Health Psychologists

Who are Health Psychologists?

Health psychologists specialise in understanding the effects of psychological factors related to health and illness. They practice in two main areas health promotion and clinical health.

Many health psychologists are engaged in the prevention of illness and the promotion of health-related behaviours. They also work in clinical health and the application of psychology to illness assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.

The APS College of Health Psychologists

Health psychologists are specialist psychologists with a minimum of six years full-time university study, including two years of approved postgraduate study in health psychology, plus further supervised practice as a health psychologist. Membership of the APS College of Health Psychologists is restricted to psychologists who have completed training and have experience in the field. To remain a member of the College, practitioners are required to undertake a program of continuing professional development, with a particular focus on health psychology.

All practising psychologists are legally required to be registered with the Psychologists Registration Board in their state or territory, in the same way that medical practitioners and solicitors must register with their respective boards.

 For further information, see the APS College of Health Psychologists website.

Areas of specialisation of Health Psychologists

Health promotion

• Development and provision of programs that assist with the prevention of illnesses such as heart attacks, stroke, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, smoking-related-illness and dietary-related problems.
• Linking up with other health professionals to understand what behaviours might be contributing to illness and how they might be changed e.g. understanding why some people overeat or eat a high-fat diet.
• Identifying how behaviour is linked with the development of disease and injury.
• Designing public health education programs in areas such as exercise and alcohol, cigarette and drug consumption e.g. 'SunSmart', 'Life. Be in it'.
• Determining the distribution of disease and the health needs of communities within Australia.
• Working with community members to improve their health.

Clinical health

• Developing therapy and education programs to help people cope with health issues such as weight management, cancer and heart health.
• Using psychological treatment for problems that often accompany ill health and injury, such as anxiety, depression, pain, addiction, sleep and eating problems.
• Understanding how psychological factors such as stress, depression and anxiety might be
  contributing to illness.
• Helping people with the self-management of chronic illness.
• Understanding how people cope with diagnosis and medical treatment of acute health problems and how they obtain medical care.
• Understanding how people cope with terminal illness, including the impact of grief, bereavement, death and dying.
• Identifying how the relationship between health professionals, such as doctors, nurses and psychologists, and their patients can influence how well they recover from illness and injury.
• Helping people cope with trauma, disability and rehabilitation.

Skills of Health Psychologists

Health psychologists have knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• The interaction between the physical systems of the body, psychological make-up and social networks of friends and family and how they influence health and illness;
• The amount and type of health problems experienced by various groups in Australia;
• The way that people behave, or the underlying attitudes that put their health at risk and how they might change these behaviours to prevent illness and promote health;
• Strategies that people can learn to help them cope with illness or associated problems and how they can involve their friends and family to help them in their recovery; and
• The psychological impact of illness.

Finding a Health Psychologist

Health psychologists often work in the public health sector, generally in larger hospitals, community health centres, rehabilitation centres, health policy offices and other public health facilities. They also work in universities, health education organisations and research institutions.

In addition, many work in private practice and can be found in the 'Psychologists' section of the Yellow Pages.

You can also locate a health psychologist close to you by calling the APS Psychologist Referral Service on 1800 333 497 or emailing referral@psychology.org.au

Fees and Rebates

The APS suggests a schedule of fees for private practice psychological services, but psychologists are free to charge whatever they agree with their clients. Private health funds may rebate part of the cost of the health psychology services provided by a private practitioner. The amount of rebate (if available) varies between health funds in different states and territories.