Dr. Ray Finn

Dear Khamedriah,I agree with Linda's response which seems very complete to me. I will only add that doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology are very similar, and it doesn't make much difference which you graduate from as far as what kinds of jobs for you are qualified. My...

Dear Meria,Hi! It's me again! The previous answers seem pretty comprehensive to me, so I will just add a few comments. People go through cycles of higher and lower mental energy during the day. Some are "larks" who are at their most alert and energetic in the morning, while others are...

Dear Brooklyn,I received one F and two D's during my undergraduate career. Most of my other grades were A's and B's so they did not affect my total GPA that much. I received one of the D's in my first semester in college, partly because I was overwhelmed by how much more demanding college...

Dear Martha,I apologize for the long delay in answering your question. I hope my response is not too late to be of use to you.Your situation can be a tough one, especially because colleges start pressuring students to choose a major in their sophomore year. However don't panic! I know some...

Dear Meria,My apologies for the delay in responding to your question. I hope my comments can still be useful to you.I started out as a physics major in college since I liked physics on high school. However in my first course the instructor was using calculus, which I had never heard of, and...

Dear Khamedriah,I apologize for taking so long to respond to your question. I hope this information is not too late to be of some use to you.By way of background, I worked as a psychologist for two community mental health centers and a juvenile probation department, for a total of eight...

Dear Ada,I apologize for taking so long to respond to your question. I hope my comments are not too late to be helpful to you.To answer your question "Is the payoff for being a psychologist worth it (I presume you mean is it worth the time and effort of becoming one), in my case the answer is...

Dear Mirela,You again? You sure ask a lot of questions! (Just kidding.) Fortunately they are interesting ones.I started out as a physics major in college because I liked the class in high school. However in my first college physics course I was completely out of my depth. I wound up with a D...

Dear Mirela,Your question really made me stop and think. I had very little idea of what it meant to work as a psychologist on a day to day basis. I originally wanted to teach at a university level but couln't get a job there. However, in retrospect I am glad i didn't go this route....

Dear Mirela,I apologize for taking so long to respond to your question. As a clinical psychologist I unfortunately deal with many individuals in emotional pain. This can be difficult at times, but the rewarding aspect is being able to help them alleviate their distress and live happier lives....

Dear Thaaki, Things may work differently in South Africa, but in the U.S. speech and hearing therapists have a master's degree in that field. They may get an undergraduate degree in psychology but people with master's degrees in psychology would not be able to be licensed as speech therapists....

Dear Nancy, I think you have recognized a need for some skills that most people in helping professions don't think about. I agree with the other respondents that an accounting background would be helpful in understanding the financial side of private practice, which is, after all, a business....

Dear Danielle, Since I am a psychologist my knowledge of the other licenses is limited but here is what I know: LMFT stands for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker LPC stands for Licensed Professional Counselor There are minor differences...

Dear Breanna, I have been away from academia for many years, so my answer may be out of date. My understanding is that undergraduate psychology programs don't require any sort of internship, especially in the freshman year. I think some social work programs may require one, but they usually...

Dear Imani, I have been away from academia for many years, but in the past many programs did not especially want applicants with previous experience, since they wanted to mold students in their image. Also, jobs in mental health for people with bachelor's degrees are very limited. Finally,...