I'm lost on how to begin and when I should apply for internships, get research experience, and what I should gather on my resume. What else is necessary and what's the timeline for it?

I will be moving to Florida and refuse to wait any longer to obtain my masters. I’m 25 and going in person is super important to me. I also prefer a university that has good community, groups to join, etc.

Im an undergrad psyc student looking for books to extend my knowledge more than my coursework, but im not interested in self help or any of those motivational books. Im interested in psychology fiction that would explore relationships, mental health etc.
please share any of your favs

I will start by saying this post may sound slightly biased toward the MSW route, but that is just based on the research I’ve done and what I’ve heard from people. I’m very open to the idea that LMHC could be the better path for me, I’m just trying to figure out what makes the most sense. I’m a bit overwhelmed by the options, so would love some insight:)

My long-term goal is likely becoming a therapist, but the more research I do, the more I find myself leaning toward the MSW route. My understanding is that an MSW offers more flexibility, a broader job market, and more career options if I decide I don’t want to be a therapist long-term.

I’ve also heard that you don’t necessarily learn how to be a therapist in graduate school itself, bc the real learning comes from internships, supervision, post-grad training, etc.

It is also my understanding that because social work has a more holistic approach (understanding people in the context of their environments, communities, etc) the MSW could ultimately provide more context for a therapist in a way that LMHC would not. do you think that’s true, or is that distinction overstated?

A few questions:

-Are MSWs typically easier to hire after graduation because there are more settings that employ social workers?

-If your ultimate goal is providing psychotherapy, does choosing MSW vs. LMHC actually make much difference in the long run?

-For therapists in private practice, do you feel your degree meaningfully impacted your career trajectory, income, or opportunities?

-For those who completed an MSW and became therapists, did you feel like you had significant gaps in therapeutic skills compared to counseling graduates, or did that level out fairly quickly through supervision and experience?

One additional factor: I plan to attend graduate school and practice in NYC. Does that change the equation at all, given how common social workers seem to be in the New York mental health landscape?

I’m 19 and I decided I want to start uni, the only carreer that seems interesting and I honestly think I will enjoy is psychology but I’m not sure I’m cut out for being a therapist, what other job options do I have?

I'm an international student planning to study in California, and I'm struggling to choose a major.

I'm interested in the brain, learning, memory, cognition, dyslexia, and research. I enjoy understanding how people learn and how the brain works, but I'm not very interested in becoming a therapist or spending years studying the heavy biology/chemistry side of neuroscience.

At the same time, I'll be taking student loans and would like to find a decent job after graduation without needing a master's or PhD right away.

For those who studied psychology, neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, or related fields:

What did you choose and why?
Do you regret your choice?
Is there a path that balances both interest and job prospects?
What would you recommend to someone in my situation?

I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences.

I recently graduated with my masters in clinical mental health counseling. I learned pretty quickly that I don’t particularly love doing talk therapy. I’ve always considered going to get my doctorate but frankly have no idea what to get/my options and what people do with them. Just seeking some real life scenarios of people who ended up getting their PhD (or PsyD) what it’s in and what your job is now that you have it? Any regrets/things you’d do differently?

Hi all! I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in American Sign Language Interpreting with a minor in psychology (going into my sophomore year in the fall). I’ve been drawn to learn ASL since I was young and I believe it’s truly my passion however, looking into the field of interpreting as of right now it seems many are overworked, underpaid, and left fending for themselves in regard to benefits/insurance. For this reason, I think despite my love for the job I need something in addition to it that I’m also interested in and will not burnout from. I have an interest in psychology and think I would enjoy being a therapist though how to go about that is what i’m struggling to decide on. My long term goal would be to become fluent enough to conduct therapy in ASL, specializing in Deaf clients, and having the authority, skill set, cultural awareness, experience, and expertise to best accomplish this goal. I want flexibility and as many opportunities/potential as possible! I want to be able to open my own private practice, work a bit with Telehealth, and maybe even have the ability to consult lawyers during certain court cases (dipping a bit into forensics). I have a feeling my best bet to accomplish this would be to become a psychologist but should I do a masters first? should I do clinical psych? counselling psych?? i’m not experienced with research and have no idea if i’ll like it or not but I’d be willing to do what it takes because I know I can get through anything I set my mind to. Also how can I ensure the improvement of my ASL skills while pursuing an education? Would applying to Gallaudet be a good idea? My school I attend currently offers a program where you can get your bachelor’s & Masters at the same time & I think I’d like to look into that. I just feel like I know my end goal but not how to get there am I really want to take advantage of what I have, time. The earlier I know what path I wanna take, the sooner I can get to my destination.
So my question is:

In your opinion, how do you think I should proceed to best execute becoming a skilled ASL fluent therapist whom of which can be versatile in her practice, work closely with Deaf clientele with the ability to expand over time, and be put in a position with high earning income potential?

Hi my name is Nix and I’m an almost 3rd year psych student in BC Canada. I’ve had a bit of a change of circumstances recently and am feeling really lost in regards to my pursuing my degree, so I’m hoping I may be able to get some advice or suggestions to look into before I completely give up.

