Applied Psychology vs. Clinical Psychology: What's the Difference?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines psychology as "the scientific study of the behavior of individuals and their mental processes." Put another way, it's the study of how people's brains work, giving us a greater understanding of the processes behind their many behaviors. Applied psychology and clinical psychology are two fields of study within the psychology track that are offered at Saint Leo University. Once you earn a psychology degree from Saint Leo University, you can actually take a couple of different career routes. You can choose to follow a career within applied psychology, or you can elect to take the clinical psychology route. So, what are the main differences here?
What is applied psychology? Applied psychology involves taking known psychological theories and principles to solve problems being experienced within other areas or fields. For instance, if a business has a high staff turnover rate, they may ask a person trained in applied psychology to assist them with figuring out why they struggle with retaining employees. Or, if a coach is having a hard time with an athlete who is more than capable of performing but is "getting in their own way," someone trained in applied psychology may be brought in to help the athlete move past his or her mental hurdles, improving performance on the field or court.
Clinical psychology, on the other hand, is what most people think of when they think of someone working in the psychology field. That's because this type of psychology involves working one-on-one with individuals or families to help them achieve a higher level of mental health. It is the therapist, counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist who works directly with the person or family unit to discover what may be going on mentally, preparing a treatment plan to help them rectify issues with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, and any of the other recognized mental disorders so that they can live a happier, more satisfying life.
As we've already discussed, applied psychology requires using what we know about human behavior and brain processes to help other professional areas achieve higher results and/or meet their objectives. Therefore, this particular type of psychology includes careers in:
Because clinical psychology is more aligned with working directly with individuals with mental health issues, professionals working in this field are often found in very different settings than when compared with those working in applied psychology. The two most common settings are:
Get the lowdown on Saint Leo University's bachelor's and master's programs in psychology to learn if starting or advancing your career in this field is the right move for you.