Concepts of Abnormal Psychology

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Concepts of Abnormal Psychology Pastoral Counselors and Abnormal Psychology Pastoral counselors are professionals who are usually a member of the clergy but could also be a lay person trained in psychology with an internship in a mental facility. This counselor typically has a ministerial background and may have served as a chaplain. The most important point here is that knowledge of abnormal psychology, the science of mental illness, is necessary for ministry. Studies show that 50 to 80 percent of the clergy report feeling not trained enough by seminary or professional trainers to handle mental health problems. Clergy refer approx. 10 percent of their clients to mental health professionals. 45-56 percent confesses to having no training on how to make a proper referral nor do they know how to help the transition to a mental health professional.(Ciarrochi 1993). Another study shows that the clergy’s knowledge of psychopathology show that ministers know a lot less than a college undergraduate as well as graduate students in counseling psychology. It is a fact that pastoral ministers need much information in abnormal psychology as college undergraduates. Abnormal psychology holds many insights with direct, practical relevance which a minister of pastoral counselors can apply respectfully. References Ciarrocchi, Joseph W. (1993) A Minister’s Handbook of Mental Disorders. Paulist Press Social Workers and Abnormal Psychology Understanding abnormal psychology helps social workers properly associate causes, challenges, potential solutions and outlets that will give the social worker the advantage of understanding their clients and their potential. To use abnormal psychology as a diagnostic framework for both problems and solutions in no way says that all individuals in need of service from a social worker suffer from a clinically defined psychosis. Looking at
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