My Choice

 

     “Spend the day helping others.” A therapist and licensed professional counselor, Anna Barksdale, discuss her typical day at work, the qualifications needed for the job, and advice that can be used by students considering this line of work.  . It was a very intriguing video on psychology; it made me want to choose to be a therapist.

     Anna had a few definitions on psychology: “An expert in psychology” and “Study of the human mind”. A typical day would be counseling individuals or groups regarding emotional or psychological problems such as stress, substance abuse, or family issues. Counseling Psychologists typically work in a private practice. If they work in a private practice then they usually make their own schedules. Therapist’s working hours usually are in the evening and on the weekends because that is when their clients are able to come in.

     A therapist makes, on average, sixty thousand dollars a year. The higher the education you had the more your salary would go up. So if you had a master in psychology your salary would increase. Those interested in counseling psychology careers will usually start by earning a four year Bachelor's degree in psychology. Next, counseling psychologists have the option of obtaining either a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology. Then you must complete an approved post-doctoral placement to gain the experience necessary for licensure. Lastly, all practicing counseling psychologists are required to be state-licensed. After you complete those steps you are all set to look for a job.

     The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, AAMFT, is a national organization known for helping families and marriages. The AAMFT is known for representing the professional interests of more than 50,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. To be a therapist you need to be compassionate, supportive, cool, determined, and cooperative. Therapists experience many personal, heart-to-heart moments with patients who may feel vulnerable, embarrassed, or at their lowest point during the recovery period. Part of the therapist's job is to temper the patient's nerves, often through demonstrating the behavior necessary to make it through therapy. Individuals, who maintain control of difficult sessions with empathy, tenderness and a sense of humor, are         among the most successful therapists.

     Employment for this field could be at a school, prisons, or right in your living room. Like I said before, many counseling psychologists have a private practice. This means that they have their own offices and are able to establish their own work schedule. The overall job outlook for Counseling Psychologist careers has been positive since 2004. Demand for Counseling Psychologists is expected to go up, with an expected 68,100 new jobs filled by 2018.

To get a job in the field you need to be determined to help others. You need to have great communication skills. The clients will usually be in a very vulnerable state of mind and if you upset them it could really mess with their minds in a negative way.

     Some related occupations to counseling psychologists are Academic advisor, Alcohol/drug abuse counselor, Behavior analyst, and a Career counselor. These occupations are related because they all involve communicating with clients, helping others through their problems, diagnosing clients, and all need a degree in psychology.

This fall I am going to major in Human Services and Psychology. I have always loved helping people with their problems so I decided to make a career out of it. Anna Barksdale discussed her opinions on her job. “Being a therapist is like being alive: Life will throw at you what you need to deal with.” She also said that being a therapist is extremely difficult because people pay good money for you to help them with their problems. She taught me is when to keep a client from acting self-defeating, and when to bite my tongue and let them learn the hard way like I did and most do. She made me realize that it's not so much what I tell a client but when and how. The right thing said at the wrong time is the wrong thing to say.

     This interview was one of a kind and she taught me things the internet couldn’t. From this paper, I learned how to handle clients and so much about this career. I definitely feel very educated in counseling psychology. I can’t wait to pursue this career and use some of the tips that Anna taught me. I’m eager to feel this “being alive” feeling that Anna discussed. I ready for whatever life throws at me and to learn what I need to deal with.