What I Have Learned as a Psychology Student and Professional

by Karen Stafford

The new year is a good time to reflect on the road we have travelled and what we have learned. I’m a psychologist working with inpatients, as part of a multi-disciplinary mental health team. I completed my undergraduate studies at UNE, chipping away part-time while working and raising a family, then went on to postgraduate study. I’d like to offer a few ideas that I have come to appreciate along the way.

Get Peer Support

Both as a student, and as a clinician, I have found peer support essential. There is a good reason that peer supervision is required for continued registration as a psychologist! When I was studying, talking with other students was a great way of clarifying concepts, analysing assessment tasks, testing each other’s learning, finding out about resources and opportunities, and getting emotional support from someone who understands! Some ways of doing this might include Moodle, facebook or messenger, zoom meetings, phone or email, or meeting up with students in your area. One of my best friends is someone I met years ago while we were studying at UNE! I also have great relationships with the other members of the team in which I work, and feel very grateful for that support.

Consider Multiple Pathways

Remember that there are many pathways for psychology students, such as clinical work, research, health promotion, project management and government or organisational roles. I took it one semester at a time, trying to get the best grades I could to keep my options open, but really just focusing on each step. Even if you have well-defined goals, your path may change for practical reasons or because your interests shift. Be open to that. If you want to pursue clinical work, remember that you can do postgraduate study in other health-related disciplines. I work in a team with social workers, occupational therapists, counsellors, dietitians, nurses and medical professionals. I really value the different perspectives that each discipline brings.

Gain Practical Experience

If possible, it’s great to get some practical experience, through paid or voluntary roles. I volunteered as a Crisis Supporter for Lifeline and worked as a research assistant at university and a project officer in health. You could try supporting children or people with disabilities, volunteering at community events, or working part-time as an assistant or administrator in a relevant service. This activity demonstrates commitment, can give you transferable knowledge or skills, and shows your capacity to work with people. I believe my experience helped me get into a clinical psychology masters program. From there, my placements and early career roles helped me build more experience. I have been able to try a few different things until I found a role that was a good fit for me personally.

Attain Work-Life Balance

We all know this is important, but I have learned that I really need to set firm boundaries around this and schedule things in. This approach will look different for everyone. For me, it is having some down time in nature, going for a walk, engaging in a hobby that has nothing to do with psychology, or spending time with friends. It is also important to attend to the foundations of wellbeing, such as sleep, exercise and nutrition. I’m better at some times than others at getting that balance right, like most of us. It can seem difficult to make time for work-life balance when we are really busy, but actually that is the time we need it most! Many of the clients I see have lost their way in terms of their life balance and daily routines, and this is often where we start the journey back to wellbeing.

Stand Up To Challenges

Something I have learned from practical experience is that our roles are often both rewarding and challenging, whether we work in clinical, research or other settings. There may be difficulties with funding, staffing, reporting and organisational processes. In clinical work, people may present with complex multi-factorial issues that do not lend themselves to a straightforward intervention. Sometimes when people are unwell, they may be unable or unwilling to engage in the therapeutic options we offer. In some services, we have limited time to work with people but there can be high expectations from the person and others involved in their care. Navigating such challenges successfully does require that we pay attention to our own wellbeing, support and work-life balance.

Seek Professional Support
 
As a student or a professional, we can seek support when needed. Some of the best clinicians I know have had their own therapy. In fact, in some countries and in some types of therapy training, engaging in one’s own therapy is mandatory. As psychological scientists and practitioners, we are not immune to the health issues and personal challenges that anyone can face, and we may have additional study or work stressors.

Use Your Lived Experience

Having lived experience of mental health issues can help us to have more empathy for others and strengthen our interest in psychology. We don’t have to disclose our personal journey to others, but we can choose to manage our own wellbeing in an effective and professional manner and be supportive of our colleagues.

Photo by Julia Khusainova on Unsplash