Are there any I/O Psychologists on here?

[golightning]

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So, today is the last day of class for my BS in Psychology. Over the past few years, I feel I have realized my strengths and weaknesses. Though I came out wanting to be a clinical psychologist, I know it isn't me. I literally had a year where I would not leave the house because I was worried about getting sick in public (I have celiac disease and have a bit of paranoia about contacting gluten away from restrooms lol.) I know being around the things of which psychologists in clinical settings experience will set my anxiety level off again. So, these past few months I have been thinking and IO Psychology seems like a good fit for me, particularly a terminal masters. My problem is, I have never been around anyone who specialized in it. I try to look on job boards for these positions, but really find none. Where do the majority of you guys work? I would love to eventually focus on helping workers with disabilities, which has got me interested in it. I just know a BS in Psychology (what I have now) is a dime a dozen and I don't want to invest time and money into something that isn't hiring. Luckily enough, I went to a constituent of UNC which was cheap enough (and I was poor enough? lol) that I have zero undergrad debt thanks to pell grants, so I don't mind the reality that debt will arise, if it is worth it, because I am not piling it on top of other debt, but I don't want debt for nothing. Anyways, sorry for rambling and I appreciate any advice!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

So, these past few months I have been thinking and IO Psychology seems like a good fit for me, particularly a terminal masters.

What about I/O work appeals to you? It’s a pretty broad field and distinctly different than clinical/counseling psych, so it’s important to identify if the day-to-day work is a fit.

 

[erg923]

In my experience, I/O is much more stats and data crunching, and in serving as a consultant within industry...and/or academic in nature. Organizational Development (OD psych) is more hands on and takes a blend of clinical and I/O competencies. Might want to define more about what you want to be doing on a daily basis?

BTW, neither of these careers are compatible with someone who can't leave the house for extended periods of time due to sickness or contamination fears.

 

[golightning]

In my experience, I/O is much more stats and data crunching, and in serving as a consultant within industry...and/or academic in nature. Organizational Development (OD psych) is more hands on and takes a blend of clinical and I/O competencies. Might want to define more about what you want to be doing on a daily basis?

BTW, neither of these careers are compatible with someone who can't leave the house for extended periods of time due to sickness or contamination fears.

Stats doesn't scare me too badly, at least at an undergrad level, so perhaps I will hate grad level stats, but so far it's been fine. Organizational development then may be more of what I fantasized about because my ideal duties would be developing ways to help more disabled folks work, or at least be treated fairly (if that at all makes sense?) As silly as it sounds, I am getting better at fears of contamination. I can now say leading a somewhat normal life is possible for me, as long as I have my Imodium and Lorazepam in my pocket lol. I can handle criticism though, so if I had a completely incorrect view of IO psychology, you can tell me. In a nut shell, I saw it as a more psychologically trained human resource professional capable of research.

 

[golightning]

What about I/O work appeals to you? It’s a pretty broad field and distinctly different than clinical/counseling psych, so it’s important to identify if the day-to-day work is a fit.

I want to say the appeal is because I can still do psychological research, and help out others (no, I am not trying to sound sappy, I swear), but be away from the things that would more or less keep me in a state of anxiety.

 

[erg923]

Stats doesn't scare me too badly, at least at an undergrad level, so perhaps I will hate grad level stats, but so far it's been fine. Organizational development then may be more of what I fantasized about because my ideal duties would be developing ways to help more disabled folks work, or at least be treated fairly (if that at all makes sense?) As silly as it sounds, I am getting better at fears of contamination. I can now say leading a somewhat normal life is possible for me, as long as I have my Imodium and Lorazepam in my pocket lol. I can handle criticism though, so if I had a completely incorrect view of IO psychology, you can tell me. In a nut shell, I saw it as a more psychologically trained human resource professional capable of research.

That's not org psych or I/O psych. That's clinical psych, largely. Or maybe law?

Pockets full of Benzos are not the solution to what you are dealing with. Get your business together, and then pursue if you are able without sedating yourself to death.

