Should I become a psychologist?

silver6

I would really appreciate any advise anyone has to offer with this problem im facing preferable anyone from Ireland as that is where I am studying. First i will explain my worries.

I'm 20 years old, about to enter my third year Bachelor of Arts degree, I'm studying psychological studies and geography and hope to pursue psychology. I have a leaving cert of 380, this meant i could not go straight into psychology I had to therefore do it though Arts and achieved getting into the top 100 psyc studies program. After I gain my degree next year. I have to do a one year conversion course in order to gain a psychology degree recognized by PSI. Following that, I hope to then go on to do a masters and doctorate in clinical or forensic psychology.

Ever since I can remember I always wanted to study psychology, I have such a love for it. Its always on my mind and I enjoy reading my textbooks in spare time. My goal is to become a psychologist. My grades are good, I got a 2:1 at the end of this year (2nd year)

I'm starting to panic now however as I am beginning to doubt myself, well, I am doubting myself for the first time in 3 years as to whether or not I am capable of fulfilling my dream. Both my parents are in low paid jobs, I am the only one in my family who is academic, I'm hard working and determined that is why I have made it this far in my studies. But is that enough to reach my goal??? I'm afraid I wont be intelligent enough for this profession and my dream will soon fade.
I understand that becoming a psychologist takes many many years of hard work and dedication. Will I be able to achieve my goal as I know people I will be competing against will be naturally more brainy than me and have an advantage.

Second problem, the cost. I have enough savings to get me through the next two years of college but that's it. How will I ever afford 7/8 years of training to be a psychologist. If i took out a loan I would more than likely spend my whole life paying it back. I want to be a psychologist to help people but I need to be realistic. At the end of the day money matters, especially in recession. So If i did fulfill my dream would it be worth it, or would i earn as much in a different less demanding job? In so confused, I want to do this more than anything in this world but can I do it? I don't want to spend 5 years in education and realize this goal is out of my reach because i just simply cant afford, I wont have the benefit of my parents helping financially and as far as I am aware I am not entitled to any grants.

Hope this makes sense.

If you have taken the time to read this I thank you sincerely and if anyone is facing similar problems or who went through something similar I would love to hear from you, or if anyone can give me advise as to whether i should keep going of quit I'd be happy to hear.

Silver

Odysseus

Well, no one can really answer that one for you. I will give you the benefit of my experience if that is any help, thought I decided that I wanted to study psychoanalysis and trained as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist rather than a psychologist.

I left school with no qualifications at 15 and when I did get to college I was the first in my family get a degree. I was 27 when I started in college and things where a tad different then. I got part time work in a HSE Addiction Rehab Programme and was able to start training as a counsellor under supervision at the same time. This was done by myself there was now clinical element to my degree; that from the colleges position had to wait until I was at Masters level.

Though of course I was free to start analysis, supervision and seeing clients myself.
Anyway as you can imagine this cost money. I was working part-time, and applied for various grants. I got help every year about 350 off SVP; they gave me a cheque and I brought book vouchers out of it and used that to help with books. I have since been able to give them that back so that someone else can get the help.

I was lucky in that I was being paid to work clinically by the time I started my Masters, but fee, supervision, personal therapy all add up. Apart from SVP I applied to local community groups for grants and did get some money, e.g. local drugs task force [I had to do some work for it; but it was worth it.]

So basically what I’m saying is if this is what you really want go for it. Times are a tad tougher at the moment, but there is still some funding available

I hope that is of some help.

kwearykoru

Do you have your heart set on becoming a clinical psychologist or have you considered other specialisms or careers that use psychology, eg counselling psychology, or occupational therapy in mental helath or brain injury?

Its good to have a focus but it may help to have a plan b. Its incredibly difficult to become a fully qualified employed clinical psychologist in Ireland. Have you thought about working and training abroad. UK is the obvious option but ther may be others. Perhaps it would be worthwhile speaking to the careers office in your college.