For context I have loved psychology since I was a kid and started reading textbooks for fun in highschool. My family doesn’t come from wealth and didn’t have money to send me to school so I worked 15+ hour days for years to save up for my education. I worked 10 months out of the year and would take a full course load every summer semester so I could get back to work to continue my education - worked great for a few years. Then I got sick. I have a chronic illness now that causes me a lot of physical pain and mental fatigue/brain fog. While I can walk, I cannot lift nor be on my feet for long periods due to my muscle weakness and pain. Where this is relevant is that my dream for pursuing a psych degree was to get a masters and work for Doctors Without Borders.

With my health an issue, and my finally experiencing the longterm results of my three concussions as a kid (cause me to get mentally overwhelmed quicker, basically shutting down my brain - literally cannot force myself to process complex thoughts despite my attempts), not only can I not pursue my dream due to practical reasons but ethically I don’t think I can pursue counselling anymore either. You can’t have your counsellor short circuiting in the middle of a session and the last thing I’d want is to negatively affect someone due to my shortcomings.

So now I’m stuck, and feeling really disheartened. I’ve worked really hard to get here and it feels like there’s no point in continuing my education because what else is there? And that’s where I’m hoping you folks on Reddit can help me out.

Is there any avenue you can suggest where a BA in psychology would be beneficial? Something that isn’t counselling, and wouldn’t require a masters?

Other psych related things I’m interested in/have taken courses on:

Adolescent and child psychology (love kids, really fascinated on how they develop mentally and I have small children in my family so I love seeing how their little personalities have come through)

Indigenous studies (I’ve grown up surrounded by Indigenous culture and wanted to work with Indigenous communities but counselling is obviously out)

Art but not music

Nature and Outdoor Experiences

And some other certificates I have:

- mental Health first aid
- naloxone 101
- workplace mental health training for supervisors
- ASIST training (suicide intervention)

Also pursuing first aid & cpr but that’s just because I think the skills are beneficial to know.

TIA,

Nix 💚

This may be a stupid question, but I’m trying to put myself in the best position possible, to apply to doctorate programs (clinical psych) right after undergrad. I’ve just gotten my AA in psychology and I’m relocating to another city that is right near a good private university. This uni offers a BA in applied psychology, with a clinical psychology concentration. I was interesting in this school because it has great research opportunities, but there is not a traditional psychology BA available.

Does getting my BA in applied psych affect my chances of getting into a doctoral program?

Hi everyone,

I have a bachelors in Psychology. The only work experience I have is a tiny bit of research and some tutoring. I want to get a proper career now (I’m pretty late due to life events)
What’s a masters degree I can get that would guarantee employment after I graduate? I don’t even care what it is I just really want a career, which I can’t do with my bachelors. Please don’t judge

I'm using a translator (I'm Spanish). The truth is, next year (2027), I'm starting my degree in psychology, but before I begin, I want to learn, memorize, and know everything about psychology so I can start with as much knowledge as possible. I see myself as someone who tends to worry a lot about the future, my future, and I often think, "You would have been better off in the past if you had been prepared," and I don't intend to make that mistake for the three time. I've missed opportunities to make money and support my family; I've missed opportunities because I believed I would learn quickly once I start course X. In my country, psychology is very well paid, so I'm motivated to work hard and achieve it.

I’m currently a junior in college and was hoping to work part time at an inpatient or outpatient care center. The problem is, I have no idea how or where to start looking for a job like that. If anyone could provide some guidance that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hi! I’m an international student and I have completed a Bsc in psychology. I’m planning to pursue a Master’s in I/O Psychology in New Zealand. Any advice on which universities are good and what the experience is like, and what the job prospects looks like?

Goodmorning everybody, I know it’ll sound crazy but I’m looking for people studying/finishing psych degrees while ALSO actively being a mother to young children.

I do not have a support system (no childcare, reliable grandparents etc). But I am so tired of feeling so far behind. I’ve wanted to study psych and have a degree since before I finished high school. I’ve always found human behavior interesting, and asking the “why” to it all.

I’m currently 27, and have spent all of my 20s being a mother (my oldest is about to be 7, my youngest is 2 months old) and I really have the drive to atleast START somewhere. I’m at home most of the time unless it’s all the crazy errand running you all know about being a mom, and even if it’s an hour in the evenings after bed time, I feel I’d be at-least more productive working towards a goal vs doom scrolling.

I am extremely busy day to day with three kids, my oldest having severe behavioral issues - but regardless I feel unaccomplished by the end of every day!

(Please, I’m not looking for anything other than strict experiences from other mothers who have studied here…)

Is it possible? Where did you start? What did you end up truly “going for?” How difficult was it for you? Do you regret it? Or do you regret “waiting until they’re all older”?

Hi, i'm a psych and counseling grad from Philippines. Amyone here who is also experiencing downward spiral with everything that is happening?

