What is the biggest struggle in becoming a Psychologist?
#psychology #clinical-psychology #child-psychology
4 answers
James Constantine Frangos
James Constantine’s Answer
Understanding the Extensive Educational and Training Path
To become a psychologist, you need to make a considerable commitment to your education and training. Generally, a doctoral degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.) in psychology is necessary, which takes about 5-7 years to finish after obtaining a bachelor's degree. This duration includes in-depth coursework, hands-on training, and research elements. Additionally, to get a license in psychology, you must complete a supervised internship and pass a state exam.
Considering the Financial Implications
Embarking on a psychology career can be financially daunting. The expense of earning a doctoral degree can be steep, with the average debt for psychology graduates hovering around $200,000 as per the American Psychological Association (APA). Moreover, the initial salary for psychologists tends to be lower than other professions with similar educational prerequisites.
Overcoming the Competition for Internships
The contest for internship positions is intense, with more eligible candidates than there are spots. As per the APA, the ratio is about 22,000 applicants for roughly 8,000 internship positions annually. This imbalance can lead to prolonged periods of joblessness or underemployment for budding psychologists.
Adhering to Ethical Guidelines and Legal Rules
Psychologists must strictly follow ethical guidelines and legal rules in their practice. Breaching these can lead to serious repercussions, such as losing their license or damaging their reputation. For new psychologists, navigating these intricacies can be difficult as they need to balance upholding ethical standards and offering effective client care.
Addressing the Prevalence of Mental Health Stigma
Despite growing awareness, mental health stigma is still widespread in many societies. Psychologists often face resistance from clients who may be reluctant to share sensitive information or seek professional assistance due to societal stigma or personal embarrassment. Tackling this issue calls for empathy, patience, and consistent advocacy for mental health education and awareness.
Maintaining a Balance Between Research and Practice
In numerous psychology fields, it's crucial to strike a balance between research and practice duties. Keeping up-to-date with the latest research findings and implementing them effectively in practice is an ongoing challenge for psychologists. Successfully merging these dual roles requires solid organizational skills, commitment, and continuous professional growth.
May God Bless You!
James Constantine Frangos.
Dr. Ray’s Answer
For me the biggest struggle was the amount of schooling I had to go through before I could work in the field. I decided as a freshman in college that I wanted to be a clinical psychologist, but it took me a total of 10 years before I obtained my Ph.D. and my first job. In my case I fooled around as an undergraduate and didn't have very good grades, so I stayed at the same school and got a master's degree to prove I could do graduate level work. I also wound up having to do both a master's thesis and a doctoral dissertation. You can be smarter than I was and cut the time to 7 or 8 years.
Since you live in Texas I will add that the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists decided this spring to allow some people with masters' degrees in psychology to practice independently. This means that you could get a bachelor's and master's degree and probably be able to have your own practice. You may already know that people with masters' degrees in counseling, marriage and family and social work can also practice independently. I am glad I have a Ph.D. but don't know I would make the same decision in the current situation.
Karen’s Answer
Many of the top positions in Psychology require a doctoral degree, especially if you want to be a psychotherapist. If you are interested in heading up research, you would mostly go for a doctoral degree. Probably the most challenging aspect of this, as seems to be in any field, is the doctoral dissertation.
I hold an undergraduate degree is Psychology which enabled me to get positions in the editorial department of a major test publisher, an activity worker with children in a state institution, and a nursery school teacher. I later obtained a master's degree in child development and a doctoral degree in education. I had contact with psychologists as colleagues throughout my career and am a member of the American Psychological Assocation.
If you wished to take a more clinical / therapy/counseling approach, getting a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) would be an option. Ph.D. holders also become clinicians. However, there are opportunities in psychology for persons with Bachelor's degrees in psychology and with Master's (MA or MS) degrees such as working in research projects or direct work with people without having a therapist role. The American Psychological Association has many resources about preparation for, and careers in, psychology. Its publication the APA Monitor, often has relevamt articles. For direct work with people there are other professions/fields as well, such as Social Work. MSWs do clinical work without holding a doctoral degree although one can obtain a doctoral degree in Social Work. Persons interested in working with children have a varierty of options: early childhood care and education, and child and youth work. Check out NAEYC (The National Association for the Education of Young Children; and ACYCP ( The Association for Child and Youth Care Practice) . The latter is concerned with work with young people in a variety of settings, eg group and residential programs, after school programs, and the like.
Karen recommends the following next steps:
Meghan’s Answer
I was interested in pursuing a career in psychology. I got a bachelors degree in psychology and loved it. However, the idea of being in school for another 6 years with low income jobs was too stressful for me to do. If you have the ability to get through the schooling then I hope that you continue to pursue it! We always need good new psychologists in the field.
The debt was already a lot for me just with undergraduate school. Adding on 6 more years of debt just seemed overwhelming. I never wanted to be in a position where I thought I would be unable to pay back the debt I owed. That is what lead me to the field of real estate instead.
I hope that this helps to give you perspective. Thank you for your question!