There are three professional psychology specializations: clinical, counseling, and school psychology. While all three specializations fall under the professional psychology umbrella, they differ in philosophy, topic areas, and settings in which the professionals work. It is important to understand the other professional psychology specializations as you begin to develop your identity as a clinical psychologist.

In order to fully understand the profession you are training to enter, you must develop a sense of how clinical psychologists differ from other professional psychologists, as well as understand the history of clinical psychology. Understanding how this specialization developed and evolved will help you understand how the philosophy was adopted, how the topic areas were chosen, and how the settings in which clinical psychology professionals work were determined.

The assignment: (3–4 pages)

• Differentiate among the professional psychology specializations (clinical, counseling, and school) in terms of philosophy, topic areas, and settings.
• Select five major events/milestones in the development of clinical psychology. Develop a chronological time line detailing the events/milestones you chose and their significance to the profession of clinical psychology.