Clinical Psychology questions

Amusicum

I find this information all very helpful because I am planning on starting a HDip in psychology in September, with the view of training as a clinical psychologist in future years. I am building up a portfolio of experience. As a music undergraduate, I studied music therapy and did placements with people with learning disabilities and older adults. I volunteered with Art Relief International in Thailand last summer, working with marginalised people, such as children with cerebral palsy, Burmese refugees and victims of human trafficking.

During my HDip I plan on volunteering with the Saamaritans and also Bodywhys, the Irish eating disorder association. I doing an MA in Psychosocial Studies in Birkbeck this year, which will give me the opportunity to do some empirical research. I plan on researching the exteriority/interiority of family life, through collection of data and observation of various families. I am planning on doing to India to volunteer with SERVE the summer after this, working with children ith learnign disabilities and men with mental illnesses!

After the HDip, I may do the MPSych Sc in UCD (I plan on doing my HDip there, as supposedly it is the best HDip to do), to bolster my chances of getting on the DPsych Sc - I also reckon that your suggestion of finding work with the learning disabilities service in the university would also be good. In addition to my MA this year, I have found paid employment as a learning disabilities support worker, which I am starting after Christmas and in addition, I have started my training with the British Eating Disorders Association. I have it all mapped out but could I be doing more?

Sometimes I wonder if counselling psychology rather than clinical psychology would be better for me. I have heard that the professions are increasingly converging but would I be correct in saying the clinical psychology programmes are much more difficult to get on, are funded (whereas counselling psychology is not), that with clinical psychology you are more likely to have a scientific/behavioural rather than humanistic approach and that you are more employable as a clinical Psychologist (as you are trained in more modalities)? I have to say at the moment that I would consider myself as favouring a more psychodynamic/humanistic approach, but this could change when i get into more scientific work on the HDip.

Also, if I did clinical psychology, I would be most interested in specialising in Psychotherapy or family systems. Is it possible to specialise in Psychotherapy within clinical psychology training? Does this require further qualifications after the doctorate, or is the experience gained through work with your sponsoring agency?

I have one last question: I have looked up the various clinical psychology programmes in Ireland but find it hard to know what are the main differences between them all. I have been told by a clinical psychologist that the UCD DPsych Sc is definitely the best and that it is recognised internationally, whereas some of the other programmes have had problems with accreditation, as not enough of the core staff are presently working as clinical psychologists. I am just wondering which programme you are doing and if you would recommend it? I know it is difficult to get on the programme in any college though, and beggars cannot be choosy! I think a programme that has a reflective/pschotherapeutic leaning would be best for me!

I look forward to your reply and thanks again for the post!