Today's increasingly demanding world presents us with many challenges.

Sometimes we are able to handle these difficult challenges on our own, or with the help of family and friends.

On occasion, life's stresses and strains become too much to handle.

Talking to a health psychologist, a person who is a skilled health/mental health professional, can help.

CONSIDER A PSYCHOLOGIST IF...

	You are struggling with depression, anxiety, fears, or difficulty managing daily stress at home, school, or work.
	You are having difficulty getting along with your spouse, partner, children, or others.
	You're attempting to resolve problems associated with physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
	You notice a decrease in your ability to concentrate, remember, make decisions, eat, sleep, or carry out your usual activities.
	You are having problems with drinking, smoking, drugs, gambling, or eating.
	You have questions or concerns about parenting, or about your child's behaviour or learning abilities.
	You are struggling to make lifestyle changes to help reduce the risk of physical illness.
	You have stress-related illness, such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pain, or tension headaches.
	You'd like assistance facing difficult transitions such as divorce, loss of a loved one, career change, or work-related problems.
	You need help understanding or adapting to problems caused by an accident or physical condition, such as head injury or stroke.

HOW CAN A HEALTH SERVICE PSYCHOLOGIST HELP?

Health psychologists are professionals trained to assess, diagnose, and treat a full range of emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and relationship problems.

A health psychologist works with you to better understand your problems and find ways to help you resolve them. A psychologist helps people help themselves.

When you meet with a health service psychologist it provides an opportunity to talk openly and confidentially about your concerns and feelings.

WHAT IS A HEALTH SERVICE PSYCHOLOGIST?

Psychologists who specialize in health services possess a unique combination of scientific and professional training. Through their expertise in assessment and diagnosis, prevention and treatment techniques, as well as in related research, they offer a wide range of services designed to promote emotional and physical health in individuals, families, groups, and organizations.

The Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (CRHSPP), is a national credentialing body that has admitted approximately 3200 psychologists across Canada who have met supplementary training and experience in psychological health care, beyond the criteria required provincial or territorial licensure.

HOW DO I FIND A HEALTH SERVICE PSYCHOLOGIST WHO IS REGISTERED WITH CRHSPP?

Your family physician may already know of one or more CRHSPP psychologists. If so, ask your doctor to assist you in contacting one of them. If your physician does not know a CRHSPP psychologist they may have some information about how they can contact the CRHSPP Head Office and get some names for you.

A second option is for you to contact a few psychologists listed in your local phone book (look in the Yellow Pages under PSYCHOLOGIST). Ask them if they are registered with CRHSPP. By choosing a psychologist who is licensed with your province/territory's psychological regulatory body, and who is also a CRHSPP psychologist, you can be assured that you will be receiving services from a regulated professional who is required to practice in accordance with strict professional guidelines and ethical principles, and who has met additional training and experience requirements to help you with your problems.

The Canadian Register publishes an annual directory of all registrants. If you would like to find a psychologist in your area who is registered with CRHSPP you can use our on-line Directory. If you would prefer to obtain a printed version of our Directory please use our *Order Form.

If you would like a free copy of this information on Health Service Psychologists in brochure format, please request a copy of "Psychologists and You - Talk to Someone Who Can Help" which can be obtained without charge through our *Order Form.

* Please note that the order forms are in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF). If you do not have the Acrobat reader you may obtain it free of charge here