 

[golightning]

That's not org psych or I/O psych. That's clinical psych, largely. Or maybe law?

Pockets full of Benzos are not the solution to what you are dealing with. Get your business together, and then pursue if you are able without sedating yourself to death.

I hope it didn't come out that I was abusing benzos. I just mean I keep it on me and if I need it (haven't since July of last year) it's there. Fair enough.

 

[WisNeuro]

I hope it didn't come out that I was abusing benzos. I just mean I keep it on me and if I need it (haven't since July of last year) it's there. Fair enough.

I agree that it still sounds like what you want falls in line with clinical psych. Also, I think what erg was getting at is that the benzos, whether you use them regularly or not, are actually making the anxiety worse. It's a safety cue that reinforces the anxiety loop. My recommendation would be treating your conditions and still pursuing the clinical psych trajectory.

 

[golightning]

I agree that it still sounds like what you want falls in line with clinical psych. Also, I think what erg was getting at is that the benzos, whether you use them regularly or not, are actually making the anxiety worse. It's a safety cue that reinforces the anxiety loop. My recommendation would be treating your conditions and still pursuing the clinical psych trajectory.

Actually, the more I think about it, getting myself better is probably what's best now (like what you guys are saying.) I developed problems in high school because of a condition that didn't get diagnosed til years later, which lead to dropping out and eventually having to get a GED. Of course, now I have a BS, but because of this, I never interned, which will be important for a graduate school at a decent university. So, perhaps what's best for me now is instead of rushing into a masters program that seems to be off from what I thought, I should work on seeking help and internships. Plus, to be honest my GPA is only 3.5 at the moment and the colleges around me expect better (I am in North Carolina.) Thanks for all of the advice, everyone.

 

[golightning]

As someone who has a graduate-level background in I/O psychology and currently works in the field, I have to respectfully disagree with some of the above posts. There are plenty of I/O psychologists who study barriers to employment for disabled people and how to better accommodate disabled people in the workplace.

OP: Do you want to be in the role of a researcher and consultant, or do you want to be in the role of a therapist? Are you interested in studying human relationships and behaviors strictly in the context of organization and work, or would you prefer a broader approach?

I would say researcher consultant, with more emphasis on field work than research (which I am sure everyone would prefer lol). I would also say strictly in the context of organization and work too. That's always been something that's been very personal to me. I have a disease that's reputation is tainted because of a valley hills girl stereotype, so when I tell employers about this I would always get the odd looks "allergy to gluten? 🙄" So, I feel my empathy would be better honed there.

 

[erg923]

I will defer to more experienced persons for I/O specific career advice. I would, however, caution against taking on rigorous graduate level study and career when one is not psychologically healthy and depends on benzos (avoidance conditioning) to maintain an adequate/normal level of psychological functioning/performance.

Specific and/or rare situational phobias only, generally. Otherwise, you just aren't doin the work....

 

[golightning]

I will defer to more experienced persons for I/O specific advice. I would, however, caution against taking on rigorous graduate level study and career when one is not psychologically healthy and depends on benzos (avoidance conditioning) to maintain an adequate/normal level of psychological functioning/performance.

Specific and/or rare situational phobias only, generally. Otherwise, you just aren't doin the work....

Though a physician practicing in family medicine isn't a psychiatrist, it still is what I was advised to do. Gluten contamination happens and when it does it's painful, so I usually keep them in case I spiral and don't go total panic mode (which has happened since there's no medication for celiac disease that's been developed yet.) I still have some problems, I just can't (and I am not saying this out of pessimism, just being realistic) see how psychotherapy can 100% fix those panics. I realistically could go for some counseling (and will) to help the side effects that have manifested into anxiety, but the main purpose of those benzos are for when, well things happen, and I cannot get myself to calm down.
*Edit, also I do get it with the whole part I mentioned about not wanting to go into clinical psych because of my anxiety. So, I probably seem like I am going back and forth but the anxiety isn't manifested in such a sense (anymore) that it rules me. My intestines rule me and at it's beck and call I am then in an anxious state. I do worry if I'd do clinical psych the old stuff may show back up, but as of now, that's not the problem, if that makes sense.

