Clinical psychology realistic in 40s?

pink12

Hello,

I am considering a change in career to clinical or counselling psychology. I already have a psychology degree but particularly for clinical would need to gain alot of relevant experience and possibly also a masters. Is there an age barrier to this profession given that I would be in my 40s before gaining a place on the course?

JuliusCaesar

There absolutely shouldn't be! Just think of the life experience you bring! You should contact the courses directly.

Jimmy Bottlehead

It is worth bearing in mind that the oldest entrant from 2000-2009 was 47, so you'd be an outlier (O'Shea & Byrne, 2011). It's still worth going for though.

Phoenix Wright

OSI wrote: »

If anything it might help you, my wife interviewed for a related course last year and their only feedback was to tell her to come back when she was at least 30.

Is life experience viewed as being that important at postgraduate level? I am currently in my final year, but I always wondered whether it would I be treated differently if I returned to do a PhD in research at 30, as opposed to going straight into it.

The Black Oil

A guy I went to college with became an educational psychologist in his 50s. He had qualifications as long as your arm and was a teacher too, though.

My cousin wants to do clinical, but she's only 25 and is still in the 'early after college with a Masters, but not many other boxes ticked', stage.

pink12

I understand it's always worth a shot and equal opportunities in selection etc but I have received advice from a practicing clinical.psychologist that there are no guarantees of even eventually securing a course place as it's so competitive and she advised against a career change on that basis. Thoughts?

susmac

Unfortunately I have to agree that there are no guarantees, I am in my mid/late 30's with a BA and MSc in Psychology, plus a number of years of both voluntary and paid research assistant and assistant psychologist experience in clinical settings, and from 8 interviews over 3 years got offered one place (which I couldn't accept as couldn't afford to move the family to Dublin). It can be a long and disheartening road, particularly when you need to be earning. Having said that, I do know of people who got a place in a much shorter time, I think it really depends on how much you can/are willing to sacrifice or put on hold for it. It's such a pity that the Clinical Doctorate is the only funded one, and that in comparison to the UK there is such a limited scope for employment even with a degree and Masters.
Sorry if this sounds overly negative, but this is my experience atm unfortunately.

pink12

That's tough going susmac, what do you think you will do? I agree not too many plan B options either. Some go into social work/OT and work in a mental health capacity

Musefan

Go for it! There's such an unpredictability with Clinical. I'm in training and started in my early 20s, others are in their 30s etc, some turning 40!

YoungRogerian

If you already have a Psychology degree, you should be eligible for a MA in counselling psychology. A girl I did my Counselling Cert course with went on to do that as she had a psychology degree. Mind you she went to the UK to do it, so I wouldn't know your Irish options on that side of things. I wouldn't get too hooked on labels though. Plenty of Counselling and Psychotherapy courses out there that will probably be easier to work around your current job than a Counselling Psychology MA. I think sometimes people get very het up about the titles when they don't need to be. To a lay person looking for help, I really don't think it matters whether the title of the therapist is a Counsellor/ Psychotherapist, a clinical psychologist or a Counselling Psychologist. Since I started my studies back in 2013, I've generally been among the youngest and I'm now 34. I'm on a year out but before I took the break, I was the youngest in my Class two were older but close to my age, one was six years older and everyone else was well north o 40. Age is absolutely not an issue as this is usually a second or third career for people.

Jimmy Bottlehead

YoungRogerian wrote: »

If you already have a Psychology degree, you should be eligible for a MA in counselling psychology. A girl I did my Counselling Cert course with went on to do that as she had a psychology degree. Mind you she went to the UK to do it, so I wouldn't know your Irish options on that side of things. I wouldn't get too hooked on labels though. Plenty of Counselling and Psychotherapy courses out there that will probably be easier to work around your current job than a Counselling Psychology MA. I think sometimes people get very het up about the titles when they don't need to be. To a lay person looking for help, I really don't think it matters whether the title of the therapist is a Counsellor/ Psychotherapist, a clinical psychologist or a Counselling Psychologist. Since I started my studies back in 2013, I've generally been among the youngest and I'm now 34. I'm on a year out but before I took the break, I was the youngest in my Class two were older but close to my age, one was six years older and everyone else was well north o 40. Age is absolutely not an issue as this is usually a second or third career for people.

Counselling psychology has been a doctorate since about 2012. There's no longer an MA.

YoungRogerian

Fair enough.

SMCG

Hi Pink
I'm in this exact same dilemma right now. What have you decided to do?
I'm not sure I can commit to so many more years studying, yet I've always wanted to do Clinical Psychology only kids got in the way.