| |
"Clever!" said Eeyore scornfully,
putting a foot heavily on his three sticks. "Education!" said Eeyore
bitterly, jumping on his six sticks.
"What is Learning?" asked Eeyore as he kicked his twelve sticks in the
air. "A thing Rabbit knows! Ha!"
© A.A. Milne
I've received a number of questions
from high school and college students about what they can do NOW to
prepare for a future career as a Child Psychologist. I created this
page hoping to answer some of those questions.
FAQ's
Psychology is not an easy career
path. The work is often very rewarding, it can also be emotionally exhausting.
These are some of the most asked questions I get from high school and
college students interested in the field of (child) psychology.
What is
the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
What kind
of education do I need?
How long does
it take to become a psychologist?
What can
I do now to prepare myself to become a psychologist?
What do child
psychologists actually do?
What kind
of hours do psychologists work?
How much
money do psychologists make?
I've got
lots problems, does that mean I can't be a good psychologist?
Can you
recomment some books I can read about a career in psychology?
What is the difference between a psychologist and
a psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor.
Because of HMO and insurance billing, most psychiatrists are limited
to doing evaluations and medication checks, not psychotherapy.
A psycholgist has a doctorate in psychology and cannot write prescriptions.
Psychologists do therapy, testing, evaluations, research etc. They usually
work in hospitals, schools or private practice.
back to the top
What kind of education
do I need?
How long does it take to become a psychologist?
A bachelor degree in psychology
or a related field takes 4 years full time to complete. Obtaining a
master degree usually takes 2 years full time. A doctorate degree takes
up to five years after that, including internships and writing a dissertation.
In most states you need a doctorate to practice independently as a psychologist.
back to the top
What can I do now to prepare myself to become a psychologist?
Get to know about "normal" child development.
You can do this by babysitting,
working in a day care or camp, helping out a relative. Get to know children
from birth on up. This will help you a LOT when you get to school because
you'll have practical knowledge about the things you're studying. You
have to know about normal child development before you can really understand
about "abnormal" development and I think learning about it hands on
is a lot more fun, practical and effective.
Get to know some professionals. There
are many different career paths you can take if you want to work with
children. Some of these are psychologist, social worker, counselor,
teacher, doctor and nurse. In some states you can become a therapeutic
aide (where you'll assist a professional in a group setting) with a
bachelor's degree. Counselors and social workers can often become therapists
with a masters degree. Psychologists usually need a doctorate to become
private practitioners, although licensing and insurance payment does
vary by state.
Volunteer, Volunteer, Volunteer. College
and graduate school admissions love volunteerism, especially in your
chosen field. Hospitals and schools provide great opportunities as well
as other community programs. I learned a lot as a Big Sister volunteer
and eventually was hired by the organization while I was deciding what
study in grad school. You'll also get a taste of what to expect in your
future career.
READ. The
further you go with your education, the more you'll be required to read
for your classes. The most helpful things I've read have been books
I've read outside the classroom.
Start your library now. I
also spent a lot of time in book stores in the children's section. I
started my library of kids books long before
I actually started working. Some of the first books I purchased are
the ones I've used the most with my clients (you'll also save money
buying books one or two at a time). I also read some books written for
teenagers this helped me understand what was
available to my adolescent clients. I was also able to make a book list
for them. Bibliotherapy is quite helpful to some clients.
Chose your electives wisely. Every
class you take in college is an opportunity to prepare for your career,
even if it means a little more work or a little less fun (a child care
class vs. archery for example).
back to the top
What do child psychologists
actually do?
Psychologists work in a variety
of settings including private practice, hospitals, schools and within
the justice system. They do therapy, testing, evaluation, consultation,
teaching, research , depending on where they work and their specific
job requirements. I don't think there's any such thing as a "typical"
day for a psychologist because the types of jobs and people vary so
much.
Entry
Level Positions for psychology majors
back to the top
What kind of hours do
psychologists work?
The hours are usually long, especially
for therapists who often have to work nights and weekends because that
is when patients are available to come in for sessions.
back to the top
How much money do
psychologists make?
Psychologists can make a good
salary working a lot of hours, this career is definitely NOT
one to get into for the money as the burnout rate is very high. I can't
really answer the question of how much money a psychologist makes because
that depends on the area where you live and also on the type of setting
and the hours you work. For instance, a therapist in private practice
is generally paid by insurance companies so they can make as much money
clients they chose to see. Unfortunately, one doesn't get paid when
clients don't show up for appointments, so there can be a lot of down
time (which means hours you're not getting paid).
back to the top
I've got lots problems,
does that mean I can't be a good psychologist?
Work out your issues before you
get into the field. This is perhaps the most important thing I can tell
people. Some people want to become therapists to figure themselves out
and to seek deeper self awareness, but you really need to know who you
are and have a good handle on your own issues so they don't interfere
with your work. I don't mean you have to have all your problems worked
out before you start your education, but you should have a handle on
what you need to work on within yourself. This doesn't mean you won't
be a good therapist if you've had problems. The best psychologists I
know have been in therapy at some point in their lives. Recognizing
a need for therapy, is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of good judgment.
A therapists' unaddressed issues almost always interfere with their
work with clients.
back to the top
Can you recommend
some books I can read about a career in psychology?
A Career in Clinical Psychology : From Training to Employment by
Robert Henley Woody, Malcolm Higgins Robertson
Opportunities in Psychology Careers
by Charles M. Super, PhD and Donald E. Super, PhD
Career Paths in Psychology : Where Your Degree Can Take You by
Robert J. Sternberg
Getting in : A Step-By-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School
in Psychology
Great Jobs for Psychology Majors
by Julie Degalan
Preparing for Graduate Study in Psychology:101 Questions and Answers
by William Buskist, Thomas R.
Sherburne
Insider's
Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology, 2000/2001
Edition by Tracy J. Mayne,
John G. Norcross, Michael A. Sayette
Graduate Study in Psychology 1998-1999 : With 1999 Addendum
People always ask me for other pages
similar to mine. When I come across one I'll put it here.
World Wide Health
|
|