National Psychological Associations

The US has a large number of psychological organizations. Some organizations specialize in promoting awareness about a specific mental illness, some organizations seek funding to find cures for diseases and some organizations seek to maintain professional standards in mental health fields and create networking opportunities.

General Organizations

• The American Psychological Association is the principal organization that unites mental health professionals in the United States and also sets standards for how professionals engage in written communication.

  A similar but smaller organization, the American Psychiatric Association, seeks to advance the psychiatry field to provide the best services for patients. Their headquarters is in Virginia. There's also the American Association of Community Psychiatrists, which focuses on helping mental health practitioners develop ethical codes and high-quality practices.

Patient Advocacy Organizations

• The National Alliance of Mental Illness represents those suffering from mental illness and seeks to increase societal understanding, advocacy and research.

Research Organizations

• The Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences seeks to encourage the use of the latest scientific techniques to improve the understanding of human nature. Another organization based in New York, called the Brain and Behavior Research Fund seeks out donations to fund research to cure various mental disorders ranging from schizophrenia to ADHD. The American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology provides services to professionals specializing in the field. They are headquartered in Michigan. Connecticut based American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry promotes research in these two fields and also encourages discourse within the disciplines.

Anxiety Disorder Organizations

• The Anxiety Disorders Association of America focuses on promoting awareness about Anxiety Disorders and facilitating the development of mental health practices to combat this mental health issue. Another organization, the Academy of Eating Disorders, promotes the development of effective treatment for those who suffer from eating disorders.

Specific Disciplines

• Some organizations focus on specific psychology sub-disciplines. The National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists promotes the use of this evidence-based sub-discipline. There's also the Society for Personality and Social Psychology at Cornell University in New York. While the Academy for Children and Adolescent Psychiatry helps youth who suffer from developmental, psychological and behavioral disorders. They're located in Washington.

Inter-Disciplinary Organizations

• Some organizations connect psychologists to other professionals. The American Academy of Psychiatry and Law in Connecticut seeks to strengthen communication between legal professionals and mental health professionals to create a stronger forensic psychiatry field. The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology focuses on how organizations use psychology to improve workflow and increase customer satisfaction.