Psychology is the study of the human mind. German physiologist and philosopher Dr. Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental laboratory in 1879 with the mission to systematically understand consciousness and individual experiences such as sensations, feelings and perception using scientific methods. In Canada, the first psychology laboratory was established at the University of Toronto in 1891 by Dr. James Mark Baldwin (a student of Wilhem Wundt). With a lot of excitement generated in scientific world of psychology came the first psychological clinic established by American psychologist Dr. Lightner Witmer at the University of Pennsylvania in 1896 and the first clinical hospital school in 1907, along with the first scientific journal dedicated to clinical psychology. This bridge from scholarly knowledge within the bounds of universities to a clinic where people can benefit from the knowledge was tremendously well-received.
Organized university training program for professional psychologists began in 1945 after World War II. The College of Psychologists of Ontario was formed in 1960 to regulate the profession of psychology. Nowadays the psychologists you see in practice continue to be trained in a scientist-practitioner model. Clinical psychology programs in Ontario universities are continuous master’s and doctorate education and training of 6 years, consisting coursework, scientific research, several clinical placements, and a final residency/internship. Psychology students have rigorous supervised training in a variety of settings – e.g., schools, outpatient clinics, hospitals. These programs are usually accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association and/or the American Psychological Association.