What Roles do Psychologists Play in Hospitals?

Whenever you think of the word psychologist, you might think of a lot of things. But you probably haven’t thought of a hospital setting!

However, that would be wrong because there are plenty of roles that psychologists can play everywhere, and that includes being inside of a hospital. They’ve got plenty of roles that are as helpful as they are diverse, so don’t be afraid to dive in.

If you like working in hospitals, want to focus on helping people in a medical setting, or want to really hyper focus your professional work with patients, being a psychologist in a hospital can be extremely helpful. Here’s what you need to know about some of the jobs available.

Trauma and Grief Counselors

Dealing with trauma and losing a loved one aren’t only jobs that therapists can take, and sadly grief is an all too common feeling inside of a hospital. These counselors are mental health professionals who help patients overcome tough life experiences.

After all, waking up in a hospital to discover you’ve lost the use of something you’ve used your whole life, or lost someone due to an accident or illness can really hurt your mind.

These counselors are able to help heal the mental and emotional wounds that their colleagues in the physical department just can’t touch. They provide guidance and support in order to help their patients cope and manage their new life after a significant loss.

If you want to provide hope and lift people up after some of the worst experiences of their lives, then you need to become a trauma or grief counselor. Sadly, those jobs will always be in demand.

Rehabilitation Psychologists

For many people who have gained a disability due to an accident or an illness, they need help not only coping with their new normal, but also with ensuring that they can become empowered by their disability and learn how to use it to function in everyday life.

These psychologists are able to help treat the emotional, mental, and cognitive problems that can get in the way of the wellness of the patient by using the skills they have learned with their PH.D. and Psy.D. programs. 

They can treat things like people with brain injuries and other illnesses in order to help them overcome the mental and physical handicaps that can prevent people from living a normal life.

Substance Abuse Counselors

Sadly, substance abuse is common in hospitals, and many people either come to get help voluntarily from hospitals, or they wake up in the hospital after an overdose or a binge, and need some life saving help and treatment. These counselors are able to help the victims of addiction and substance abuse, as well as their families and loved ones.

They work to find the cause of the substance abuse, they work to develop positive support networks and work to remove the people who are pushing the user into a life of addiction, and they promote and share resources to help users get clean and stay clean. They can even help their patient find a career, and set meaningful goals and follow through on them

They also can support family members, friends, and loved ones who want to express the pain and hardship they are dealing with in living their life with an addict. Counselors for substance abuse can help loved ones understand the addiction and how best they can help.

Hospitals Need Psychologists

Well educated psychologists are needed in the hospital world, and there are dozens of careers you can take if this is the field you want to go into. No matter what you do though, you will be helping people at the end of the day.