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@article{183469,
        author = {Sushmeli Seal},
        title = {Clinical Psychology in India: Scope, Challenges, and the Urgent Need for Regulation and Awareness"},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {3},
        pages = {1773-1777},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=183469},
        abstract = {Clinical psychology in India is gaining prominence due to increasing mental health concerns, greater societal awareness, and policy shifts. This paper explores the role and relevance of clinical psychology, highlighting the distinctions between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. It investigates why many individuals are drawn to clinical psychology as a career and evaluates its scope compared to other psychology subfields. The paper also discusses India's significant shortage of trained professionals, societal stigma surrounding mental health, and why mental health professionals remain underpaid. A key issue addressed is the rise of unqualified individuals acting as counselors, fueled by lack of awareness and weak regulatory enforcement. This review emphasizes the need for stronger policies, standardized training, and widespread public education to ensure ethical, accessible, and professional mental healthcare.},
        keywords = {Clinical psychology, mental health in India, psychiatrist vs psychologist, stigma, RCI licensing, unqualified counsellors, therapy demand, mental health workforce, healthcare regulation, emotional wellbeing},
        month = {August},
        }