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Calling All Psychologists and Counselors ... - 7/22/2010 2:40:44 AM
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rgod
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For a while now (about 7 years) I've been really feeling led to study psychology. I've always felt gifted at it; even now people often tell me their problems and issues - even when I don't know them. It is the one topic that I'm interested in and have always been interested in. I'm working as a writer right now and while I will always write - I would like to write about psychological topics.
I'd like to apply this winter to begin next fall. But there are a few things that give me pause. If you are a psychologist or counselor, I'd love to hear your feedback on these issues.
1. Because my heart is somewhat soft, I am concerned about feeling overwhelmed by all of the neediness. Is this something you deal with?
2. How often do you have to deal with anger? How do you recover quickly so that you can see the next client?
3. How do you keep from getting frustrated if someone is making no progress?
Also
1. What field of psychology did you study and what kind of position are you in now?
2. I'm really drawn to some of the non-counseling/non-clinical fields - such as education psychology, learning psychology, and developmental psychology but am very concerned about finding a job in those fields should I pursue them. Of course, if God said to do that, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
3. On the other hand, counseling psychology could be quite rewarding I think. For counseling psychologists, what are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your job?
Thanks for the information. Any other advice that you can give is much appreciated.
_____________________________
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken - Oscar Wilde
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RE: Calling All Psychologists and Counselors ... - 7/22/2010 12:09:54 PM
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kasey9fan
Posts: 77
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From: The 9x13 pan the middle of the USA
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I'm not a psychologist (yet) but I am currently studying and I am in my second year. Originally I was hoping to go into social work and still will, but with my current schedule I am going to get my BA in Psychology and then my MSW in Social Welfare. After my husband returned from Iraq and was diagnosed with PTSD, I started noticing that I seemed to attact veterans and others with PTSD- husband, father, neighbor, other family members. Therefore, I felt lead to work with veterans and their family members.
One piece of advice I can give is that there is a LOT to learn with the psychology field. Thankfully, I had an instructor that challenged me and encouraged me. There is an immense amount of terminology, history, and even some biology involved in learning psychology. One other thing that is necessary is statistics. I am not good at math and I am not looking forward to this class- it's going to be awhile before I get to it. From what I understand (at least in Kansas), you need to have a master's to be able to do counseling/ clinical work.
I hope this helped some.
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RE: Calling All Psychologists and Counselors ... - 7/22/2010 11:22:34 PM
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rgod
Posts: 2376
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kasey9fan - yes this helped tremendously. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have a couple of questions for you ...
I'm curious as to why you decided to go with the MSW - is it because it is a much more flexible degree? Also, my undergrad background is not in psychology. A few years back, I went back to undergrad and took some psychology courses, but I'm concerned about making sure I have adequate preparation and might need to take one or two more.
In terms of stats courses, I'm not that great in it either, but had teachers who were pretty lenient. I've taken stats twice (general and for the behavioral sciences) and got an A each time. I also have been involved in some research although I think that my graduate course in research (in neuroscience) I didn't do well (I got a C). I allowed myself to get stressed out about some other things and it reflected in my grade, unfortunately.
I'm curious also, how did you prepare - did you do any clinical or counseling work (like manning a crisis hotline or something like that) before you applied for the MSW? I can apply for 2011, but could be better positioned if I wait for 2012 because I could take the time to do a bit more. Plus it would give me a breather (I'm finishing up with a master's degree in digital media ... long story, but the program changed after I got in so it was no longer a good fit - then as I was there I realized that I really wanted to pursue psychology - I'm just finishing it up so that it will be completed. I figure if I ever teach, it would also give me some flexibility.)
Anyway, any other advice you can give me would be helpful.
_____________________________
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken - Oscar Wilde
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RE: Calling All Psychologists and Counselors ... - 7/23/2010 2:22:07 PM
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Lea_3
Posts: 241
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I anticipate the issues I will mention are going to be brought up, so why not be the first to dive in 
I want to commend you on going into the field; I myself would like to continue my studies to get a Ph.D. later on. I too feel a calling into the field and also have a gift for listening and compassion (at least, what people tell me). Now to the nitty gritty.
As a Christian, we are always mindful of the not-so-great influences which are present in our fields of study and work, or the not-so-great origins of our fields of study and work. I know that the issues of mental health tend to be a hot-button topic for Christians because there are schools of thought which can be interpreted and viewed as anti-Christian, but then again that can happen anywhere. The origins of psychology and counseling haven't been Christian and it's our job as Christians to be critical about what will and won't go against our beliefs and what is and isn't appropriate to be counseling in accordance to Christian thought. I don't want to scare you here! I am simply putting a "be mindful of this" sticker out there. And also, I've had my fair share of nay-sayers and warnings because of these issues.
