Clinical psychologist in a medical institution. Perhaps my article will be useful to novice clinical psychologists, since its purpose is to show the role of this specialist in a medical institution and streamline his activities. At the very beginning of my work, this information served as a good help for medical specialists. Of course, the specifics of the institution make some adjustments, but the basic ideas remain unchanged. So, a clinical (medical) psychologist is a specialist with a basic higher psychological education who has received additional education in clinical psychology. The treatment, rehabilitation and diagnostic process is now increasingly ensured by the participation of clinical psychologists. Modern research shows that in almost all areas of medicine it is possible to highlight the psychological aspect of pathogenesis to provide effective treatment for all diseases. Over the course of several decades, clinical psychology has gone from recognizing it as an auxiliary discipline that provides the doctor with psychological data based on the results of experimental psychological research to clarify a psychiatric diagnosis, assisting the neurologist in topical diagnostics, to recognizing it as an important component of all comprehensive medical care . As the American psychologist and psychiatrist E. Berne wrote, “there cannot be mental medicine that concerns only the psyche, somatic medicine that concerns only the body, and psychosomatic medicine that in some cases concerns both. There is only one type of medicine and all of it is psychosomatic.” What exactly does a clinical psychologist do in healthcare? The main areas of work of a clinical psychologist are psychodiagnostics, psychocorrection and participation in the psychotherapeutic process. In this article I will focus on psychodiagnostics. It is possible to explore such aspects of the disease as: the internal picture of the disease They go to the doctor with symptoms, a psychologist is able to see what is hidden behind the symptoms: dissatisfaction with some area of ​​life, possible reasons for the deterioration or improvement of the condition, affective disorders (masked depression, for example) , prolonged stress. attitude to the disease and its prognosis In the concept of rehabilitation, the patient, along with the doctor, acts as a subject in the treatment and rehabilitation process. Therefore, the personality characteristics of the patient, his position in relation to his disease and treatment, as well as to doctors and other medical personnel, become essential factors in the success of his rehabilitation. In somatic diseases, as a rule, there is always, in the words of K.K. Platonov, “complex annular dependencies of the mental and somatic, like a circle, and in some cases, a vicious circle,” with the mutual transition of psychogenesis into somatogenesis and vice versa. attitude to treatment It happens that the patient is dissatisfied with the treatment or does not follow the doctor’s recommendations; it is necessary to understand the reasons and adjust the attitude towards treatment. Psychotherapy of patients with somatic disorders is aimed at changing inadequate reactions to the disease, creating realistic attitudes towards treatment in patients, restoring intra-family and wider social ties and, thus, contributes not only to improving the condition of patients, but also to preventing relapses of the disease. Achieving these psychotherapeutic goals is possible only with a change in attitude towards the disease. The presence of maladaptive intrapsychic conflicts In neurotics, as is known, internal conflicts play a major role in the disease. They can only be identified during a psychodiagnostic conversation. By determining the type of conflict, it is easier to plan a psychotherapy strategy. After all, a “hysteric” needs one thing, but a “neurasthenic” or “psychasthenic” needs something completely different. social competence The extent to which the patient is adapted to society. Sometimes the disease very quickly leads to maladjustment in all or some areas of life, but the patient does notis aware of this. Features of the sexual sphere Diagnostics in this case allows you to specifically study the problems in this area and point out them. Gynecologists and urologists do not always have time to figure out these problems, and the patient himself will not talk about it. Secondary behavioral restrictions We are talking about restrictions built not by the disease, but by the patient himself, for example, “I haven’t worked for 10 months because I’m afraid the condition will worsen and a lot of time is spent on examinations,” says the patient, a 25-year-old girl. Limitations are a secondary benefit from the disease and identifying them at the beginning of treatment is very important in order to correct them. Personal deviations that affect treatment options Sometimes it is difficult for a doctor to understand the lack of positive dynamics of treatment, and the reason may be the patient’s attitudes, his personal characteristics, it is necessary to identify them and use them in for the purpose of recovery. And it is worth mentioning separately about the examination of patients who complain of “poor memory”, that they “lose their thoughts, that they have become worse at thinking.” Often these are patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and other chronic diseases, or simply overly anxious and suspicious patients. An examination of all cognitive processes (attention, memory, thinking) is carried out, and a real picture of their condition is revealed. I have seen many times how happy a patient is when it turns out that his intellect and memory are not so bad, and his attention is impaired only in a state of emotional stress. And this already increases the ability, if not for complete recovery, but for good health. When performing psychodiagnostic measures, a clinical psychologist is guided by the tasks set by the attending physician, or by his own goals and plans for the implementation of an individual treatment and rehabilitation program. All of the above is relevant not only to neurologists and psychiatrists, but also general practitioners, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, urologists, who, of course, know that a patient who suspects coronary heart disease or “incurable” diseases of any other organ really needs a psychological examination, and possibly with further support. And the experience of many medical institutions shows that it is the joint work of doctors and clinical psychologists that gives very good indicators of patient recovery on the one hand and increases the prestige of the medical institution on the other. At the end of the consultative and diagnostic activities, I give an up-to-date psychological assessment of the patient’s condition and write a conclusion for the doctor , if the patient needs psychological support or consultation, we agree on further joint work. According to the medical literature, 49-57% of patients in need of psychotherapeutic help are treated by neurologists at polyclinics, and 34-47% by local general practitioners, but neither one nor the other has time for this. A clinical psychologist could be of invaluable help here. Psychocorrectional work of a clinical psychologist is also carried out according to an individual plan. The psychotherapeutic program is designed to achieve a therapeutic effect in the optimal time frame. For this purpose, methods of individual, family, and group psychotherapy are used. For example, a group of patients with diabetes mellitus or a general group of psychosomatic patients as a “Problem Resolution Group”, a group for people with social adaptation disorders, etc. According to the order, Order No. 294 of October 30, 1995 “On Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic Care” indicated units can be deployed in almost any highly specialized or multidisciplinary medical and preventive institution. In each psychotherapy room, a position of a clinical psychologist is assumed; in each inpatient department, the position of a clinical psychologist is provided at the rate of one per 20 beds. Currently, hospices and palliative therapy departments of oncology dispensaries and AIDS centers are being actively created. Features of the clinical.