Psychology Offers A Variety Of Options Says Philadelphia Psychologist
Dr. Arathi Rao, Ph.D., MSW, MA, MS is a cardiac psychologist practicing in the Philadelphia area, and is part of the psychology staff at St. Mary Medical Center. Dr. Rao runs a successful clinical practice and consults with a variety of businesses on stress management. She offers workshops on the subject in the Unites States and abroad.
Can you describe your duties as a psychologist?
"I am a cardiac psychologist. I work with cardiac patients and those who are at high risk for heart disease. Many people after a cardiac event get derailed and are fearful, angry, anxious and depressed, which increases their chances of having further cardiac events. Research shows that chronic stress and depression are independent risk factors for heart disease. There is a strong mind-body connection in heart disease and other chronic illnesses. As I tell my patients, 'When it comes to heart disease, traditional risk factors load the gun, stress pulls the trigger.' Unless these psychosocial risk factors are addressed, cardiac patients in many cases end up in the hospital with additional cardiac events. I work with these patients to give them tools to overcome fear, manage stress and make life changes. This allows them to recover faster and stay out of the hospital longer."
What continuing education is required for your role?
"When I started practicing as a clinical psychologist I did not see cardiac patients. I mainly had a general practice, and also in my early years of practice did stress management consulting for the city of Philadelphia. Things changed for me about 15 years ago, when at a young age out of the blue, my husband had to have an emergency quintuple bypass surgery... I then decided to work with cardiac patients... I continue to educate myself in various mind-body techniques energy medicine techniques in addition to attending continuing education seminars in psychology and on the latest neuroscience research."
How has education prepared you for your career in psychology?
"I have an extensive and diverse formal education in the areas of clinical social work, group process, and group psychotherapy, and clinical psychology. This diverse background has allowed me to take a more holistic approach to treating patients and consulting with clients. I was also very fortunate to have had an excellent mentor in Dr. Salman Akhtar, a psychiatrist during my internship at Thomas Jefferson Hospital. A key take away from him was to focus on building rapport with clients in the first session, rather than focusing on the paperwork and other formalities."
What advice would you give someone who is pursuing a career in psychology?
"My advice to anyone pursuing a career in psychology is that one needs to do some self-reflection to know and understand the reason why they wish to get into the field... If one has the passion for helping others flourish, I would say go for it. The passion will help one get through the bumpy road especially as our healthcare system undergoes changes. As far as education, there are many areas of specialties and training in the field of psychology to choose from to suit one's interest."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/