Practical Psychology and the Practical Psychologist

Practical psychology (in the 19th century — experiential psychology) is a branch of psychology concerned with the practical application of its knowledge.

Practical psychology is a philosophy and science of understanding and improving the human psyche, behavior, and interaction. It is focused on applying psychological knowledge and methods in everyday life and professional spheres.

Practical psychology is a field of psychology concerned with applying scientific knowledge to solve real-life problems and improve people's quality of life. Unlike theoretical psychology, which focuses on studying the laws and principles of human behavior, practical psychology is oriented toward using this knowledge in everyday practice. The main task of practical psychology is to help people solve personal, social, and professional problems.

Independent areas of practical psychology include: psychological counseling, psychological testing, and psychological correction. Practical psychology conveys its knowledge in the form of recommendations to professional psychologists concerning influence on people's psyche and activity. Methods can be individual or group-based. Individual methods (psychoanalysis, autogenic training, logotherapy) are used when working one-on-one with a client. Group methods are used with a group of people. Methods that allow work with a group include: autogenic training, gestalt groups, encounter groups, body therapy groups, art therapy groups, logotherapy, psychoanalysis, psychodrama, psychological counseling, psychological correction, psychological testing, and T-groups.

The practice of psychology often runs significantly ahead of theory. Various obstacles, in particular the lack of methods allowing experimental verification of data needed in practice, significantly restrain the development of theory, which sometimes struggles to keep up with the constantly growing demands of practice. This applies first and foremost to the practice of psychotherapy: a huge number of mental disorders have existed for many millennia, while the theory concerning them is only just beginning to take shape. Practical psychologists often fill the blank spots of theory with hypotheses that are weakly grounded theoretically but work in practice.

A practical psychologist is a specialist who provides psychological assistance (psychological services) to the population in situations requiring psychological intervention or the use of special knowledge and technologies.

A psychologist must know how people experience their emotions. They must have an understanding of what a patient's facial expression can reveal about their feelings. In addition, a psychologist has a set of specific methods, based on the results of which they can also draw conclusions about the patient's state. A psychologist cannot rely solely on the patient's words, since the latter is often unable to describe their feelings. Facial expression, gestures, and test results help to understand the emotions the patient is experiencing, even when the patient themselves is too distressed to find the right words, or does not know what they actually feel .

The main areas of activity of a professional psychologist are both academic psychology and practical psychology (Fig. 1).

As E. A. Klimov noted, between academic and practical psychology «there exists a useful (from the standpoint of the prospects for the development of science as a whole and psychological education in particular) contradiction between theory and practice», which gives rise to a close interconnection and interdependence between them (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. The relationship between academic and practical psychology

Areas of activity

In the education system, according to regulatory documents, a practical psychologist is designated as an «educational psychologist».

The main areas of activity of a practical psychologist in an educational institution, as provided for by the «Regulations on the Psychological Service of Education», are:

• Psychoprophylactic work
  Psychological prevention involves activities aimed at:
  • developing, testing, and implementing developmental programs for children of different ages, taking into account the tasks of each age stage;
  • monitoring compliance with psychohygienic conditions for the education and development of children in educational institutions and in the family, ensuring the harmonious mental development and personality formation of children at each stage of their development; eliminating unfavorable psychological factors in the educational environment and the family;
  • ensuring conditions for the optimal transition of children to the next age stage, preventing possible complications in the mental development and personality formation of children and adolescents in the course of continuous socialization;
  • preparing children and adolescents to become aware of the spheres of life in which they would like to realize their abilities and knowledge;
  • timely prevention of possible disturbances to the psychosomatic and mental health of children.
• Psychodiagnostic work (See: Psychodiagnostics)
• Developmental and psychocorrectional work (See: Psychological correction)
  Developmental and psychocorrectional work involves activities aimed at:
  • the active interaction of the psychologist with children and adults, ensuring the mental development and personality formation of children and the realization of age-related and individual developmental potential of children;
  • participating in the development, testing, and implementation of comprehensive psychological, medical, and pedagogical developmental and corrective programs;
  • implementing a set of individually oriented measures to weaken, reduce, or eliminate deviations in the physical, mental, and moral development of minors.
• Consultative work (psychological counseling)
  Psychological counseling involves activities aimed at:
  • advising the administration of an educational institution on managing the teaching staff, and advising administrators and teachers on the development, instruction, upbringing, and education of children;
  • advising parents and family members of children on matters of upbringing, family, and interpersonal relationships;
  • advising representatives of other services and government bodies who approach the educational institution with questions related to children's development, on issues of age-related and individual characteristics of the mental and personal development of children and young people, and the socialization and social adaptation of minors.
• Psychological education

Education is an important area of activity for a practical psychologist. It represents a set of methods and means for informing people interested in psychological knowledge who are involved in raising and educating children.

