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Is being a Psychologist a enjoyable career?
The main thing I want to know is, is being a psychologist enjoyable? Other things that I also want to know is, is there anything that I should be aware of? #psychology
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Michael’s Answer
I find it rewarding; the trick is finding your niche or specialty that matches your personality and interest. You cultivate a reputation at being good at a thing and organically more and more of that business comes your way and you become successful. But psychology is much like practicing law; until you are established it can be difficult and challenging to make a living. There is a lot of competition now from a great many other professions.
super info in these answers.
i can add absolutely nothing that Carolyn and Michael have not already said. cheers and good luck to you Tyler.
Ron Warren
Dr. Carolyn Cowl-Witherspoon
Social Psychologist, Executive Director, Psychological Coach, Consultant
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Dr. Carolyn’s Answer
What great questions! Being a psychologist requires you to be a certain kind of person. If you are highly sensitive and internalize things that happen to others, then you may find it more difficult to pursue psychology as a career. However, if you're going into a field of psychology that doesn't require psychotherapeutic interactions, then that may not be an issue that you need to consider. But if you're interested in going into clinical work where you help others, then it's important that you have a personality that allows you to care about your clients, but not let the issues that your clients might be facing overwhelm you. Many psychologists experience something called vicarious trauma because they're so affected by what their clients might be going through. So self-care is an essential component of being a psychologist if you work with helping others.
But there are many ways you can be a psychologist and not have to do therapy work. If you enjoy research, you can be a research psychologist. If you enjoy working with businesses to help them optimize their employees' happiness and company productivity and efficiency, then you can be an industrial/organizational psychologist. If you enjoy helping others get healthy and fit, then you might enjoy being a health psychologist. if you enjoy understanding what motivates human behavior, either individually or collectively, and if you're intrigued by how society functions and what role social groups play in everything we think and do, you may enjoy being a social psychologist. These are only a few examples of career paths you can take with degrees in psychology.
One important thing to consider is how long you're willing to go to school. Any career that involves therapy work requires licensure, which requires at least a master's degree, and thousands of hours of supervised training and internship before you can even sit for licensure exams. It's a lot of time commitment, but its purpose is very important. Obtaining licensure certifies that you have completed all the requirements necessary to be competent and capable in your role as a helping professional. If you're not interested in doing therapeutic work, then obtaining a bachelor's degree in psychology can open up a lot of entry-level career options for you. And, if you really enjoy school and want to achieve the highest levels of learning and skills in the field of psychology, then you should consider getting a doctorate (Ph.D.). A Ph.D. in psychology is a tremendous achievement, since less than 1% of the world's population has achieved that distinction. I tell everyone that getting a doctorate requires one thing, and one thing only – tenacity. If you have the ability to push forward, despite challenges and difficulties, then you will make it through and complete a doctorate. Having a doctorate is the highest degree you can get in the field of psychology, and depending on what your specialization is, you can literally do almost anything.
It is very challenging to build a therapeutic career, and very expensive to obtain licensure. It is an expensive career path, and you have to really want it to succeed at it. Also, you have to be able to take feedback, criticism, and suggestions effectively from professors, colleagues, supervisors, clinical directors, and peers. If you're very sensitive to receiving feedback, then this may not be a career path for you. Despite all that, I would recommend psychology to anyone. Good luck!
But there are many ways you can be a psychologist and not have to do therapy work. If you enjoy research, you can be a research psychologist. If you enjoy working with businesses to help them optimize their employees' happiness and company productivity and efficiency, then you can be an industrial/organizational psychologist. If you enjoy helping others get healthy and fit, then you might enjoy being a health psychologist. if you enjoy understanding what motivates human behavior, either individually or collectively, and if you're intrigued by how society functions and what role social groups play in everything we think and do, you may enjoy being a social psychologist. These are only a few examples of career paths you can take with degrees in psychology.
One important thing to consider is how long you're willing to go to school. Any career that involves therapy work requires licensure, which requires at least a master's degree, and thousands of hours of supervised training and internship before you can even sit for licensure exams. It's a lot of time commitment, but its purpose is very important. Obtaining licensure certifies that you have completed all the requirements necessary to be competent and capable in your role as a helping professional. If you're not interested in doing therapeutic work, then obtaining a bachelor's degree in psychology can open up a lot of entry-level career options for you. And, if you really enjoy school and want to achieve the highest levels of learning and skills in the field of psychology, then you should consider getting a doctorate (Ph.D.). A Ph.D. in psychology is a tremendous achievement, since less than 1% of the world's population has achieved that distinction. I tell everyone that getting a doctorate requires one thing, and one thing only – tenacity. If you have the ability to push forward, despite challenges and difficulties, then you will make it through and complete a doctorate. Having a doctorate is the highest degree you can get in the field of psychology, and depending on what your specialization is, you can literally do almost anything.
It is very challenging to build a therapeutic career, and very expensive to obtain licensure. It is an expensive career path, and you have to really want it to succeed at it. Also, you have to be able to take feedback, criticism, and suggestions effectively from professors, colleagues, supervisors, clinical directors, and peers. If you're very sensitive to receiving feedback, then this may not be a career path for you. Despite all that, I would recommend psychology to anyone. Good luck!
super info in these answers.
i can add absolutely nothing that Carolyn and Michael have not already said. cheers and good luck to you Tyler.
Ron Warren