 

[erg923]

Dont need the HPI. Just telling you what is necessary to succeed if you want to accomplish goals. Raging anxiety disorder, whatever the cause, is not a good or promising start to a doctoral degree in clinical (or I/O) psychology.

 

[counselor2b]

Have you ever looked into vocational rehab counseling. It seems like there would be some overlap in what you described as your interests. However, I also agree with the others that you need to take care of yourself first. Graduate school is not something to take lightly. There is a reason not everyone attains an advanced degree. Best of luck in whatever you do.

 

[golightning]

Have you ever looked into vocational rehab counseling. It seems like there would be some overlap in what you described as your interests. However, I also agree with the others that you need to take care of yourself first. Graduate school is not something to take lightly. There is a reason not everyone attains an advanced degree. Best of luck in whatever you do.

I actually haven't, but I certainly will have to! Is it similar to Occupational Therapy, in a sense? When I was a freshman we had to intern and write a paper for English and because my dad was seeing one and the lady was super nice, I chose her. That actually seemed like a cool occupation, but I remember not finding any close ones and that's when I was dealing with the anxiety very badly to where I couldn't move away to a distant program. I remember she was telling me about some form of counseling that was SIMILAR (not exactly like OT, but dealing with the same demographics and similar duties) and I could almost swear it was rehab counseling.

 

[counselor2b]

I actually haven't, but I certainly will have to! Is it similar to Occupational Therapy, in a sense? When I was a freshman we had to intern and write a paper for English and because my dad was seeing one and the lady was super nice, I chose her. That actually seemed like a cool occupation, but I remember not finding any close ones and that's when I was dealing with the anxiety very badly to where I couldn't move away to a distant program. I remember she was telling me about some form of counseling that was SIMILAR (not exactly like OT, but dealing with the same demographics and similar duties) and I could almost swear it was rehab counseling.

There may be some overlap in the job roles but I would imagine it is fairly minimal. My limited understanding is that you will likely work with a similar population, just in a different capacity. I believe OT’s can help people with return to work assessments and needed accommodations, though this is only one of many roles.

 

[singasongofjoy]

Since you’re in NC- UNC has a rehab/vocational counseling master’s program, although they recently changed the name to clinical and mental health counseling and something or other. But as I understand it the focus is the same and many folks go on to work in Voc Rehab afterwards. Might also be a program at UNC Wilmington? I can’t remember.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Since you’re in NC- UNC has a rehab/vocational counseling master’s program, although they recently changed the name to clinical and mental health counseling and something or other. But as I understand it the focus is the same and many folks go on to work in Voc Rehab afterwards. Might also be a program at UNC Wilmington? I can’t remember.

I think that it is clinical Rehabilitation counseling, which is what rehab counseling kind of is now thanks to the CORE-CACREP merger.

 

[golightning]

I think that it is clinical Rehabilitation counseling, which is what rehab counseling kind of is now thanks to the CORE-CACREP merger.

I've actually been looking more into an MSW (with the hopes of becoming an LCSW, perhaps), but vocational rehab still sounds good. I just have heard that an MSW is very flexible compared to the others.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I've actually been looking more into an MSW (with the hopes of becoming an LCSW, perhaps), but vocational rehab still sounds good. I just have heard that an MSW is very flexible compared to the others.

Rehabilitation counseling is becoming more and more mental health counseling with the advent if the CORE-CACREP merger, though a lot of students do also work in voc rehab (and their are federal training grants that will pay for your tuition in exchange for working in the voc rehab system post-masters).

 

[golightning]

Rehabilitation counseling is becoming more and more mental health counseling with the advent if the CORE-CACREP merger, though a lot of students do also work in voc rehab (and their are federal training grants that will pay for your tuition in exchange for working in the voc rehab system post-masters).

Wow, I definitely need to look into those grants. Thanks for the info 🙂