We all need to work; there’s no way around it. With the rising cost of housing, living, and general expenses, most people need an income to get by. There’s a certain nobility and dignity in work as well, and being able to earn a living and provide for your family or dependents. And when it comes time to choose a career, you’ll have a range of options available to you. From teaching to learning a trade to corporate careers or those in the non-profit space, there are so many different pathways to choose from that it can be slightly overwhelming.
One viable career pathway is working in psychology, by taking counseling psychology online master’s programs or similar courses. But is this career pathway right for you? This informative and elucidating article will explore if a career in psychology is the best fit for you, so read on to learn more.
What is Psychology?
Psychology is a mental health career choice in which you’ll provide therapy to people for a range of issues. A psychologist is an accredited and registered mental health specialist trained in understanding and supporting human cognition and behavior.
Psychologists tend to work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, community health centers, schools, non-profits, courts, private businesses, prisons, juvenile correctional facilities, and private practices. As you can see, there is a range of workplaces where a psychologist may end up.
What Do Psychologists Do?
Psychologists use a range of talking-based therapies to support the people they work with, similar to counselors or therapists. However, a psychologist typically has more onerous training to become qualified and is paid at a higher level than a counselor.
A psychologist is typically trained in a range of different therapies, such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Brief interventions
- Motivational interviewing
- Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
- Psychotherapy
As you can see, psychologists are trained in a diverse array of interventions to treat various issues. Some of the issues you might see clients about include the following:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Severe mental health disorders such as bipolar and schizophrenia
- Substance abuse
- Overeating/Obesity
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- Antisocial personality disorder
- Suicidal ideation and attempts
Do You Want to Help People?
This is a major question to consider before embarking on a career as a psychologist or enrolling in a course to become one. As a psychologist, you’ll be helping people every day of your working life. You need to have an altruistic streak or develop one quickly. You’ll also spend a lot of time listening to people and talking to them. This can mean this career pathway is more suited to people who have the stamina and ability to engage in discussion and conversation for hours on end each day.
Psychology Specializations
Some psychologists opt to complete further studies to become endorsed and trained in various specialized areas of psychology, such as health, neuropsychology, clinical psychology, community, sports and exercise psychology, and organizational forensics. All of these specializations enable you to work in different areas and settings.
For example, a neuropsychologist is an expert in how brain injuries, cognitive impairments, and defects impact thinking, mood and a person’s overall quality of life and well-being. An organizational psychologist is specially trained in how organizations, such as large companies or non-profits, operate and may work in HR or other related departments, such as employee health and wellbeing. Some psychologists may specialize in supporting children, teenagers, or families. Some even work with traumatized or abused infants and toddlers.
What Personality Qualities Do You Need?
There are certain personality qualities and traits that are advantageous to a career in psychology. If you possess these or can develop them, then a career in psychology may be right for you.
For instance, psychologists need to be patient, tolerant, compassionate, kind, and caring. You’re often seeing clients when they are at their most vulnerable point of life, such as in the middle of a mental health crisis or episode. Different people present differently during such times in their lives, but it can be challenging work. For this reason, you also need to be resilient, with a thick skin.
You may be exposed to vicarious trauma, such as when you work with clients who have experienced adverse childhood events or trauma as an adult. For instance, you might work with people who have been abused as a child, or who have had a major traumatic incident as an adult, such as a major car accident, loss of a child or spouse, or who have succumbed to alcohol or drug abuse and the issues that go along with this.
Good Self-Care
Psychologists need to have excellent self-care practices for the reasons listed above. If you don’t have these practices embedded in your life, you’ll have to begin them when you start working as a psychologist. Without good self-care, you can run the risk of burning out due to vicarious trauma and other stresses related to the job.
Self-care looks different for everyone, but the aim is to reduce stress and improve resilience. Some psychologists might talk to a professional who can provide supervision, mentoring, and support. Other people rely on exercise or mindfulness practices or engage in a hobby like crafts, gaming, or puzzles to unwind. Whatever the practice, regular self-care is essential if you’re working as a psychologist for your career.
What Will You Earn?
Psychologists in the United States are quite well paid. Most psychologists made a median salary of $106,420 within the last two years. The best-paid 25% of this profession made $124,020 in 2022, while the lowest-paid bracket made $68,410. As you can see, the salaries vary, and this may depend on where you work. Some sectors pay more than others, depending on various factors. For instance, working for a non-profit with a slim budget may earn less than if you work in another setting.
Study is a Long Process
If you are an 18-year-old high school graduate who is interested in becoming a licensed clinical psychologist, you must first complete four years of college as an undergraduate. After that, you must complete another five years as a graduate student in a doctoral program. This is nine years of study, which is a long time. The salary is worth the study, but there are also student loans to consider, as you’ll be paying this off for a while.
In Summary
This helpful and informative article has explored if a career in psychology is right for you. We’ve covered what a psychologist does, different specializations, and how much a psychologist makes on average. We’ve also discussed the qualities you’ll need to have or develop to work in this field. By now, you can make an informed decision.
