Okay, so I’ve been thinking a lot about psychology lately, and I decided to really dive in and see what it would take to make a career out of it. I’m documenting my whole journey here, from figuring out the schooling to actually landing a job.
Starting with Some Serious Research
First things first, I needed to figure out what kind of education I was even looking at. I started by just Googling “psychology degrees” and, wow, there’s a lot out there. I spent a good few days just reading through different university websites and program descriptions.
- Bachelor’s Degree: This seemed like the obvious starting point. I looked at different universities, compared their course offerings, and tried to get a feel for their overall vibe. I knew from that point that I wanted my major to be in this field.
- Master’s Degree: Okay, this is where it got a bit more complicated. I learned that to actually practice as a therapist or counselor, you usually need a master’s. So, I started looking at different specializations – clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology… it was a bit overwhelming!
- Doctorate (PhD or PsyD): This is the big one. I found out that if you want to do research or teach at a university level, you pretty much need a doctorate. There’s also the PsyD, which is more focused on clinical practice.
Digging for Some Experience
I thought it would be useful to get the experience I needed so I started reaching out to some places.
- I found a local mental health clinic and sent them an email, asking if I could volunteer or even just shadow someone for a few hours. To my surprise, they actually said yes!
- I also started reading books and articles about different areas of psychology. It helped me get a better sense of what I was actually interested in.
Making a Plan (and Sticking to It… Mostly)
After all that research and a bit of real-world experience, I felt like I had a better handle on things. I decided to:
- Focus on getting good grades in my bachelor’s program. I knew that getting into a good master’s program would be competitive, so I needed to step up my game.
- Keep volunteering at the clinic. The experience was invaluable, and it helped me confirm that I was on the right track.
- Start thinking about which master’s programs I wanted to apply to. I made a spreadsheet (yes, I’m that person) to keep track of deadlines, requirements, and potential specializations.
Actually Getting the Job
Networking. Networking. Network. Made some real connections during my studies and volunteering. Turns out, knowing people helps…a lot. These people gave me job recommendations and it was great!
- After some trial and error, I finally got a job that fit me best.
- I’m so glad I did this for myself.
It’s been a long and winding road, and I’m definitely still learning, but I’m excited to see where this psychology journey takes me. I’ll keep updating this as I go, so hopefully, it can help someone else who’s thinking about taking the plunge!
