I have a PhD in rehabilitation counseling but am finding that I'm in the wrong field for what I want to do, which is clinical/counseling psychology, and there's no real way for me to make that pivot without a clinical/counseling psych PhD. Rehabilitation counseling departments that do research--especially psych-like research--almost exclusively hire psychology PhDs (the rare non-psych hires are people with dual clinical mental health counseling /rehab counseling dual PhDs, which I'm also not). The rehab counseling departments that hire faculty with rehab counseling PhDs almost exclusively hire people with traditional, vocational rehab backgrounds and do little research, which also isn't me. This schism is very deep, and there appears to be no way to jump from the latter to the former. Honestly, though, clinical/counseling psych is a much better fit for what I want to do and is where most of collaborators are. (Respecialization programs, sadly, aren't an option, as my PhD isn't in "psychology"). The question I'm running into is how to frame my somewhat unusual background....
Academic: BA in psych (3.75-ish GPA), MA in school psych (3.75-ish GPA), PhD in rehab counseling/special education (4.0 GPA), currently in the first year of a two year postdoc at an R1 (90% research, 10% clinical)
Research:
-Most of my research is on trauma, depression, and suicide, with a focus on people with disabilities. During my masters, I did some ABA/autism-focused research and have about seven publications from that.
-Just under 50 peer-reviewed publications (will likely be 50+ when I apply), half of which are first author. Mix of journals (nothing pay to publish), of course, but are generally mid-tier or better, including some very good ones. Mostly psych and counseling journals, with a couple of education journals.
-Co-editor of a book on trauma and disability, to be published by a major academic publisher
-Seven book chapters (including three in my co-edited book), half of which are first author
-A few encyclopedia entries and invited reviews and commentaries, including one for a major (30+ IF) medical journal
-My research has received some media attention
-Various research awards, including many from APA divisions, and a university-wide research award from the university where I got my PhD
-$20,000 foundation research grant as co-PI, $1,000 state grant as PI, two $500 institutional grants, applying for more grant internal grant funding. Was also a specifically named RA in a $1.3 million R1 grant as an undergrad/masters student.
Teaching:
-Lots of TAships, including three summers of TAing an masters-level counseling skills intensive
-Taught three masters-level courses and two undergrad courses as instructor of record, adjunct teaching a masters-level course this summer
-Supervised masters-level rehab counseling practicum students for two semesters
-Supervised SPED academic intervention practicum students for three semesters
Clinical:
-During my masters, I did practica in general ed and therapeutic schools and a CMHC
-During my PhD, I did practica in a disability services office, social-employment skills training program, and an integrated assessment clinic
-I also did two years of an interdisciplinary clinical training program in my PhD program that took us into a rotation of medical clinics
-My clinical work in my postdoc is in supported education for college students with SPMI
Service:
-I've been on a couple of national, APA committees and an APA division committee
-I served on a couple of university committees in grad school
-I was a consulting editor/peer reviewer for a school psych/SPED encyclopedia
-I've reviewed for a lot of medical and psych journals and some conferences
So, very much not a traditional clinical/counseling psych applicant and wondering how to frame this all.
Advice is very much appreciated!
Academic: BA in psych (3.75-ish GPA), MA in school psych (3.75-ish GPA), PhD in rehab counseling/special education (4.0 GPA), currently in the first year of a two year postdoc at an R1 (90% research, 10% clinical)
Research:
-Most of my research is on trauma, depression, and suicide, with a focus on people with disabilities. During my masters, I did some ABA/autism-focused research and have about seven publications from that.
-Just under 50 peer-reviewed publications (will likely be 50+ when I apply), half of which are first author. Mix of journals (nothing pay to publish), of course, but are generally mid-tier or better, including some very good ones. Mostly psych and counseling journals, with a couple of education journals.
-Co-editor of a book on trauma and disability, to be published by a major academic publisher
-Seven book chapters (including three in my co-edited book), half of which are first author
-A few encyclopedia entries and invited reviews and commentaries, including one for a major (30+ IF) medical journal
-My research has received some media attention
-Various research awards, including many from APA divisions, and a university-wide research award from the university where I got my PhD
-$20,000 foundation research grant as co-PI, $1,000 state grant as PI, two $500 institutional grants, applying for more grant internal grant funding. Was also a specifically named RA in a $1.3 million R1 grant as an undergrad/masters student.
Teaching:
-Lots of TAships, including three summers of TAing an masters-level counseling skills intensive
-Taught three masters-level courses and two undergrad courses as instructor of record, adjunct teaching a masters-level course this summer
-Supervised masters-level rehab counseling practicum students for two semesters
-Supervised SPED academic intervention practicum students for three semesters
Clinical:
-During my masters, I did practica in general ed and therapeutic schools and a CMHC
-During my PhD, I did practica in a disability services office, social-employment skills training program, and an integrated assessment clinic
-I also did two years of an interdisciplinary clinical training program in my PhD program that took us into a rotation of medical clinics
-My clinical work in my postdoc is in supported education for college students with SPMI
Service:
-I've been on a couple of national, APA committees and an APA division committee
-I served on a couple of university committees in grad school
-I was a consulting editor/peer reviewer for a school psych/SPED encyclopedia
-I've reviewed for a lot of medical and psych journals and some conferences
So, very much not a traditional clinical/counseling psych applicant and wondering how to frame this all.
Advice is very much appreciated!