Chris shares with us his insights into being a Neuropsychologist. Neuropsychology is an important part of TBI rehabilitation with specialist skills in understanding how an injury or illness to the brain affects cognition (thinking), emotion and behaviour.
“Often people think of Neuropsychologists as Psychologists who just do that big test following a Brain Injury. Neuropsychology is no more about tests than being a mechanic is about having a spanner.
The tests are just tools that we use to help understand what is going on. We could probably do the job without them, but they do add another layer of information, and make the job easier. Neuropsychology sits at the cusp of mind and body, and of scientist and practitioner.
Scientist, because I think my job is to understand (and try to keep up with!) what neuroscience is telling us about our brains, how they work, and how they shape what we do; and clinician/practitioner because I need to figure out how that is relevant to a particular client or situation; then help them understand what is happening, and how they can manage it better.
This is really rewarding because knowledge is power, right? So translating scientific papers into everyday ideas and language empowers people to understand themselves and their brains, and gives them more control over lives that might have seemed to be heading out of control.”