The Department of Clinical Psychology was set up in the year 2002 as an independent department, with Dr. Maitreyee Dutta’s joining as a Clinical Psychologist. From 2002 to 2010, the thrust area of the department was to provide clinical services to the patients and families visiting the out-patient and in-patient units. During this time, Dr. Maitreyee Dutta became an Assistant Professor & I/c and the department recruited many Clinical Psychologists. M. Phil. training program in Clinical Psychology (recognized by Rehabilitation Council of India and affiliated to Gauhati University) was introduced in 2011. Since then students from various parts of the country representing states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, as well as North Eastern states are being trained to become mental health professionals and practice as registered clinical psychologists. The department has earned its own name and established itself as a preferred training centre of Clinical Psychology in the Eastern/ North-eastern region.

Teaching and Training

• The department runs a 2 year full-time M.Phil Clinical Psychology course, which is recognized by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) and affiliated to Gauhati University, Guwahati. The course requires trainees to undergo supervised training in psychological assessments, ranging from personality, psychodiagnostic, intellectual, neuropsychological, and rating scales. The trainees also get ample opportunities to learn psychoeducation, brief counseling, cognitive remediation, and psychotherapy with children, adolescents and adults.

• During the course, the trainees are expected to submit self-study assignments and deliver presentations on academic topics at the department and inter-departmental levels.

• Since the department has students from different States of India, an initiative has been taken to teach students from other states spoken Assamese, in collaboration with a well-known local resource centre called Asomiya Club.

• The department undertakes teaching assignments for trainees of different courses of the institute.

• The department, through MEET LGBRIMH, has been actively involved in training and providing competence to young psychologists through a course on Youth Mental Health & Peer Counselling. The course is currently completing its 2nd batch of participants and has been well-received.

• The department also caters to students coming for exposure posting from other institutions, especially the post-graduate masters students in psychology/counselling from various states of north eastern region and also other parts of the country, like Nagaland University, Sikkim University, Gauhati University, Rajib Gandhi University (Arunachal Pradesh), Pondicherry University, etc.

Service delivery

• Psychometry Unit: The psychometry unit is an OPD referral-based service to conduct psychological assessments to aid in patient’s diagnosis and management. The testing that is carried out focuses on assessing developmental and intellectual functioning, and personality. Psychodiagnostic evaluation is carried out for children and adults. Disability assessment is also carried out for the recently included disabilities like Specific Learning Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual disability. The department also receives referrals from Juvenile Justice Board for evaluation of children in conflict with law. The unit also focuses on assessment of neuropsychological functioning of patients with dementia and traumatic brain injury, etc.

• Psychotherapy Unit: This unit is the backbone of the department, as it provides services focusing on effective management of the patient and family members. Patients are referred from the OPD and in-patient set up for therapeutic interventions. The unit provides interventions such as psychoeducation, brief counselling sessions, and psychotherapy for various conditions such as anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, substance dependence, etc. Therapeutic interventions are also provided for children as well as adolescents and their families. Cognitive remediation for patients with neuropsychological deficits is also provided. Clients with no clinical symptoms or disorders are also received by the unit and appropriate services are provided.

• Youth Wellness Hub: This is a center for psychological care and mental health promotion among the youth. The center provides brief sensitization workshops around mental health and well-being in colleges/university of Tezpur. As part of sensitization, it also organizes youth events such as poster-making, slogan-development, poems, photographs, skits, with the broad focus of mental health. The center is one-of- its- kind and provides a breathing space to youth to discuss about any issues pertaining to them and arrive at solutions collectively or on a one-to-one interactive session.

Consultative services

• The department is regularly involved in providing services at the district disability rehabilitation center. The department also regularly conducts awareness/sensitization sessions on mental health & specific topics for schools, colleges, and government organizations, etc. The department also works closely with the District Child Protection Unit to provide consultation and psychological care to children in need. The faculty/clinical psychologists also serve as external examiner for Masters courses of different Universities and as expert panel members of interview boards across different schools/centers.