It sounds like you really want to help others so good luck.

nualsnuals

Hi Silver6

As you explained there are two issues facing you at the moment.
So lets look at the second one, finances
I think it is realistic of you to take this aspect of your educational future into consideration. We are in trying times and education is taking a hit in terms of funding, however as Odysseus demonstrated there are many ways of financing your education. You are only 20 that is so young and you have come so far already. To be in college for five years doing what you love could never be a waste of time. Psychology is so broad a field that after being in it for years your perspective can change and you become drawn to certain areas some of which are easier to get work in and funding than others. Money does not have to be an issue, the skills you learn in an undergrad specializing in Psychology are extremely valuable when you know how to market yourself.
The first issue you explained was your lack of faith in your ability. This one to me seems to be the biggest hurdle for you at the moment. I feel that if you had belief in yourself you would not be as concerned about finances and you would not be so confused about going forward.
The very fact that you are where you are is a testament to your ability and as you know there is natural ability and ability gained by determination and dedication. In my experience it is crucial that the arena of Mental Health receive people from both sides. They equally have their gifts to give. Good work ethic and passion can make a great psychologist. It takes teams of Psychologists and other mental health professionals to develop and progress the area and the more diverse their individual strengths the better.
I am very fortunate that I qualified for a grant when doing my undergrad. I was and still am a single mother of two. Even with the grant it was a struggle for me. I competed in a BA to get into pure Psychology and thankfully my work paid off and I got a 2.1 in my Honours Degree. I went on to do a Cert in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Belfast and I am just finished my Masters in Applied Psychology from Trinity. My aim was to go straight on to the D.Clin Psych but I have decided to work with children in care for the year to gain more experience and hopefully increase my chances of securing a position on the doctorate program.
I never gave myself the chance to be academic in school and felt I was not intelligent enough to go to college. My points for my leaving cert were 150. I went to Maynooth as a mature student when I was 23 and took it from there. I am 29 now and still sometimes doubt myself but I will not let it stop me from doing what I love. I hope you at some point will give yourself the same break.
The best of luck with everything.
Nualsnuals

Humria

The majority of people I've met going down this road have doubted themselves and their aims at one point or another. I think you are right to assess the situation before blindly jumping onto the clinical route. I'm going to tell you a few things I wish I had known before starting out, a few of them you may already know. I don't mean for this to sound pessimistic and others may give you a different viewpoint but this has been my experience.

It’s really difficult. I’ve met some very dedicated, intelligent and capable people who haven’t managed to get onto clinical. There just aren’t enough places for all the people who would make excellent psychologists. This makes it very competitive and some people get a bit carried away. I’ve experienced people hiding information and trying to impede the progress of others. Try to remember that even if that person who is working with you doesn’t get on, it doesn’t mean you will. I think you own attitude will benefit from being open with others. I’ve shared information and in return, colleagues and classmates have shared information with me. I’m not saying shout it from the rooftops but try keep some balance and perspective.

There was an announcement that the HSE are removing funding for clinical trainees.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0725/1224320762279.html
They have been threatening to do it before and it hasn’t materialised yet so it may not happen. There is a sizable risk it will though. In that case it will cost around €14,000 a year for the three years of clinical training in Ireland. The NHS still provide funding for trainees in the UK. Many of the courses there require knowledge of the NHS so that may involve working in the UK before applying.

If you are hoping to get experience in Ireland, paid employment is like gold dust. Many of the psychology related roles are now unpaid/voluntary positions. It is possible to survive financially while undertaking these positions. It’s just difficult in both a financial and mental sense. It would be a very interesting study to examine the effects of long-term voluntary employment in psychology because from what I’ve seen it takes its toll. The unpaid roles tend to be less structured and you may feel less valued because they didn’t have to invest financially in your employment. There is definitely the risk of exploitation. This hasn’t just been my experience; it’s been collective amongst many people I’ve spoken to.

My advice would be don’t take on anything voluntary for longer than six months at a time. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Getting onto clinical isn’t the end point, it’s the beginning. There is no point beginning training when you are mentally exhausted. If it takes you a bit longer to get on but your mental health is better for it then I think that’s a good exchange.

Join the Assistant Psychologist Google Group, many jobs and opportunities are posted there and the discussions often let you know how others about experiences in trying to apply for clinical.

To get on in Ireland at the moment you need a masters. If you decide to go down that route choose your route carefully. There are really fantastic applied courses in the UK and in Europe (there is a thread about courses in Leiden). It will make your CV a bit different from everyone else’s and may give you opportunities that Irish courses might not.

