ABSTRACT
Psychology is the scientific study of why people do the things they do. Because we are complex, multifaceted human beings, there are many areas of study within this discipline, including how humans and animals are motivated and influenced; how they learn, think, communicate, make decisions, form meaning, and take action; and how others can intervene to help individuals make sense of their thoughts, actions, and inner being. Applied psychology—the areas of clinical and counseling psychology—helps people change distressing thoughts or behavior. As practitioners of the art of healing, psychologists are ethically bound to guide their clients toward health and wholeness. They do so by choosing therapies based on psychological principles, which are scientifically derived and proven effective in remediating specific symptoms and behaviors.
