Professional Stages in Clinical Psychology
- Asociația Română de Psihologie Clinică
- Apr 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 20
The practice of the psychology profession in Romania is permitted only on the basis of holding certification for independent practice issued by the Romanian College of Psychologists (Colegiul Psihologilor din România - CPR)
In order to be recognized as an active member, the psychologist must pay an annual membership fee of 250 RON to the CPR and fulfill the requirements for continuing professional development (a minimum of 10 professional credits per year), obtained through accredited training programs
Upon entry into the profession, the individual is granted the title of practitioner psychologist under supervision. Following the completion of the required supervision hours and an accredited master’s degree in the relevant specialization, the individual may advance to the level of practitioner psychologist in autonomous practice. The subsequent professional levels are: specialist psychologist (minimum of five years of experience as a practitioner psychologist) and principal psychologist (minimum of five years of experience as a specialist psychologist)
According to the Romanian Classification of Occupations (COR), basic group 2634 – Psychologists includes several specializations; the code for clinical psychology is 263401 – Clinical Psychologist
The sole qualification granting the right to practice the psychology profession within the territory of Romania is the certification for independent practice
I. Practitioner Clinical Psychologist – Under Supervision
Following the acquisition of certification for independent practice, the psychologist concludes a supervision contract with a supervisor in clinical psychology, which must also be registered with the Romanian College of Psychologists (Colegiul Psihologilor din România - CPR). A total of 100 hours of supervision are required, carried out over a minimum period of one year.
Responsibilities and Rights
Psychological Assessment
Symptomatic/syndromic assessment: the use of the clinical interview together with at least one psychopathological screening instrument, as well as knowledge of at least two instruments for symptomatic assessment.
Behavioral assessment: the use of the clinical interview and observation, together with at least one behavioral screening instrument.
Developmental assessment: the use of the clinical interview and observation, together with at least one instrument for assessing child development.
Assessment of cognitive abilities: the use of a screening instrument for brain impairment and at least one instrument for assessing general intellectual abilities (e.g., intelligence, memory, attention).
Personality assessment: the use of an instrument for assessing normal personality, as well as knowledge of an interview or instrument for the diagnosis of personality disorders.
Assessment of adaptive functioning: knowledge of at least two instruments that measure adaptive functioning, along with the necessary interview competencies in this domain.
Assessment of social and relational skills: the use of an interview protocol addressing relationship quality and social competencies, as well as knowledge of a psychometric instrument for the interpersonal or attachment domain.
Psychological Intervention
Clinical psychological intervention and primary counseling aimed at modifying psychological factors relevant to health and illness in children and adults, delivered individually, to couples, families, or groups.
Participation in the validation of clinical psychological assistance methods.
Participation in the implementation of individual or group psychological counseling and mental health projects.
II. Practitioner Clinical Psychologist – Autonomous Practice
Following a minimum of one year of supervised practice and the completion of supervision in clinical psychology, the psychologist may submit a professional file in order to practice in autonomous mode within the same specialization. The required documents are specified in Annex No. 2A.
Responsibilities and Rights
Psychological Assessment
Symptomatic/syndromic assessment: the use of the clinical interview and a psychopathological screening instrument, as well as knowledge of at least two instruments for symptomatic assessment.
Behavioral assessment: the use of the clinical interview and observation, together with a behavioral screening instrument.
Developmental assessment: the use of an instrument for assessing child development.
Assessment of cognitive abilities: the use of a screening instrument for brain impairment and an instrument for assessing general cognitive abilities.
Personality assessment: the use of an instrument for assessing normal personality, as well as an interview or instrument for the diagnosis of personality disorders.
Assessment of adaptive functioning: knowledge of at least two instruments that measure adaptive functioning, together with the use of the clinical interview.
Assessment of social and relational skills: the use of an interview protocol addressing relationships and social competencies, as well as knowledge of a relevant psychometric instrument.
Psychological Intervention
Clinical psychological intervention and primary counseling aimed at modifying psychological factors relevant to health and illness (in children and adults), delivered individually, to couples, families, or groups.
Participation in the validation of clinical psychological assistance methods.
Participation in the implementation of psychological counseling and health-related projects.
III. Specialist Clinical Psychologist
Following a minimum of five years of experience as a practitioner clinical psychologist, an individual may apply for professional certification at the level of specialist psychologist. The required documents are specified in Annex No. 3A.
Responsibilities and Rights
Psychological Assessment
Symptomatic/syndromic assessment: expert use of psychopathological screening instruments and a broad range of clinical assessment tools, including the evaluation of vulnerability factors.
Behavioral assessment: expert use of screening instruments for problematic behaviors and behavioral assessment tools, particularly in the domains of addictions, sexual behaviors, and eating behaviors.
