“Clinical Psychologist” means a person (i) having a recognised qualification in Clinical Psychology from an institution approved and recognised, by the Rehabilitation Council of India, constituted under section 3 of the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992; or (ii) having a Post-Graduate degree in Psychology or Clinical Psychology or Applied Psychology and a Master of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology or Medical and Social Psychology obtained after completion of a full time course of two years which includes supervised clinical training from any University recognised by the University Grants Commission established under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and approved and recognised by the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992 *THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE ACT, 2017, EXTRAORDINARY, PART II — Section 1, Page No 02, MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE (Legislative Department).

As per Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), Clinical Psychologist apply knowledge and methods from all substantive fields of biopsychosocial sciences for promotion and maintenance of mental health of individuals. Varieties of techniques and methods derived from several branches of psychology are used in promotion of mental health, and in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of mental and physical disorders/ problems where psychological factors play a major role. Different methods and forms of psychological techniques are used to relieve an individual’s emotional distress or any other forms of dysfunction or disability. Thus, Clinical Psychologists play an important role for optimizing health care delivery system and there is an urgent need to train more number of professional clinical psychologists.

Psychotherapy is a treatment in which therapeutic relationships is established with the patient, where therapist works for resolving all the conflicts, Psychological issues, developing self confidence and promoting good personality growth and development.

*“Mental Illness” means a substantial disorder of thinking, mood, perception, orientation or memory that grossly impairs judgment, behaviour, capacity to recognise reality or ability to meet the ordinary demands of life, mental conditions associated with the abuse of alcohol and drugs, but does not include mental retardation which is a condition of arrested or incomplete development of mind of a person, specially characterised by subnormality of intelligence

*THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE ACT, 2017, EXTRAORDINARY, PART II — Section 1, Page No 04, MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE (Legislative Department).