What I find most difficult about this route is the uncertainty. You see people graduating and progressing in their fields while you are working for free or for a small amount of money. You work for a few months here and a few there and you don’t know where you are going next. You put in a lot of time, effort and money and you have no guarantees. A psychology degree doesn’t qualify you to do anything expect study further. You get to the point where your CV is only geared to get you more clinical experience. What keeps me going though is that psychology is what I love and being a psychologist is all I want to do. I’d rather try and fail than to never try at all. If it doesn’t work out I can always say I gave it my best shot and I hope that the experience I’m gaining will help me get employment in a mental health arena.

Try and have a back-up plan. You may never need it but when you begin to doubt yourself and question your decision to pursue clinical it may give you some comfort.

Take care of yourself. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits. There is great talk about self-care and reflection in psychology but graduates are expected to go through a lot to get on clinical. Your mental health and well-being is worth more than any opportunity to get experience.

Whatever you do good luck to you! You have plenty of time to figure it out.

steoin

Humria wrote: »

The majority of people I've met going down this road have doubted themselves and their aims at one point or another. I think you are right to assess the situation before blindly jumping onto the clinical route. I'm going to tell you a few things I wish I had known before starting out, a few of them you may already know. I don't mean for this to sound pessimistic and others may give you a different viewpoint but this has been my experience.

It’s really difficult. I’ve met some very dedicated, intelligent and capable people who haven’t managed to get onto clinical. There just aren’t enough places for all the people who would make excellent psychologists. This makes it very competitive and some people get a bit carried away. I’ve experienced people hiding information and trying to impede the progress of others. Try to remember that even if that person who is working with you doesn’t get on, it doesn’t mean you will. I think you own attitude will benefit from being open with others. I’ve shared information and in return, colleagues and classmates have shared information with me. I’m not saying shout it from the rooftops but try keep some balance and perspective.

There was an announcement that the HSE are removing funding for clinical trainees.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0725/1224320762279.html
They have been threatening to do it before and it hasn’t materialised yet so it may not happen. There is a sizable risk it will though. In that case it will cost around €14,000 a year for the three years of clinical training in Ireland. The NHS still provide funding for trainees in the UK. Many of the courses there require knowledge of the NHS so that may involve working in the UK before applying.

If you are hoping to get experience in Ireland, paid employment is like gold dust. Many of the psychology related roles are now unpaid/voluntary positions. It is possible to survive financially while undertaking these positions. It’s just difficult in both a financial and mental sense. It would be a very interesting study to examine the effects of long-term voluntary employment in psychology because from what I’ve seen it takes its toll. The unpaid roles tend to be less structured and you may feel less valued because they didn’t have to invest financially in your employment. There is definitely the risk of exploitation. This hasn’t just been my experience; it’s been collective amongst many people I’ve spoken to.

My advice would be don’t take on anything voluntary for longer than six months at a time. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Getting onto clinical isn’t the end point, it’s the beginning. There is no point beginning training when you are mentally exhausted. If it takes you a bit longer to get on but your mental health is better for it then I think that’s a good exchange.

Join the Assistant Psychologist Google Group, many jobs and opportunities are posted there and the discussions often let you know how others about experiences in trying to apply for clinical.

To get on in Ireland at the moment you need a masters. If you decide to go down that route choose your route carefully. There are really fantastic applied courses in the UK and in Europe (there is a thread about courses in Leiden). It will make your CV a bit different from everyone else’s and may give you opportunities that Irish courses might not.

What I find most difficult about this route is the uncertainty. You see people graduating and progressing in their fields while you are working for free or for a small amount of money. You work for a few months here and a few there and you don’t know where you are going next. You put in a lot of time, effort and money and you have no guarantees. A psychology degree doesn’t qualify you to do anything expect study further. You get to the point where your CV is only geared to get you more clinical experience. What keeps me going though is that psychology is what I love and being a psychologist is all I want to do. I’d rather try and fail than to never try at all. If it doesn’t work out I can always say I gave it my best shot and I hope that the experience I’m gaining will help me get employment in a mental health arena.

Try and have a back-up plan. You may never need it but when you begin to doubt yourself and question your decision to pursue clinical it may give you some comfort.

Take care of yourself. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits. There is great talk about self-care and reflection in psychology but graduates are expected to go through a lot to get on clinical. Your mental health and well-being is worth more than any opportunity to get experience.

Whatever you do good luck to you! You have plenty of time to figure it out.

Thank you for the insight, eh thankfully I think social psychology is the route I find most appealing at the moment.