Developmental assessment: expert use of developmental assessment batteries and the formulation of recommendations for psychological or psychoeducational intervention.
Assessment of cognitive abilities: expert use of cognitive assessment batteries and the development of intervention recommendations.
Personality assessment: expert use of one or more clinical instruments for personality assessment, along with the integration of clinical evaluation results.
Assessment of adaptive functioning: expert use of a coping scale or a similar measure.
Assessment of social and relational skills: expert use of at least two instruments relevant to the relational domain.
Psychological Intervention
Clinical psychological intervention and primary counseling for children and adults.
Psychological counseling and short-term psychotherapeutic techniques associated with a recognized counseling or psychotherapy approach.
Participation in the development and validation of clinical psychological assistance methods.
Participation in the development and implementation of psychological health projects.”
IV. Principal Clinical Psychologist
Following a minimum of five years of experience as a specialist clinical psychologist, an individual may apply for professional certification at the level of principal psychologist. The required documents are specified in Annex No. 4A.
Responsibilities and Rights
Psychological Assessment
Symptomatic/syndromic assessment: the integration of symptomatic assessments with information regarding personality structure, as well as the interpretation of the relationship between symptoms, contextual stress, and personality.
Behavioral assessment: the integration of behavioral assessments with personality structure and existential context, including within psychological expert evaluations.
Developmental assessment: the integration of developmental assessments with the child’s context, along with participation in the design of remedial interventions.
Assessment of cognitive abilities: the integration of cognitive assessments with existential context and participation in the development of remedial interventions.
Personality assessment: the integration of results obtained through multiple methods (including projective tests), as well as the interpretation of personality dynamics in relation to other psychological domains.
Assessment of adaptive functioning: the integration of adaptive functioning assessment with existential context and personality structure.
Assessment of social and relational skills: the integration of the assessment of social competencies with contextual factors, along with participation in the design of interventions aimed at developing social skills.
Psychological Intervention
Clinical psychological intervention and primary counseling for children and adults.
Psychological counseling and short-term psychotherapeutic techniques associated with a recognized counseling or psychotherapy approach.
Psychological assistance for individuals involved in judicial proceedings.
Participation in the development and validation of methods and instruments for psychological intervention.
Participation in the development and implementation of psychological health projects.
Recommendations
The submission of the professional file for each professional level is carried out exclusively online through the Romanian College of Psychologists ( https://copsi.ro/index.php/depunere-dosare ).
The accumulation of professional credits and the completion of accredited training programs require proactive planning for continuing professional development (a minimum of 10 professional credits per year, per specialization).
For a comprehensive understanding of professional standards, assessment tools, and intervention methods used in clinical psychology, it is recommended to consult the best practice guidelines developed by the Romanian College of Psychologists (https://www.copsi.ro/index.php/comisii/comisia-de-psihologie-clinica-si-psihoterapie).
References
Ciumăgeanu, M., Badea, V., Golu, F., & Sava, N.I. (2022). "Competențe de evaluare și intervenție în specializările psihologie clinică, consiliere psihologică și psihoterapie. Un ghid sinoptic" Romanian College of Psychologists
Ciumăgeanu, M., Badea, V., Golu, F., Ștefănuț, A.M., & Stoia, D. (2022). "Ghid de bune practici – Raportul psihologic în psihologia clinică, psihoterapie și consiliere. Colegiul Psihologilor din România" Romanian College of Psychologists. (2026). Retrieved March 2026, from: https://copsi.ro
Frequently Asked Questions for Clinical Psychologists
What are the professional levels in Clinical Psychology?
I. Practitioner Psychologist – under Supervision
II. Practitioner Psychologist – Autonomous Practice
III. Specialist Psychologist
IV. Principal Psychologist
Each level requires the accumulation of professional experience and the evaluation of competencies by the Romanian College of Psychologists.
What does “practitioner psychologist under supervision” mean?
This is the initial professional stage following entry into the profession. The psychologist is permitted to carry out professional activities under the guidance of an accredited supervisor, with the aim of consolidating competencies in assessment and intervention.
How long does the supervision period last?
Supervision lasts a minimum of one year, during which the psychologist accumulates professional experience and participates in supervision sessions.
What is Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?
In order to maintain the right to independent practice, psychologists are required to participate in courses, workshops, or conferences accredited by the Romanian College of Psychologists, accumulating professional credits on an annual basis.
What competencies are essential for a clinical psychologist?
clinical psychological assessment
the use of standardized psychological tests
formulation of psychological diagnosis
clinical psychological intervention and counseling
professional communication and adherence to ethical standards
Does the annual membership fee vary depending on the professional level?
No. The annual fee remains the same regardless of the professional level.
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