The Central Role of Lifelong Learning and Humility in Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Lifelong learning plays a central role in the lives of clinical psychologists. As psychological science advances and evidence-based practices develop, it is critical for clinical psychologists to not only maintain their competencies but to also evolve them. In this article, we discuss lifelong learning as a clinical, ethical, and scientific imperative in the myriad dimensions of the clinical psychologist’s professional life, arguing that experience alone is not sufficient. Attitude is also important in lifelong learning, and we call for clinical psychologists to adopt an intellectually humble stance and embrace “a beginner’s mind” when approaching new knowledge and skills. We further argue that clinical psychologists must maintain and refresh their critical-thinking skills and seek to minimize their biases, especially as they approach the challenges and opportunities of lifelong learning. We intend for this article to encourage psychologists to think differently about how they approach lifelong learning.

Current Issues and Future Directions in Clinical Psychological Science: An Introduction to the Special Issue Honoring the Life and Legacy of Scott O. Lilienfeld

“…In the final article, Washburn and his colleagues (2023) delineated the pivotal role that lifelong learning can play among clinical psychologists in updating their knowledge, enhancing their expertise, and building skills essential to optimal functioning in both clinical and research arenas. The authors contended that it is a clinical, ethical, and scientific imperative for clinical psychologists to participate in lifelong learning to not only base clinical interventions on the most current and reliable scientific evidence but also to hone critical-thinking abilities, minimize cognitive biases, and adopt a stance of intellectual humility in self-assessment and clinical practice.…”