Careers in psychology are extensive, and they draw different attributions and relations. Throughout the course, different psychology careers, their requirements, and practice have been analyzed. Due to various reasons, motivations, and other supporting ideas, people venture into different psychology careers. Based on the extensive analysis, career exploration, and assessments in the past week, I have decided to launch into clinical psychology fully. My ability to quickly build rapport with others and empathetically relate, and my inherent interest in counselling correctly align with this career. Besides, I am motivated by mental health and helping others cope with their well-being and improve their quality of life. Pursuing a field in counselling as a clinical psychologist would help me help others while optimally combining my values, passions, and strengths.
I seek to base my practice and executions on helping adolescents and young adults cope with various psychological issues. Establishing my craft in this subfield would be fundamental in optimally and exhaustively meeting the unique needs of this demographic. Besides, I have always had good relations and interactions with this demographic. I mainly decided to work with individuals from this population because the age bracket identifies with complex challenges that affect their average growth, development, and relations. Scholars like Bell et al. (2020) agree that teenagers and young adults represent one of the most confusing periods in human life as they relate to diverse psychological and developmental issues. I draw a personal inspiration to fully help this demographic approach their subjects with how I struggled with mental problems in my mid and late teens. At this time, I had extensive problems facing change, forging and maintaining relationships, and optimizing my emotional well-being. Because of the totality of the issues I met at this age, I am motivated to help the subjects with practicality and professional experience through personal inference. Through evidence-based counselling, I hope that the young population will gain self-awareness, practically relate to complex situations and emotions, enjoy improved relationships, and generally access progress in their lives.
Another important area of motivation was the relevance of the insights gained from the interview with Dr. Allison C. Smith, an experienced clinical psychologist with expansive career experience in his practice that spans more than 15 years. In this interview, I learned of the exciting opportunities and details of clinical psychology that further solidified my interest in the field. Dr. Smith’s exposure explored the mix of assessment, therapy, and consultative work involved, which aligns with my skills and preferences. Furthermore, the interview emphasized the need to relate flexibly with the work environment and relate with the client population. This detail resonated with my desire for a psychology practice that relies on evolving passions. The totality of the interview insight, individual motivations, and the desire to improve the mental health and well-being of different populations fuels my core inspiration to be a successful clinical psychologist.
Part II: Literature Review
The psychology field is continuously evolving and is marked by extensive progress and advancements. Scholars like Bell et al. (2020) feel that clinical psychology, like other subfields, is getting more sensitive, complex, and detailed. According to Sciutto et al., preparing for a successful and practical career in clinical psychology is associated with extensive requirements, among them being education and training. The study further confirms that a doctoral degree is the minimum requirement to attain state licensure to practice or access career opportunities in clinical psychology. Additionally, the study asserts that one needs to have the core curriculum basics of assessment, psychotherapy theory and methods, research methodology, and ethical issues. Also, hands-on practicals supplement the coursework, making clinical psychologists better equipped and prepared for career exploits. Overall, a career in clinical psychology, according to this source, takes an average of 4-7 years.
As Bell et al. (2020) note, the current global situation emancipates the need for progressive insights into clinical psychology. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a profound effect on the demand and regard for mental health and psychological resources. The pandemic affected how clients relate to mental health resources and highlighted the need to adjust to new developments that would make the practice more accessible and more efficient. During this era, Stoll et al. (2020) note that telehealth and online therapy increased, triggering an associated rise in the training and delivery of remote psychological services.
However, scholars agree that this area still requires extensive input in ethical and legal implications to optimally meet the patients’ issues without compromising their safety or security. Among the most discussed elements of this input is the need to exhaustively account for ethical issues around obtaining informed consent, protecting client privacy, and more in the online context (Stoll et al., 2020). Other scholars like Gee et al. (2022) present that it is necessary to maintain and subscribe to the highest standards of supervision and investing in technology-assisted methods. Overall, the increased access to equitable and sufficient mental healthcare uniquely positions clinical psychologists as vital figures in supporting marginalized patient populations.
The future of clinical psychology heavily relies on the need for the effective integration of personalized, data-driven assessments and interventions that will shape clinical psychology training. Gee et al. (2022) call for the urgency to restructure the programs and focus more on the analysis of large datasets to execute client care and develop new treatments versus time-intensive manualized therapies. The studies agree that big data analytics can be used to extensively equip clinical psychologists to use evidence and client-based care approaches in their practice. However, further interdisciplinary integration of data between clinical psychology and other fields is necessary to achieve the highest standards of care.
Clinical psychology, like other areas in client mental health, is riddled with several challenges. Scholarly evidence suggests that the development and evolution of clinical psychology are related to the ensuing challenges, opportunities, and products in the broader context of healthcare practice. Issues within and outside the course, like staffing, cultural diversity, sociocultural differences, and cost-related complexities, should be adequately addressed to reach an optimally functioning career.
Part II: Clinical Psychology Educational Training and Roadmap
There are different state requirements for pursuing a career in clinical psychology. However, it is generally required that one must complete a PhD or PsyD in counselling psychology or clinical psychology with coursework aligned to content domains enumerated by the licensing board. Besides, it is necessary to accrue 300- hours of supervised post-graduate clinical experience alongside passing the professional practice exam. Finally, licensure requires background checks for professional conduct and criminal history. However, I will need to subscribe to continually and exhibit comprehension and mastery of various education credits to illustrate ongoing competence.
To earn my qualification as a clinical psychologist, I will be required to do a PhD in clinical psychology, including the execution of activities like dissertation research, practicum training, and the associated pre-doctoral internship. I will then have to complete a 2-year post-doctoral residency to accrue 3000 hours of supervised clinical experience. Next, I will attempt the professional practice examination before applying for state clinical psychology licensure. After this, I will seek employment as a licensed clinical psychologist before advancing my studies to earn the skills for a managerial role. However, I will have to maintain my licensure and permission to practice through continuing education and ethical practice.
In conclusion, this analysis evaluates the details of successfully attaining the qualifications in clinical psychology through a personal, professional, and academic viewpoint. This outlay will help position me in the right trajectory to meet the requirements and capabilities of optimal clinical psychology experience. While there are various challenges, as highlighted, I am motivated to acquire the necessary skills, experience, and practicability to serve clients and meaningfully impact lives in this profession competently. I seek to continually expand my knowledge and skills in this field through commitment, passion, evidence-based care, and client-centred approaches.
References
Bell, C. A., Crabtree, S. A., Hall, E. L., & Sandage, S. J. (2020). Research in counselling and Psychotherapy Post‐COVID‐19. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 21(1), 3–7. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12334
Gee, D. G., DeYoung, K. A., McLaughlin, K. A., Tillman, R. M., Barch, D. M., Forbes, E. E., Krueger, R. F., Strauman, T. J., Weierich, M. R., & Shackman, A. J. (2022). Training the next generation of Clinical Psychological Scientists: A Data-Driven Call to Action. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 18(1), 43–70. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-092500
Sciutto, M. J. (2015). Clinical and counselling psychology. In D. S. Dunn (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Undergraduate Psychology Education (pp. 439–452). Oxford University Press.
Stoll, J., Müller, J. A., & Trachsel, M. (2020). Ethical Issues in Online Psychotherapy: A Narrative Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00993
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