about. He asks for a description of his personal history, when the problem started, what makes it worse or worse, how this problem affects social, family and professional life;
• he can carry out psychological tests to better understand his patient’s feeling or behavior. Tests can be used to assess mood, assess problems with memory or concentration, or to better identify personality. In practice, this may involve using paper and pencils to answer true or false questions, manipulating objects or remembering numbers or sentences;
• once the information is gathered (through the interrogation and / or the test phase), the psychologist plans the number of sessions he thinks necessary for the individual, the family, or even the couple who came to consult him to go better ;
• the following sessions will be devoted to psychotherapy.

Note that the psychologist is not a doctor, and he cannot prescribe medication. If he feels that the person he is caring for needs it, he recommends a doctor.

Training as a psychologist in France

To be able to work as a psychologist, you must be following a 5-year university course after the baccalaureate and obtain a professional master’s degree or research in psychology.

Training as a psychologist in Quebec

The psychologist must have a doctorate in psychology (2). Note that this requirement has been in effect since 2006, so that psychologists with a master’s degree before that date are not subject to it.

To practice, you must also be registered as a member of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec.

To find a psychologist:

• in Quebec, you can consult the website of the order of psychologists of Quebec (3), which offers a directory of professionals;
• in France, you can go to the website of the national syndicate of psychologists (4).

According to the Canadian Psychological Association (5), in Canada, the services of a psychologist are covered by provincial health insurance (the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec, RAMQ) only if the psychologist is employed by a hospital, correctional agency, community clinic, social agency or school, for example.

In France, sessions with the psychologist are not covered by health insurance, unless the latter works in a public structure.