Psychologist Day in Russia in 2024: what date, traditions, what to give

Content

1. When do we celebrate and why on this day?
2. History of the holiday
3. Traditions
4. Similar holidays
5. What to give to friends and colleagues for Psychologist’s Day: top 5 ideas
6. Interesting facts

When do we celebrate and why on this day?

Psychologist Day in Russia is celebrated annually on November 22 – the date of the first congress of the Russian Psychological Institute, held in 1994.

History of the holiday

Psychologists celebrate their professional holiday unofficially. Moscow State University proposed honoring representatives of this profession 24 years ago. On November 22, psychologists are expressed universal gratitude for their hard work and emphasize the importance of the profession for society.

The founder of psychology as a science is considered to be the German doctor Wilhelm Wundt, who opened the first psychological laboratory in Leipzig in the late 1870s, where the phenomena of consciousness were studied.

Sigmund Freud, who stood at the origins of psychoanalysis, had a significant influence on the development of psychology. The psychologist’s scientific works throughout his life evoked a response in the scientific community. His key theories were regularly criticized.

Domestic psychology developed in close cooperation with the world. In Russia in the mid-1880s, physiologist Ivan Sechenov founded the first experimental psychological laboratory; he proposed a program for building psychology as a natural science discipline. And in 1912, the Institute of Psychology opened in the capital.

Physiologist Ivan Sechenov proposed a program for building psychology as a natural science discipline. Photo: TASS reproduction

Physiologist Ivan Pavlov continued the traditions laid down by Sechenov. He created the largest international scientific school in physiology. From the 1880s until 1936, more than a quarter of a thousand students worked in his laboratories.

Psychology developed actively after the October Revolution, when the first laboratories appeared and scientific research was conducted. But during the Stalinist period, science was criticized, and the “Stalin Constitution” adopted in 1936 seriously slowed down its development. The first psychological faculties were opened in the 90s of the last century. The first specialists graduated from Moscow State University and St. Petersburg State University.

Psychologists work in education, healthcare, large companies, and conduct private practice. More and more people in our country are showing interest in psychology; the demand for the services of these specialists, according to open research, is growing by 25% per year.

Traditions

On Psychologist’s Day:

• Conferences, seminars, and lectures are held at which experts discuss problems and issues of modern psychology and share their experiences;
• They hold celebrations and concerts. Distinguished specialists are awarded diplomas and certificates;
• Psychologists are congratulated by colleagues and loved ones and given symbolic gifts.

Similar holidays

• The Day of Psychological Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is celebrated annually on December 29. On this date, December 29, 1973, a psychophysiological department was opened in the Central Psychonarcology Laboratory. The moral stability and working climate in law enforcement agencies depend on the competent actions of psychologists of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Experts study the personal qualities and psychophysiological characteristics of police officers entering the service. Provide psychological assistance to employees after working in particularly difficult conditions.
• Day of the Psychologist of the Federal Penitentiary Service. Celebrated annually on September 2. The psychological service of the correctional system has been operating for more than three decades. On September 2, 1992, by order of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the regulations on the psychological laboratory of the correctional institution were approved.
• The day of creation of the psychological service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations is celebrated every year on September 17. Such specialists are irreplaceable in the rescue service. The need to create such a structure arose after the serious earthquake in Neftegorsk in 1995. And four years later such a service appeared – the Emergency Psychological Assistance Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was created.
• World Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10th. It was established at the instigation of the World Federation of Mental Health. This holiday has already been celebrated 22 times in our country.

What to give to friends and colleagues for Psychologist’s Day: top 5 ideas

When choosing a gift, it is best to focus on the recipient’s gender, interests, and hobbies. But there are also universal gifts.

You can give:

1. Headphones. Psychologists often listen to lectures, audio books, and undergo additional training. Therefore, such a gift will certainly come in handy.
2. Diary or organizer. Psychologists always use them: they schedule appointments for visitors, take important notes during therapy sessions.
3. Tickets for the performance. It is better to give two so that the recipient can go to the theater with his wife, friend, parent or adult child. Psychologists are people who have a great sense of art.
4. Power bank. Psychologists often conduct consultations online. To prevent your phone from running out of charge at an inconvenient moment, a charging storage device won’t hurt.
5. Air ionizer. It will be useful for an office where the psychologist spends a lot of time.

Interesting facts

1. The human mind is in what’s called a “wandering” state about 30 percent of the time—a state where people spend time thinking unrelated to the current situation.
2. Sigmund Freud was helped in his psychotherapy sessions with clients by his faithful dog, the chow chow Jophy. Freud noticed that in the presence of an animal, clients calmed down and felt more relaxed and spoke more easily. Jofi even allowed some of Freud’s patients to stroke him.
3. Freud was nominated for the Nobel Prize 11 times, but never received it.
4. Young people – from 18 to 33 years old – are more susceptible to stress. And after this age, stress levels slowly drop. Although, of course, a lot depends on the person’s personal circumstances and situation.