Psychological education involves activities aimed at:

• obtaining timely information about the individual psychological characteristics of children and adolescents and the dynamics of their developmental process, needed to provide psychological help to children, their parents, and teachers;
• identifying the potential, interests, abilities, and inclinations of children in order to ensure the fullest possible personal and professional self-determination;
• determining the causes of disturbances in the learning, behavior, and development of minors.

• Psychological rehabilitation
  Psychological rehabilitation involves activities aimed at:
  • providing psychological support to children and their family members during consultative and psychocorrectional work with them;
  • constructing adaptive models of behavior and social interaction that ensure the fullest possible socialization and integration into society of children with problems and their families. (See also: Psychological rehabilitation)

A practical psychologist working in other fields of activity (medicine, a psychological-medical-pedagogical commission/consultation, organizations, etc.) adheres, to one degree or another, to these areas of work.

The first «practical psychologists» in the USSR were pathopsychologists, whose training began back in the 1970s (see Pathopsychology). The systematic training of domestic practical educational psychologists began in the 1990s.

The very first definition of the term «practical psychologist» was proposed only in 1995: «A practical psychologist is a specialist psychologist with an appropriate higher education who solves tasks of psychodiagnostics, psychocorrection, and psychological counseling, related not to conducting scientific research but to providing direct psychological help to people.»

Practical psychology is important for understanding oneself and others, for resolving life's problems, and for improving quality of life in general. It provides tools and knowledge that help people become happier, healthier, and more successful.

The work of a practical psychologist is often aimed at improving clients' psychological state and helping them solve practical problems in life. This profession requires extensive knowledge in the field of psychology, empathy, professionalism, and ethical conduct.

Main areas of practical psychology

1. Counseling psychology
   This branch of practical psychology focuses on providing psychological help to people in difficult life situations. Counseling psychologists help clients cope with various emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, stress, and interpersonal conflicts.

2. Coaching and personal development
   Coaching is a field oriented toward helping people achieve goals, increase personal effectiveness, and achieve self-realization. Coaches work with clients on setting and achieving goals, developing self-confidence, managing time, and overcoming internal barriers.

3. Organizational psychology
   Organizational psychology studies psychological processes in work teams and companies. Primary attention is given to issues of leadership, employee motivation, teamwork, and resolving conflicts within a team. Specialists in this field help improve the work atmosphere and increase productivity.

4. Family psychology
   In family psychology, the emphasis is on resolving problems that arise in family relationships. Family psychologists help spouses, children, and parents cope with difficulties related to conflicts, raising children, and divorce, and offer strategies for strengthening family bonds.

5. Crisis counseling
   At times of crisis, such as the loss of loved ones, divorce, or job loss, people often need support. Crisis psychologists help people cope with intense emotional reactions, restore inner balance, and find the strength to overcome difficulties.

Methods of practical psychology
Practical psychology uses a variety of methods, including:

• Psychological counseling: individual or group conversations in which the psychologist helps the client understand their problems and find ways to resolve them.
• Therapy and psychocorrection: approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, gestalt therapy, psychoanalysis, and other types of therapy aimed at working with psycho-emotional problems.
• Psychological testing: tests, questionnaires, and other diagnostic methods for assessing personality, intelligence, emotional state, and other psychological characteristics.

Examples of the application of practical psychology

1. In everyday life and personal life
   Practical psychology helps people better understand their emotions and feelings, develop emotional intelligence, and build harmonious relationships with those around them.

2. In the professional sphere
   In the sphere of career and business, psychologists help develop leadership qualities, cope with stress, improve communication skills, and resolve conflict situations.

3. In education
   Practical psychology also finds application in educational institutions. Psychologists help children cope with learning difficulties, address motivation and behavior problems, and develop skills of concentration and effective learning.

Conclusion

Practical psychology is an important field that helps people adapt to the demands of the modern world and successfully solve the problems they encounter. Understanding and applying psychological knowledge in everyday life can significantly improve quality of life, develop personal and professional skills, and help a person become more mindful and resilient to life's difficulties.

Questions for self-check and self-study:

1. The spheres of activity of a professional psychologist and their interrelation
2. Branches of psychological science and the tasks of psychological practice
3. Classification of types of activity in the psychological profession
4. The main areas of activity of a practical psychologist

See also

• Clinical psychology
• Psychotherapy
• Psychological consultation
• Psychological diagnostics
• Psychological correction
• Psychological assessment
• Education and training
• Health and well-being
• Empathy
• Emotional intelligence
• Professional ethics
• Professional responsibility