To anyone who reads my posts (likely no-body),
Lately, I have been so back and forth on whether I would like to be/be better suited for a career as a clinical psychologist or as a counseling psychologist. I know the differences between the two options (If you don't know what they are feel free to ask below), but I keep getting different advice as to which one I am interested in.
God bless my professors hearts, but they are confusing me more than they are helping. When I tell them exactly what I'm interested in, they give me completely different answers. This is probably due to their preference toward their own specialties and degrees, but I'm not really sure where to get a valid answer (No, Google doesn't help. In fact, the amount of people who have no idea what they are talking about are beyond numerous).
This is what I tell them (In short form):
I'm interested in the following:
Helping-- Adolescents, adults, and couples;
With--- Depression (Clinical), Anxiety(Clinical), and Family/Marital Problems (Counseling);
By-- Psychotherapy treatment (and other treatment options);
In--- Schools and Private Practice
They either hear that I would like to counsel people, or that I would like to focus on people with more clinical based problems.
I wish there was a simple answer. But with so many different branches in psychology, it gets very confusing.
That being said, if anyone would like to comment on this, or ask any questions.. I'll be happy to respond.
Thank you for reading,
Angela
Angela, I know how you feel. I completely abandoned by psychology degree because I couldn't make a choice. I plan on going back (this september hopefully) but I still don't know what I want to do.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I used to think I wanted to go with Clinical, but now I myself am seeing a Clinical Psychologist and it made me realize that it isn't what I want to do. However, on the other hand, I always felt that I would make a horrible Counselor because I am the type of person who often carries other peoples problems on my shoulders. If I were dealing with marital issues, or out of control teenagers, I think I would drive myself insane after work each day.
My person interest lays in "Neuro-Psychology". I desperately want to work with individuals suffering from schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder, just to name a few. The movie "A Beautiful Mind" lead me to that decision. It still amazes me that such psychological orders exist, and I'd love to spend my life learning more and more about them.
I think that you need your "ah ha" moment. That is what happened to me while watching that movie. It was like, all of a sudden, I knew what I wanted to do. One possible option it taking a year off between undergrad and gradschool, and finding an internship with both kinds of psychologists. Getting in there and seeing what they do first hand would probably be the best way to make a fully informed decision.
Well, those are my two cents (more like 10 cents hahaha)
I wish you all the best!! And I also share your love for psychology. It is my second biggest passion (second to writing).
-Andrea
Thanks for your reply love! I know what I want to do, it is which degree to pursue that confuses me.. but that is kind of my own fault for being interested in aspects for both. Both are very similar and that is why it is hard to make a clear cut distinction for my Graduate degree.
DeleteAnd that is really cool that you found that ah hah moment by watching a movie! Are you interested in working with people with these disorders, or researching the disorders them selves? Because Assessing and treating people with those disorders is actually clinical :)
Also, interning is a great idea, but I'm not so sure it is allowed due to patient confidentiality and insurance and that.. but I am volunteering at the Hilsborough Hospital in the mean time!