Interviewee: Dr. George Ritchie Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
• In what setting do you practice? How long have you been
practicing?
Dr. Ritchie shares a practice with two other clinical
psychologists. He has been a practicing clinical psychologist since 1985;
however, he taught as a professor for five years while building a private
practice with two other clinical psychologists.
• What are your specialties or areas of clinical focus?
Dr. Ritchie specializes in clinical psychology, clinical child
& adolescent psychology, adult psychology, and behavioral and cognitive psychology.
• What are the most common disorders you treat?
Common disorders Dr. Ritchie treats are attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), adjustment disorders, depressive disorders, bipolar
disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit disorder
(ADD), panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Do you have any special certifications or training beyond your
original graduate coursework?
Yes, certifications or training: the American Board of
Professional Psychology (ABPP) certification, applied suicide intervention
skills training (ASIST), and continual training in cognitive–behavioral therapy
(CBT)
• How do you approach therapy or treatment? Do you use specific
modalities, techniques, or interventions?
Dr. Ritchie believes in the importance of connecting with his
patients in a means that will promote the processes. He believes in using evidence-based
treatments proven as effective means for the conditions he treats; as well as
Gottman's marital therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based
cognitive therapy (MBCT), and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Dr. Ritchie takes
a caring yet direct approach with his clients.
• What ethical and legal issues do you think are the most
challenging or common?
For Dr. Ritchie, ethical and legal issues that he thinks are most
challenging or common is maintaining a client’s confidentiality; especially,
when clients are children, adolescents, and young adults.
• Do you have an opinion on where you think the field of
psychology is heading?
Yes, Dr. Ritchie believes that the field of psychology is heading
in a growing direction that is ever expanding in regard to treating clients and
patients for varying backgrounds. Also, he is glad to see psychologists are
starting to look less like him (a resemblance to Sigmund Freud), and that more
resembles society.
• What do you enjoy most about your work?
Dr. Ritchie enjoys most when clients accept and enjoy who they are
and are able to reestablish functional relationships with friends and family. Also,
he enjoys helping clients make positive changes in their lives.
• What advice would you provide an aspiring psychologist or
therapist?
Dr. Ritchie advises that aspiring psychologists or therapists should
also find a psychologist to see to lessen the burden of the interactions
between themselves and clients or patients, and in regard to how providing
empathy and compassion for clients or patients can be overwhelming.
Interviewee: Johanna Covault, Johanna holds a master's degree in
social work
• In what setting do you practice? How long have you been
practicing?
As a social worker and rape crisis volunteer coordinator, Johanna
works in human service agencies, such as domestic violence centers and hospitals.
She has been working as a social worker for 14 years.
• What are your specialties or areas of clinical focus?
Johanna’s specialties are working with survivors of child abuse,
sexual violence, and domestic violence.
• What are the most common disorders you treat?
The most common disorders that Johanna encounters are
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Do you have any special certifications or training beyond your
original graduate coursework?
Yes, certifications or training: Certified Domestic Violence
Counselor (CDVC), Certified Forensic Counselor (CFC), Certified Sex Offender
Treatment Specialist (CSOTS), domestic violence education, and victim advocacy.
• How do you approach therapy or treatment? Do you use specific
modalities, techniques, or interventions?
Therapy or treatment approaches occur through family, couples, and
individual counseling, trauma-informed counseling, post-traumatic stress
debriefings, and play therapy for children. Johanna uses techniques such as
support groups, safety planning, and continuing support.
• What ethical and legal issues do you think are the most
challenging or common?
The most challenging ethical and legal issues that are most common
for Johanna involve courtroom and victim advocacy; whereas, Johanna helps
victims and the local police department prove cases of rape and abuse.
• Do you have an opinion on where you think the field of
psychology is heading?
Not exactly, but Johanna believes the field of psychology has an
important role in terms of her helping and counseling victims.
• What do you enjoy most about your work?
What Johanna enjoys most is being an advocate for women and
children of domestic violence and abuse.
• What advice would you provide an aspiring psychologist or
therapist?
Gain experience through volunteering before beginning graduate
work to help determine the appropriate career path.
Similarities and Differences of Approaches
of treatment and Settings
As for the professional interviewees’ approaches to treatment in
their settings, there are varying similarities and differences. In regard to
the professional interviewees, one being a clinical psychologist or doctor in a
particular field of psychology, and the other being a social worker; there are similarities
and differences of approaches to treatment, and the settings where treatment
occurs.
Similarities and Differences
Some similarities exist between how a
clinical psychologist and a social worker approach the treatment of a client
and in what settings treatment occurs; that is in regard to therapy and the empathy
and compassion that clients receive. However, numerous differences exist. Differences
of approaches to treatment, and the settings where treatment occurs is a result
of differing educational backgrounds, and the differences between the roles of
a clinical psychologist and social worker. It is easy to suspect that differing
educational backgrounds will lead to differences in approaches to treatment;
but, there can also be similarities. However, clinical psychological background
provides a clinical psychologist a means of using and applying psychological
principles and approaches to treatment. Psychologists receive training or education
in psychological principles and approaches that focus on the connections
between the brain and disorders and behavior, methods of treating psychological
and behavior disorders and problems, and research.
Whereas, a social worker can have some background in psychology
but not as a concentrated background in psychology as a clinical psychologist;
therefore, approaches may not always stem from a psychological stance. Important
Role of Social Workers (2012), “social work is based on humanitarian and
egalitarian ideals and is dedicated to helping individuals, families, groups
and communities improve or enhance their social well-being” (p. 1). Social
workers receive training or education in helping individual cope with and solve
problems that affect their lives and well-being. As a clinical psychologist, Dr.
Ritchie approaches treatment in a clinical and private practice setting by
applying interviewing techniques, psychological testing, and assessments to
determine what if a client is suffering from any psychological and behavioral
disorders and problems (Plante, 2011).
Once uncovering any psychological and behavioral disorders and
problems, Dr. Ritchie applies approaches such as cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based,
and acceptance and commitment therapies as means of treatment. As a social
workers, Johanna Covault approaches treatment in public human service agencies
by assessing the problems of clients. With a historical involvement in
psychotherapy social workers such as Johanna Covault use therapies such as family,
couples, individual, and group therapies to help clients heal from
psychological or mental, psychical, and sexual abuse (Lieberman, 1987). Similar
to one of the functions of a clinical psychologist; however, a clinical
psychologist has an invested interest in diagnosis and treatment along with
therapy (Mitchell, 1919).
Conclusion
While some of what these two professionals do in regard to
approaches to treatment is similar in nature along the lines of therapy and empathy
and compassion for clients, there are also distinctive differences.
Lieberman, F. (1987).
Psychotherapy and the Clinical Social Worker. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 41(3), 369-383.
Mitchell, D. (1919).
The Clinical Psychologist. The Journal of
Abnormal Psychology, 14(5), 325-332. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/614908371?accountid=458
Plante, T.G. (2011). Contemporary Clinical Psychology (3rd
ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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