Author Archives: K. Coomarsingh

About K. Coomarsingh

K. Coomarsingh holds a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology and is a former lecturer at the Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica where she taught several undergraduate psychology courses, including Introduction to Psychology, Physiological Psychology and Introduction to Psychological Testing. She currently conducts psychological assessments of children across Jamaica.

What is Health Psychology?

what is health psychology

Health psychology can be defined as the study of how biological, environmental, psychological and sociocultural factors influence health, healthcare and illness. Continue reading

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What is Clinical Psychology?

what is clinical psychologyClinical psychology is one of the most popular subfields within the discipline of psychology. It involves the application of psychological theories, principles and methods to the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders and other forms of abnormal behaviour. These include a wide range of conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, sexual dysfunction, addictions, eating disorders, and aggressive behavior. Clinical psychologists also examine the causes of abnormal behavior in order to predict and prevent maladjustment.

Most clinical psychologists have a doctoral level degree – Ph.D or Psy.D – and have undergone intensive practical training in clinical settings. Continue reading

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5 Psychological Reasons Gambling is so Addictive

addicted to gamblingGambling has become one of the most popular pastimes for people today. Whether it’s betting on your favourite football team, playing the slot machine at a local casino, or pulling the trigger in a risky round of Russian roulette, gambling never seems to lose its appeal. It’s easy to understand why people decide to take up gambling – who wouldn’t want to earn a few extra dollars without having to break a sweat? We could even explain why a person who has already hit the jackpot decides to play again; he’s likely riding on a high and obviously has a few extra bucks to spare. But how do we explain the behaviour of those persons who continue to gamble despite consistent losses? Continue reading

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What is a Freudian Slip?

slip of the tongue

Freudian slips, also known as parapraxes (sing. parapraxis) are speech errors that are believed to reveal what is in a person’s unconscious mind. They are named after Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis and arguably the most influential and controversial theorist associated with the field of psychology. Continue reading

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The Human Mind: One of the Best Treatments for Cancer?

positivity aids recoveryIn recent years, the word cancer has been on almost everyone’s minds and lips. No longer is the ‘Big C’ a mysterious condition afflicting a small percentage of persons. It has become a leading cause of death worldwide and one of mankind’s biggest health fears. With the number of reported cases increasing and the death toll rising, researchers are still scampering to find a cure for this dreaded disease. Chemotherapy, radiation, herbal remedies and surgeries offer patients some measure of hope and relief. But after many grueling hours of treatment, numerous trips to the doctor’s office, and thousands of dollars spent on medication, many patients are still left battling for their lives. So what else can they do? Where else can they look? The answer might be closer than you think. In our haste to find a miracle cure for cancer, we often overlook one of the most powerful treatments for this disease – the human mind. Continue reading

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Reasons Internships are Important for Psychology Degree Programs

psychology degree

“Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced. Even a proverb is not a proverb to you until your life has illustrated it.” These words spoken by British poet John Keats (Genn, 2007) convey one simple yet inescapable truth; true knowledge is always born of empiricism. Continue reading

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