Developmental Psych

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futurepsych20

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Hello i have searched through the threads and i noticed that no one has a post about developmental psychology.
is there anyone on here with a Phd in dev. psych?? Does anyone know of what type of jobs you can get etc?

i appreciate all advice, please tell me anything you can, again i am unable to find any useful info about it.

P.s. i currently attend a religous private school where i will be getting my bachelors in psychology. they also offer a masters in clinical psychology. there is a link on my college's website listing graduate students from the MS in clinical psych degree that moved onto doctorate programs. quite a few people went to get a phd or psyd from argosy university. the location is in tampa florida. anyone care to give any helpful advice?
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Developmental and clinical psychology are very different fields. If you get a doctoral degree in developmental psychology, you don't practice psychology--you teach and/or conduct research.

The description you have of the MS in clinical psych raises a few red flags for me. Argosy is not a well-respected program, so the fact that many graduates go on to there is not impressive. Also, the MS in clinical psych should allow people to get licensed as masters-level therapists. You don't need a doctoral degree to practice therapy. So, it seems odd that a lot of people from the program are choosing to go on and obtain a doctoral degree later. What do they feel they need to add on to their training? Sure, some students go the route of getting a masters first, but it's usually because they need to obtain research experience or otherwise boost their credentials for competitive doctoral programs. I don't think it would be worth it it pay for this program and then pay again for Argosy.
 
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Yeah I guess that makes sense thanks. So clinical and counseling psychology degrees are the only ones that can practice psychology? I suppose maybe school psych also? Since its APA accred.

The thing is I know someone with a phd in dev psych and she works in private practice?
 
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Well, "practice" is a broad term. School psych can practice in a sense, but what they do is vastly different than a clinical psychologist. What do you want to do. If that person you mentioned is licensed, she likely did a lot of extra work to gain the requisite clinical experience and hours to become so. Or, she's practicing without a license, which you can do, as long as you don't call yourself a psychologist.
 
Wisneuro, tbh idk if she is licensed. Well I know I want to be around ppl not just research ALL the time I am interested in teaching but not as much. Cuz again I want to work with ppl but I don't really want to do or learn therapy. That part of psychology I don't think is for me.
 
Then yeah, developmental or experimental would make sense. Although, your only route is academia, so the research all the time thing is kind of part and parcel for the job. I don't know what you mean about "working with people." Obviously not treating people because you don't want to do therapy.
 
I don't really want to treat people but I'm not sure i just really like helping others in any way but I guess I haven't really thought about how I can help. Especially if I get a phd in dev psych I won't be a psychologist and I want to be one...so now I just feel stuck
 
I think the term "psychologist" shouldn't just be restricted to mean that treat people. Well I guess there's no such thing as a 'developmental psychologist' I can't just wave my diploma around saying I studied this but oh I'm sorry I'm not a psychologist. A psychologist helps ppl I want to help ppl. But not with therapy like what most ppl do. I want to try to be different and branch out. I can't explain it. Hopefully you kinda understand my rambling
 
Well, the term psychologist should mean something in a license sense. The same way the term "physician" should mean something to a consumer needing medical help. It's a public safety issue.

As for helping people, I imagine the first thing you need to figure out is how you want to help people. If it's not by therapy/voc rehab/behavioral interventions/assessment, then it likely won't be as a psychologist. There's always life coaching.
 
People who don't have a degree in clinical or counseling psych can they do an internship to get specialized training in something then get licensed?
 
It's possible, some school psych people do it. But it is fairly difficult and you have a lot of extra hoops to jump through. Not a route I would suggest going. Better to just go the clinical/counseling route, get the overall research/clinical training and its additional flexibility, and then choose from a variety of careers that are available.
 
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I want to be able to help people mainly children with disabilities but with a degree in dev psych I won't be able to practice doing things to help from what I'm understanding
 
Honestly, if you want to help children with disabilities, but don't have an interest in therapy, why not just work as an attendant in a group home, or as a classroom aid, or a special ed teacher? There are lots of ways to help people outside of the roles of psychologists. Also, (bonus!) you don't have to go to school for nearly as long to do many of them. Developmental psychologists perform research to discover new concepts and develop theories. They help people by doing this, but are often not on the front lines.
 
Well helping ppl is more important to me than worrying about how I don't 'feel' like to do therapy but I want options. What do you all think about a masters in clinical psychology that way I can still help ppl :) AND a phd in maybe dev psych (or if anyone has any other options). So I can't still do research an teach on the side. But one thing with a masters in psych will I be a licensed psychologist? Cuz I noticed its not APA accred
 
futurepsych20 said:
But won't I be doing therapy?
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I am confused. Why do you want to help kids with disabilities and not do therapy? Therapy is about helping them. There are many other ways of helping them, too, so you have to a bit more specific what it is you would like to do to help them. Some examples of these: helping them through activities, helping them manage money or work, hewlping them access services, helping them to learn skills, etc.
 
maybe its because i dont really know what therapy is but i feel like yeah it helps people but it seems a little boring
 
futurepsych20 said:
Well helping ppl is more important to me than worrying about how I don't 'feel' like to do therapy but I want options. What do you all think about a masters in clinical psychology that way I can still help ppl :) AND a phd in maybe dev psych (or if anyone has any other options). So I can't still do research an teach on the side. But one thing with a masters in psych will I be a licensed psychologist? Cuz I noticed its not APA accred
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1. To be licensed as a psychologist it requires doctoral training (classes, practicum, supervision, internship, etc). Doing a licensable MS and then non-licensable Ph.D. would be a poor use of time and limit the person to practicing at the masters level, not the doctoral level.
2. A developmental psychologist is an academic/professor who does teaches and/or does research in the area of developmental psychology. S/he is not licensed and does not provide direct clinical services (e.g. therapy, clinical assessment, etc) to people.
3. A clinical psychologist can be an academic/professor who teaches and conducts research, though the majority of clinical psychologists provide at least some portion of clinical services and aren't strictly academics.
4. "Helping" people can mean many things to many different people, so it is important to figure out what it means to you. Once you know that, then you can figure out which path best meets your goal(s).
 
well now im clueless lol...
helping ppl to me means i can do something life changing to ppl/a person. making a difference...an impact i hope that still wasnt very vague. anyone open to suggestions cuz i cant think of anything. ive had this problem for awhile now actually
 
other than therapy, research and teaching what else can psychologists do?
 
futurepsych20 said:
well now im clueless lol...
helping ppl to me means i can do something life changing to ppl/a person. making a difference...an impact i hope that still wasnt very vague. anyone open to suggestions cuz i cant think of anything. ive had this problem for awhile now actually
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That's what I strive to do every day. I rarely find psychotherapy sessions boring and mainly because I tend to work more with kids so it often involves play. Getting paid 6 figures to play with kids? Not a bad job if you ask me. :D
 
smalltownpsych said:
That's what I strive to do every day. I rarely find psychotherapy sessions boring and mainly because I tend to work more with kids so it often involves play. Getting paid 6 figures to play with kids? Not a bad job if you ask me. :D
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Do you mind describing what you do/what the sessions are like? And what degree you have?
 
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD). I work for a hospital providing a variety of services, but am primarily responsible for outpatient psychotherapy. I also do a variety of assessments, mainly cognitive functioning. A session with an adolescent involves allowing them to talk about their lives and generally involves their learning and developing emotional regulation and interpersonal skills. It is very similar with smaller kids, but we learn those skills through interactive play since cognitive processing through verbal channels is less effective.
 
:clap: that sounds fun im just afraid i wont get into the program, clinical psych is the most competitive.
 
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