Creating a Specialist Website

Prior to beginning work on this interactive assignment, please read the Neimeyer, et al. (2011) “How Special Are the Specialties? Workplace Settings in Counseling and Clinical Psychology in the United States” and Heatherington, et al. (2012) “The Narrowing of Theoretical Orientations in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training” articles. Be sure to also review the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologist and Code of Conduct article and the Recognized Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional Psychology  web page, as well as any relevant Instructor Guidance.

For this interactive assignment, you will assume the role of a clinical or counseling psychologist who has recently opened a private practice or begun working for a mental health agency. You are eager to begin working with your ideal client(s), but you first need to market your services. One way to attract clients is to create a professional website that provides an overview of your specialties. 

For this interactive assignment, you may use any website building platform you choose; however, you may wish to use Wix.com , a free website development platform, to create your website. You may refer to the Wix Quick-Start Guide  and read the PSY650 Dealing with Wix.com Instructions  for assistance with creating your website should you decide to use Wix as your platform.

Create a fictitious persona based on the role you are assuming and create a website with the following required elements.

Name, Photo, and Credentials: Be sure to include your persona’s degree, type of license, and any professional membership organizations appropriate to your assumed role. You may also list any appropriate division memberships and certifications applicable to your specialty.

Personal Statement:  Create a 200-word personal statement in which you describe attributes that make your assumed persona, practice, and/or agency unique. Explain to potential clients what problems and/or issues you address and how you could help them in your assumed role. You may also describe why you have chosen this profession and why people choose to work with you.

Specialties: Identify at least three areas in which your persona specializes (e.g., trauma, relationships issues, anxiety, depression, self-esteem). Access the APA’s Recognized Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional Psychology  page for more information on this topic.

Treatment Preferences: Compare the possible theoretical orientations appropriate to your assumed role, and identify your treatment orientation. Identify which modalities (e.g., individual, couples, family, and/or group) your persona would use with clients. For further assistance with creating this portion of the website, review the Heatherington, et al. (2012) article titled “The Narrowing of Theoretical Orientations in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training.”

Client Focus: Describe the population that your assumed persona would primarily serve. Include information regarding age, gender, religious orientations, ethnicities, and/or special populations. List all languages you speak fluently and provide any additional information on cultural specialization your persona may have.

Confidentiality and Limitations: Explain to the client what information will remain confidential in your sessions as well as the limitations of confidentiality. Keep in mind the age of your target population.

Once you have completed your website according to the instructions, copy and paste the URL for your website into the forum for review by your instructor and peers.

Guided Response: Review several of your colleagues’ posts and respond to at least two of your peers by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful interactive discourse in this discussion.

Take on the role of the client and carefully review the information provided in your peer’s website. Describe the components of the website that resonated with you. Analyze the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct related to the information provided within your colleague’s website and offer suggestions as to other ethical issues that should be considered in their “Confidentiality and Limitations” section. Pose questions you have as a potential client that might prevent you from seeking out the services from this mental health professional. Suggest ways in which the website might be improved and explain your rationale for the modification(s). 

Continue to monitor the discussion forum until 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on Day 7 of the week and respond to anyone who replies to your initial post.

Carefully review the Interactive Assignment Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate this Interactive Assignment Thread.