“We Have Concluded That It Is Appropriate for You to Use the Term ‘Psychologist’ Provided ...”
Romella J. McNeil
Sedate State, LLC
For something that could have such a huge impact on state licensure requirements for I-O psychologists, the story is fairly short and rather boring. On July 1, 2008, the District of Columbia Department of Health’s Board of Psychology granted me permission to use the term “psychologist” without having to be licensed.
It began with my desire to use the word “psychology” to promote the consulting services my budding business, Sedate State, provides. I contacted the Board of Psychology within the district’s health department and explained that I earned my doctorate in I-O psychology and that I had made a conscious decision not become a clinician. I was transferred repeatedly (okay, only twice) until I was directed to Mr. Van Brathwaite. Mr. Van Brathwaite, at the time, was an attorney for the board. I explained to him my position, which was (is) I should not have to be licensed as a clinician to practice I-O. (DC did not have a separate licensing procedure for nonclinicians.)
Mr. Brathwaite was sympathetic to my arguments, which were very simple: (a) I was not a clinician and I was not because I did not want to be one, (b) others who provide similar services do not have to be licensed, and (c) those others get to use their names (i.e., their profession). He stated that he agreed with me, but he needed to review my request with the executive director for Behavioral Health.
Later received a call from him stating I was granted the waiver. He said that I would have to make it crystal clear in all my marketing and representations to “the public” that I was not licensed to practice clinical psychology. He asked if I wanted the waiver in writing or would an e-mail suffice; I humbly requested a letter. It reads as follows, “We have concluded that it is appropriate for you to use the term ‘psychologist’ provided that it is accompanied by the wording “practice limited to industrial-organizational psychology.”
All I did was ask for a waiver, and it was granted.
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