Evolution of Clinical Psychology

Clinical Psychology Unit 2 Assignment
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Historical Trends in Treatment/Early Treatment of Psychological Disorders before Clinical Psychology
Mental illness treatment has had a long history before the recognition of clinical psychology and the existence of philosophy as a doorway to psychology. During the ancient period, it was believed that mental illness was the demonic possession of the human body that needed harsh and fatal measures ranging from trephination to exorcism and asylums. Trephination is the removal of a disk of bone from the skull using a bore, saw, or an auger to treat various medical conditions or presumed demonic possessions (Surís et al., 2016). Asylums were institutions created in the 18th century to house people considered odd and unusual such as individuals with psychological disorders, to ostracize them from society (Farreras, 2019). These people were often isolated, beaten, chained, and executed. 
Conflicts that were Part of the Various Transitions
The brutal nature of treating people with psychological conditions called for more humane treatment methods, giving rise to the evolution of clinical psychology. According to Kramer et al. (2019), the origin of clinical psychology dates back to 1896 when Lightner Witmer, an American psychologist, opened the first psychological clinic in Pennsylvania. His clinic worked with children with learning disabilities and behavioral problems, including spelling and reading difficulties and mental retardation (Kramer et al., 2019). Psychologists examined clients at the clinic using the adapted procures. They then used the examination results to solve the presented problems. Witmer proposed applying psychological principles to a humane condition during his practice, but the American Psychological Association (APA) criticized his proposal until after clinical psychology temporarily separated from the organization. 
Treatments in the Early Days of Clinical Psychology
In the early twentieth century, more clinics were established to practice clinical psychology. Wartime demonstrated the need to apply clinical psychology. During the wars, clinical psychologists were contacted to help treat shell shock, now post-traumatic stress disorder. Treatmen...