You'll hear people say that psychology is anti-Christian because there are origins in Freud, Jung, and Maslow who were not Christians and oftentimes prescribed things which would be seen as anti-Christian. You'll also hear of how psychology and counseling are anti-Christian because of the advice that's given; I often hear from Christian married couples that they don't want to go to counseling because they're afraid the first thing they'll be told is to get a divorce immediately. You'll also hear of how psychology teaches people that they aren't responsible for their own thoughts and behaviors, when the *real* trouble is sin, and that person needs to be told of their awful sin (using a bit of sarcasm here). While sin is the root of problems, people need their issues dealt with objectively and within the context of their situations, and be taught that they *are* responsible for their own behaviors and thoughts, and need to do things which are healthier. You'll hear that argument a lot from "Biblical counselors." Don't get me started on them 
Nonetheless, I think if this is something you've had a calling for in a while, go for it. I believe the Bible says if God has given you gifts, you need to reap them and use them to the benefit of others. I think the best way to get a feel of what you might be interested in is to volunteer-- do you want to work with children, or adults? Do you feel a pull toward a particular population, such as vets, special-needs people, etc.? It's all about pinpointing what you're interested in.
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RE: Calling All Psychologists and Counselors ... - 7/23/2010 11:56:30 PM
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rgod
Posts: 2376
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Lea 3,
Thank you so much for the post. I have heard lots of Christian hate for psychology. While I understand where some of it is coming from, I also recognize where it can be helpful. With my own experiences in the past and also in ministering to different people over the years, I'm seeing that we are truly complex beings. There are some problems that we face that would be solved if we take personal responsibility and if we align our thinking with the Word of God. I've also seen times where the issue is a spiritual cause and that deliverance is truly needed. And there are times when I believe that psychology can be helpful as well. A case in point is the christian who prays regularly, reads the bible, goes to church, truly believes Christ. Yet they turn things around in their minds so that they interpret things in ways that no one else would. Consider the person who believes that the televangelist wants to marry THEM because they said "hi" to them once 3 years ago at a national conference. So they've rented the wedding hall, bought a wedding dress, but that other person doesn't even know they exist. Or the person who always feels rejected, no matter what. Or the person who has been sexually abused and they've never been able to sustain a healthy relationship. Psychologists can help these people - in conjunction with prayer and bible study. I am Charismatic and I can not tell you how many times I've seen healing and deliverance lines filled with people who want to get the same things "prayed off" or "broken off" of them year after year. They are riddled with guilt and think they don't have enough faith when in reality it is often because there is a deeper issue that, if the Lord led them to spend time working with a good psychologist, a breakthrough could possibly occur. I'm not knocking prayer, bible study, charismatic christianity or even deliverance. But some problems require a different approach or even a combination of approaches.
In terms of the population I'd like to deal with - I think I'd like to help adults. Working with children would be so hard and it would break my heart to see abused child after abused child. My background is very diverse in terms of ethnicity, cultural influences, family dynamics - so I believe that I can relate well to lots of different people. Mostly, women gravitate towards me - young, old, and in-between - all races and ethnicities. I'd prefer to work with people who need help with every day problems - but who are stuck in some way. But, it is possible that God might be calling me to work with people who have deeper problems.
Can you give me an idea of some places I might consider when it comes to looking for places to volunteer? I've been thinking about a crisis hotline or even taking a Stephens lay counseling course and maybe helping at church with people who have garden-variety problems - but I'm still investigating the issue.
Are there some aspects of your job as a counselor/psychologist that you didn't really anticipate when you first entered the field?
_____________________________
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken - Oscar Wilde
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RE: Calling All Psychologists and Counselors ... - 7/29/2010 2:15:21 AM
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Lea_3
Posts: 241
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Have you considered working in a group home at all? That's where I currently work.
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RE: Calling All Psychologists and Counselors ... - 7/29/2010 11:21:46 PM
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rgod
Posts: 2376
Joined: 4/25/2005
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That is something to consider. I guess I've overlooked it because from my understanding, a group home usually helps people who have very serious mental disabilities or very serious developmental challenges. I am thinking more about helping people who are dealing with things like: "I can't figure out what my career would be" or "I don't know why I feel lonely almost all of the time" or "I was abused when I was a kid and even though I'm now married, I'm experiencing difficulty with trust". I'm interested in helping people with these types of problems - rather than "I'm hearing voices tell me that I'm President Kennedy" or "I will remain at the mental age of 12 years old for the rest of my life and I need help in learning how to live my life."
To be honest, I'm on the fence with this in a lot of different ways. On one hand, I feel as though I have some of the natural skills to be a counselor, I believe I have a calling to do something in this field, and I most definitely have the interest. But on the other hand, I'm really concerned about being overwhelmed by people, constantly drained, or constantly frustrated. For example, I know someone who is incredibly needy and she has revealed to me that I am one of her few friends. I've seen her in several different settings and know that she has few friends because she talks about herself constantly and therefore is draining. I will prayerfully share this with her and also will make some practical suggestions about conversations, but she will need to pray and make decisions about what to do next. I feel that if she can apply this, she will have friends because she really is a very sweet lady. Now, this is just one person. I couldn't imagine seeing 15 more people like this over the course of a week - it would completely drain me.
Another thing that I've been contemplating is making a living writing about psychological topics and seeing a much smaller number of clients on the side. I'd still go to school, but my concern is how knowledgeably I could write about these topics if I have little experience - KWIM? But to me, this would be the best of both worlds - I could write and continue to create, learn, and teach, which I love and need to do. Yet, I could produce something that could possibly help many people - and I could help a smaller number of people. I just don't know if this is feasible though.
_____________________________
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken - Oscar Wilde
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