Who We Are

History: Early in 1956, Dr. Joseph Siegel invited a small group of Dallas psychologists to meet with him to consider the possibility of forming a local professional psychological association. This group, acting as a steering committee, invited all psychologists in the Dallas area to a meeting at the Dallas Society of Crippled Children. At this meeting in May, 1956, the organization was formed and its present name adopted. During 1956 and early 1957, a steering committee, chaired by Dr. Siegel, planned preliminary by-laws, programs and other details necessary to the functioning of the organization. In the spring of 1957, the association elected its first slate of officers. Since October, 1957, the association has continued to hold regular monthly meetings (except during summer months) and to elect a new slate of officers each spring.

Relationship to other organizations: The Dallas Psychological Association is an independent local organization which is voluntarily affiliated with the Texas Psychological Association through its charter as a local area society. It recognizes and supports the standards of the American Psychological Association.

What Is A Psychologist?

No other mental health profession requires as high a degree of education and training in mental health as psychology. Accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology, including practicuums and internships at clinics and hospitals, take an average of seven years beyond the bachelors degree to complete. In order to be certified and licensed as a psychologist, one must have earned a doctor's degree (Ph. D., Ed. D., or Psy. D.) in psychology, completed two years of supervised experience under an approved supervising psychologist, and successfully passed a comprehensive examination administered by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

Since the mid-1980's, psychologists have provided more outpatient psychotherapy and psychological diagnostic evaluations than any other doctorally-trained mental health professional. Nevertheless, there appears to be much public confusion about what a psychologist is. Occasionally, individuals are identified as psychologists who clearly are not psychologists. A psychologist is not just anybody who counsels, consults, of advises on personal problems: Texas state law determines who may legally hold themselves out to the public as a psychologist. The Psychologists' Certification and Licensing Act states that any person who "engages in the practice of psychology or represents the person to be a psychologist in violation of this Act, is guilty or a Class A misdemeanor." Government agencies, public school districts, and regionally accredited institutions or higher education are exempted from this restriction of the use of the title psychologist. Anyone else who holds himself/herself out to the public as a psychologist and/or offers psychological services for a fee, and is not certified and licensed by the State of Texas, or represents another such person as a psychologist, should be reported to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists which enforces this law.

Psychological Associates are the only other professionals allowed to use the term "psychological" to describe themselves or their work. Psychological Associates must have a master's degree in psychology and pass a state exam for licensure by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. They may work only under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or exempt agency.

There are several other terms which refer to state regulated mental health groups which are also confused with psychologists. Psychiatrists are physicians who have specialized in psychiatry. They hold an M.D. or D.O. degree from a medical school, have passed a state exam, and completed an internship/residency in psychiatry. They are licensed and regulated by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. Certified Social Workers (C.S.W.) are certified and regulated by the Texas Department of Human Services in conjunction with the Council for Social Work Certification. In order to be certified for private practice, one must complete a minimum of a master's degree in social work, pass a state exam, and have five years work experience (two of which are supervised). Psychiatric Nurses (R.N.) are licensed and regulated by the Board of Nurse Examiners along with all other nurses in Texas. To be licensed as a nurse one must complete an approved program in nursing and pass a state exam. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (L.M.F.T) and Licensed Professional Counselors (L.P.C.) are two other licensed and regulated groups in Texas. They require a minimum of a master's degree, state exam, and a specified number of supervised hours of experience. Another group regulated by the state is the Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (CADAC). They are required to have a high school diploma, 270 approved classroom hours of specified instruction (about the same number of classroom hours involved in 18 semester hours of college credit), two years of supervised work experience, a 300 hour supervised work practicum, a state exam and a written case presentation and oral review of same.

There are a number of unregulated titles, such as counselor, therapist, psychotherapist, hypnotist, advisor and analyst, which are sometimes mistakenly used interchangeably with psychologist. Since titles like there are unregulated, anyone, with no required qualifications at all, can hold themselves out to the public as a professional without violating any law. We hope journalists will help the public be more aware of the differences between psychologists and those who use such unregulated titles by using the title "psychologist" only to refer to one who is licensed as such.

If you need additional information, call the executive offices of the Dallas Psychological Association at (800) 306-8886. If you need to verify the credentials of anyone who claims to be a psychologist, please contact the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists in Austin at (512) 305-7700 or go to their website at www.TSBEP.state.tx.us.