Psychologist

Psychologist

Noun · /saɪˈkɒlədʒɪst/ · a specialist trained in the science of the human mind

Definition

A psychologist is a professional trained in psychology — the scientific study of mind, behaviour, and emotion. They assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional difficulties through talking therapies, behavioural techniques, and empirical research. Unlike a psychiatrist, a psychologist does not prescribe medication — the work is done entirely through conversation, observation, and evidence-based intervention.

Origin

From Greek psyche — the soul or mind — and logos — study or reason — combined into psychologia, the systematic study of the soul. The suffix -ist means a practitioner of. Psychologist therefore literally means: one who studies the mind. The word entered English in the 17th century as the field began to separate from philosophy and theology.