questioning yourself?

[psychometric]

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I don't know how you all feel, but I start questioning if I am doing the right thing, despite loving psychology, wanted to go clinical, but sometimes thinking:" What is this therapy crap about?"

Anybody else feeling/ thinking like this sometimes?😳

 

[KillerDiller]

Well, if your research is clinically focused, you are interested in empirically supported treatments, or (as your name suggests) you are interested in clinical assessment, then I still think you're in the right field. 🙂

 

[wdd]

I'm there, too, though it's definitely not a crisis of faith or anything, more of a question of how is my wife going to support us for six years ... it's making me rethink things. Ugh.

 

[psychometric]

I'm there, too, though it's definitely not a crisis of faith or anything, more of a question of how is my wife going to support us for six years ... it's making me rethink things. Ugh.

WDD

I went to undergraduate, Masters and I am in the process of acceptance/non-acceptance at this time.
I am having an existential crisis, lol. Will I make enough money afterwards to pay back loans, is therapy (I am applying to a PsyD program) what I want to do? Is an additional degree in another related field, such as Health Science better?, etc., etc.,..........What is going on with me????????????
Burnout??????????????????

 

[deleted176373]

WDD

I went to undergraduate, Masters and I am in the process of acceptance/non-acceptance at this time.
I am having an existential crisis, lol. Will I make enough money afterwards to pay back loans, is therapy (I am applying to a PsyD program) what I want to do? Is an additional degree in another related field, such as Health Science better?, etc., etc.,..........What is going on with me????????????
Burnout??????????????????

If you are having these doubts you might want to re-evaluate.

Depending where you work, your starting pay can be quite decent and certainly enough to pay back loans, in other cases finances will be a bit tighter. Plan your entire career and be honest with yourself about what you think you'll make. Assume that you'll be in the 25th percentile when calculating your finances for the future and you'll be in better shape when you hit the median or higher.

Mark

 

[erg923]

I understand your feeling, I often question this field and sometimes ask, "what are we really doing here"...and so forth. However, don't look at your degree to narrowly, you can do alot more than just therapy with a Psy.D. So if you're not too wild about individual psychotherapy, its not a killer, you can still do many other things (assessment, diagnostics primarily, consultation/liaison, program evaluation, etc.)

 

[JR in SB]

Also, if you're having doubts, and you don't want to make 6 year degree commitment just yet, it probably wouldn't hurt to take a year or two off and get some practical experience. This could help you figure out what you're truly passionate about.

 

[pinknyyy]

Ha... Yup, I feel that way every day. I keep wondering if I should have taken time off... or not even done psych period. Or if I will ever pay off all the tons of loans I have... So, yeah, you are DEFINATELY not alone!!!

 

[psychometric]

Also, if you're having doubts, and you don't want to make 6 year degree commitment just yet, it probably wouldn't hurt to take a year or two off and get some practical experience. This could help you figure out what you're truly passionate about.

Uhm, I am truly passionate about psychology. That's the crux, lol

 

[psychometric]

I understand your feeling, I often question this field and sometimes ask, "what are we really doing here"...and so forth. However, don't look at your degree to narrowly, you can do alot more than just therapy with a Psy.D. So if you're not too wild about individual psychotherapy, its not a killer, you can still do many other things (assessment, diagnostics primarily, consultation/liaison, program evaluation, etc.)

Yeah, you're right. Thanks for reminding me. I am getting so caught up in looking at therapy only, and as you said, often go: "What the hell , this is supposed to help someone?" lol

 

[psychometric]

Ha... Yup, I feel that way every day. I keep wondering if I should have taken time off... or not even done psych period. Or if I will ever pay off all the tons of loans I have... So, yeah, you are DEFINATELY not alone!!!

That is soooo good to know🙂

I think, I am just overwhelmed right now; university, a sick pet at home , and other private stuff. I need a mental vacation !

 

[erg923]

Yeah, you're right. Thanks for reminding me. I am getting so caught up in looking at therapy only, and as you said, often go: "What the hell , this is supposed to help someone?" lol

Well, I actually only think that ("what the heck are we doing here?") when i read some of the theory laden BS articles in psychology. I have always thought something psychology is really good at is stating the most simple things in the most complicated terms possible. Sometimes I think we can be the kings of "well..duh." so to speak.🙂

In terms of therapy, that's when you do see the great things we can do. Having somebody just to talk to often can do more good than we often realize. You do alot of good in therapy with out even really knowing it. So yes, I do think psychotherapy can be really helpful.

 

[WaitingKills]

Ya, I'm very much with you.

I quite often wonder why I couldn't have been one of those people who were happy asking if you 'want fries with that' for the rest of my life.

Motivation can suck, especially when you spend so long to get where you think you'll be happy, only to question yourself along the way. I do think it's normal though, simply because of the massive commitment that we are all having to make to our future. It's not like we can easily switch majors half way through our graduate programs like we could in our undergrads.

The one thing that I keep reminding myself in those moments of 'what the hell am I doing' is that psych is sooo extremely versatile. You can do so many different and rewarding things with a Ph.D or PsyD in so many different areas. So if you eventually decide that the therapy side of it isn't for you, you will always have other options.

 

[Neuro-Dr]

I think that psychology does a very poor job of marketing the breadth of the field. If you want some examples, just go to the next APA conference. As a neuropsychologist, I just stopped going, trying to find interesting topics is pretty bleak. We have become more and moe a field of subspecialties. I think that this is fine; but it doesn;t help new students to really understand the field. You may get more of this in a PsyD program since the faculty tend to still practice as opposed to research.

There also tends to be a bias towards PC topics more and more (diversity, age, gender issues, etc). I think these issues are important but there has been more of a sacrifice in some of the more pragmatic issues within the field. If you end up in a PsyD program, do this, if they are a member of NCSPP - look at the topics from the conference for the past five years, it is amazingly insulated.

You won't do therapy every day if you don't want to and you won't work with patients with conditions you don't enjoy or are effective at treating. So, be a students for now and soak it in and then down the road your contacts, interests and skills will lead you to a career you'll find meaningful and lucrative. You income is a known entity despite everyone's belief to the contrary. Any commercial insurance company will give you there U & C rates, so this doesn't have to be a guessing game.

 

[JR in SB]

Uhm, I am truly passionate about psychology. That's the crux, lol

My impression was that you were doubting what specific area of psychology you were passionate about. What I was referring to was taking some time to figure out what niche suits you the best.

 

[psychometric]

My impression was that you were doubting what specific area of psychology you were passionate about. What I was referring to was taking some time to figure out what niche suits you the best.

Yes, you're right. The area is an occasional question; so is the field as a whole.
I just think, we study too many classes two or three times, instead of adding classes from interdisciplinary fields, that could enhance our future skills. Also, it tends to burn people out to study the same things over again. One example is; I took psychometrics as an undergraduate,yet, since the 400 class only counted towards the Masters if taken post 120 B.A.-units, I had to take it again, and probably again during my doctoral studies------------------------REDICULOUS !! I rather have classes in health,- or neuro science to enhance my skills. That's the stuff that makes me tired of doing what I am doing.