How to Find a School Psychologist

School psychologists help students cope with difficult situations.

School psychologists, armed with backgrounds in psychology, education and health play an integral role in assisting school administrators, parents and teachers in the academic setting. Educational psychologists use problem solving, crisis management and other techniques to help both students and school staff to deal with challenging situations effectively. Finding a school psychologist does not have to be an overwhelming process. Several resources exist to aid your search.

Instructions

1. Contact the local school board in your area. Inquire about the availability of school psychologists and request contact information. Most school board agencies maintain a list of educational psychologists within the school district.

2. Talk with a school administrator, such as a guidance counselor or school principal at your child's school. Some school psychologists have a main hub such as a specific school or educational building in which they conduct business. Other psychologists oversee several schools within a single school district.

3. Contact the National Association of School Psychologists by phone or email. (See Resources.) This organization provides professional training for school psychologists, national certifications and other resources related to educational psychologists. Although you must be a current member to access features such as the member database, you can contact the agency directly to locate school psychologists in your area.

4. Browse your state association's website. (See Resources.) View more detailed information, such as a list of current events and state updates by clicking the link of your respective state. Each Web page has a "Contact Us" link which allows website users to contact agency representatives by phone or email.

Tips & Warnings

• When using the State Associations of School Psychologists website, contact the webmaster using the "Contact Us" feature, if you experience any difficulty accessing Web pages or encounter outdated state links.

References

• Northeastern University: What is a School Psychologist?

Resources

• NASP: Homepage
• NASP: Links to State Associations
• NASP: NASP Staff