The American Psychological Association has recognized the third week in April as “Psychology Week,” with the aim of raising the profile of the discipline and profession of psychology and celebrating its many contributions to benefiting society and improving lives.
“As the science of behavior, psychology touches on virtually all aspects of our lives,” said former APA President Frank C. Worrell, PhD. “By setting aside one week to spotlight the field of psychology, APA hopes to increase the public’s understanding of, and appreciation for, psychology’s many contributions in such areas as health care, education, research, technology and the workplace.”
“The designation of a ‘Psychology Week’ will provide psychologists with the opportunity to draw attention to the contributions of their profession and discipline, both clinically and scientifically,” Worrell said. “We know from our polling research that the public has a positive opinion of psychology but scant knowledge of its myriad accomplishments. We hope psychologists and teachers of psychology nationwide will use this week to raise the public’s consciousness around the tremendous work of psychologists both historically and currently.”
The third week of April was chosen partly because it already encompasses Psychology Day at the United Nations, an annual opportunity to share with the U.N. community psychology’s role in addressing global concerns.
Also the same week, the Veterans Health Administration will celebrate VA Psychology Recognition Week to acknowledge the contributions of psychologists who care for patients at VA Medical Centers. The creation and growth of the Veterans Health Administration after World War II led to a dramatic increase in the need for psychologists to provide care for veterans. The VA trains and employs more psychologists than any entity in the United States.
How to find a psychologist
While psychologists work in many settings, if you are looking for a psychologist to provide therapy or psychological testing, one place to start is by searching online for “psychologist” and your specific location. Make sure to note on a health care provider’s website if they are licensed as a psychologist. Another option is to contact your state psychological association. Here’s a web page with contact information for 60 psychological associations, representing all 50 US states, US territories, and several Canadian provinces. Many of these associations will have a “find a psychologist” service to help you locate and contact psychologists in specific cities and towns within their association.
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