3 answers
Tylar
Student
Sumter, South Carolina
8
Questions
Asked
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What is the average work day of a Psychologist like?
How long do they work, and how´s the work place. Is it similar to a therapist´s job? #psychology #career #psychotherapy
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3 answers
Michael Henson
Retired
42
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Michael’s Answer
The profession of psychology has the built in freedom of choice! You can hang your shingle(start a private practice), do volunteer work, work in the federal government or as a state employee! You must choose this career with a complete open world view! The cases one may encounter has many challenges! As a psychologist, you are a mandated reporter! This means that a client or patient may divulge information that could cause a moral dilemma! If you understand your role completely you may have to make a decision that could place the person in the hands of the law! Understanding this and the value of your profession making the decision could affect ones conscience! This is just one instance in the field of psychology! Then there is the talk therapy, which could possibly change someone’s perspective in life. This could result in them realizing their problem and making a total transformation. The benefits would allow them to live a better, happier, peaceful and more productive life. Helping them to be a better member in their family and society as a whole! Choosing this profession based on a healthy positive attitude and a greater understanding of the education value needed to sustain yourself in the field will definitely result in a positive productive association with those you will be fortunate to assist. Always remember that the most important person in each session is the therapist which means you must take the greatest care of yourself mentally, physically, socially, spiritually and financially! Any absence of either of these can cloud one’s judgment and create a dangerous situation in the therapeutic environment!
Very thorough and detailed.
Suddhasattwa Das
Career Coach, Friend, Guide
38
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Suddhasattwa’s Answer
Hi Tylar,
Its a very noble career as doctors as the demand for Psychologist and psychotherapy are much in demand around the world.
Well this career is very demanding and people in love with this professional has to do a lot for themselves too, only then its a well balanced day and in a better shape to help others too.
I am sharing a typical workday here:
- Check your day's scheduled appointments
- Early morning Meditation and breathing practice (30-40 minutes) - keeps you centered and calm
- Then exercise bike, yoga followed by swimming/steam and healthy breakfast
- Once you reach office, go thru the old records of your today's patients as you need to sync with their emotions and assist them
- Start with your Psychotherapy sessions one by one, you will meet people with cases of short temper, poor social skills, anxiety disorder,
- You will help them in various interesting ways as cognitive-behavioral therapy, evidence based approaches and many other ways as you adopt to the situation of the patients, see them getting better and healthier mentally and physically
- Apart from seeing patients you will also have internal and external meetings, staff meeting, read/write emails, with your industry people, a seminar or group meeting. You have to do a lot of readings about whats going around in your domain in other parts of the world.
- Most importantly end of the day meet your Clinicians - discuss how the day went, good/bad, what can be better in coming days, etc
- Back to home, meet your family around, talk about your day and listen about their day, that helps you unwind and shake-off anything you might carry from work and also help your spouse to do the same. Talk to kids and spent a time thats totally distinct of your age and job and thats sets you free with loads of odd-things that you have heard the whole day. It will help you start afresh tomorrow.
Weekends an hour or two spend time on writing your papers, those will get published in monthly journals and websites, that will give you reach within and far of the city, you may start getting emails for online consultations too. Broaden your reach outside your city, country too. Get associated with national and global entities and board and be recognized too.
You will also have monthly and bi-annual meeting outside the city or country to showcase your work, read-outs, case study discusions etc.
Overall, you will never be bored of this noble career as a Psychologist.
Go for it and all the very best Tylar.
~ Suddho
Its a very noble career as doctors as the demand for Psychologist and psychotherapy are much in demand around the world.
Well this career is very demanding and people in love with this professional has to do a lot for themselves too, only then its a well balanced day and in a better shape to help others too.
I am sharing a typical workday here:
- Check your day's scheduled appointments
- Early morning Meditation and breathing practice (30-40 minutes) - keeps you centered and calm
- Then exercise bike, yoga followed by swimming/steam and healthy breakfast
- Once you reach office, go thru the old records of your today's patients as you need to sync with their emotions and assist them
- Start with your Psychotherapy sessions one by one, you will meet people with cases of short temper, poor social skills, anxiety disorder,
- You will help them in various interesting ways as cognitive-behavioral therapy, evidence based approaches and many other ways as you adopt to the situation of the patients, see them getting better and healthier mentally and physically
- Apart from seeing patients you will also have internal and external meetings, staff meeting, read/write emails, with your industry people, a seminar or group meeting. You have to do a lot of readings about whats going around in your domain in other parts of the world.
- Most importantly end of the day meet your Clinicians - discuss how the day went, good/bad, what can be better in coming days, etc
- Back to home, meet your family around, talk about your day and listen about their day, that helps you unwind and shake-off anything you might carry from work and also help your spouse to do the same. Talk to kids and spent a time thats totally distinct of your age and job and thats sets you free with loads of odd-things that you have heard the whole day. It will help you start afresh tomorrow.
Weekends an hour or two spend time on writing your papers, those will get published in monthly journals and websites, that will give you reach within and far of the city, you may start getting emails for online consultations too. Broaden your reach outside your city, country too. Get associated with national and global entities and board and be recognized too.
You will also have monthly and bi-annual meeting outside the city or country to showcase your work, read-outs, case study discusions etc.
Overall, you will never be bored of this noble career as a Psychologist.
Go for it and all the very best Tylar.
~ Suddho
Michael Russell
Clinical Neuropsychologist
26
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Michael’s Answer
There are at least 100,000 psychologists in the United States and so you can't say they all have the same sort of work day. In true private practice the demand tends to be later in the day and working into the early evening as many people want to see you after they get off work.
I am salaried, and very much like my schedule now where I work just 4 days a week at 10 hours a day to equal 40 hours-- that gives me a three day weekend every week. I come in at 8:00 and I leave at 6:00 Tuesday through Friday
I am salaried, and very much like my schedule now where I work just 4 days a week at 10 hours a day to equal 40 hours-- that gives me a three day weekend every week. I come in at 8:00 and I leave at 6:00 Tuesday through Friday