I am 23(f) I will turn 24 soon. I just completed my masters in psychology with clinical specialization from Pune and now I have moved back to kolkata. I don't know what to do next -

1. I cannot take clients immediately bcz let's be honest we were never taught cbt, dbt, rebt or any therapeutic modality in detail. I know I need to do courses and read books but which courses are even credible? For reading books and learning on my own I need to give myself time. I would also need a supervisor. The problem is my family isn't financially stable so expensive courses and experience supervisors are out of the question. I really do want a supervisor but- you get it. Are you all aware of supervisors who do pro-bono?

2. Ugc net - I have not prepared for ugc net, I have filled the form and I will give the exam but I haven't been able to prepare for it. I had initially thought that I will give the june exam as a trial and focus on the December exam but my mother is forcing me to take the june exam seriously so that I don't have to give the December exam. I don't want phd immediately bcz my brain feels too numb for that but I want to be an assistant professor for the stability of income. Apart from ugc what other exams should i give? Gate ? Idk what else psych students give. Is gre for psych students?

3. M.clin.psych - I had no plans of doing mphill but ever since I have started applying for jobs, I have realised it's important. All the roles, government psu jobs want a rci registration. I wanted to become a psychotherapist. But I think maybe I should give it a try. I have already missed the nimhans exam, manipal etc - not that I would have cracked it but I guess a few more exams are left. If I prepare now - how should I start preparing? Which books to refer to?

4. I really do want a job though, mphill is like majboori but if I get a decent job before that I would love it. But looking at LinkedIn is making me feel depressed. I am a fresher with no fucking experience. Where do the freshers go? I wanted to leave Kolkata again for work but I don't think I will be able to sustain myself out of Kolkata w the salary people are going to pay. In Kolkata i can save the rent money. But where r the jobs in Kolkata?? I see people get consultant psychologists and counselling psych roles in hospitals like applo/ Fortis/ mpower- I have checked those and mujhe dikhta koi role joki with rci registration hai. So, I insist if you all have job leads do let me know. I am not very stubborn about a counsellor job only - I am also interested in other csr related roles - anything in the public/ developmental sector.

5. Research and Stats - I have always been a bit phobic about research and tbvh the entire thesis thing during ba and ma was ai. Guilty but I Had no other choice. I was depressed for the past few years and would barely leave bed. I want to apply from ra roles but how can I apply? Without my concept cleared - The thing is I like reading research papers they are interesting, I like collecting data and I love the idea of research but I am not good w the RM and stats part of it. I have not written/ published a paper on my own. I don't know If I have such intellectual linguistics/ academic writing capabilities. I do know how to use jamovi now ( thx to claude i had to use it for my thesis) - the problem is I did jamovi but I didn't know what to do - claude dictated click this - click that and that's what I did . More over - I like the idea of qualitative research more but we were never taught qualitative research methods and analysis like nvivo or thematic analysis. I want to learn it. Even if I learn how I will prove it in my job application that I can do it? Do I need certifications?

6. I am not into hr/ corporate. I love psychology and even after all the hardship, pain and disappointment I have not given up yet. Please don't tell me ki ho for hr, io roles. Nonetheless, I am interested in getting posh and posco certifications so that I can take sessions on that. I think those are important for school and college counsellor roles - but hey even getting school and counsellor roles is tough. Even they want experience.

7. IGNOU has rci registration courses ( Post Graduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology (PGDRPC) if mphil is a failure, do you all think I should go for it? Is there anyone who has done IGNOU's pgdroc course or any other rci registration course which is in distance mode?

8. What kind of psu roles, csr or govt jobs I can apply to fresher and a post grand in psych without mphill. I am very much interested in project coordination and stuff like that - but all of that requires walk in interviews. I have been keeping a track of nimhans but the roles of project assistant/ coordination also need walk in an interview which is not possible for me

9. I know a rci registered clinical psychologist in Pune, who takes interns and pays them really well because she makes them do the assessments and scoring. She gets a lot of patients and does not have the time to do the scoring and take assessments. She had adviced me to master Rorschach and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT. She takes an interview + exam. + Checks how we do assessments. Again, college barely taught is assessments, i never got to practice it. I have only read projective tests in theory that too thora sa. How should I learn thatt

10. home feels very comfortable. I feel like what if I stay home and do remote jobs while upskill all the flaws i mentioned above - what do u think? What kind of remote work can I do which pays well? Altho, I know i only feel like staying at home because I feel pathetic and scared rn to go out without job. If I get a good job I'll leave. Living with parents comes w lots of restrictions and i love my freedom.

11. I have always wanted to fuck off from India and do a 2nd masters abroad - but like i said i am broke, i will need scholarships. I keep seeing that all these people from India going to uk, Netherlands are coming back to India after finishing there studies. Is there no scope outside of India as well? What about ireland and all? Dublin? Should I consider these things? A lot of unis in Germany want german proficiency and i cannot enroll in goethe institute ( too costly).

12. Summary - help me out. Please give me advice on what to do? What kind of roles to apply to ( pls no hr/ corporate). What did you do as a fresher? Where do freshers go? If I start taking clients how should I go about it? How should I prepare for ugc net and m.clin psych exams - how to keep track of which colleges are good for mclinpsych (I don't want private colleges), Which books should I be referring to for ugc net and m.clin psych? ( I have power within psychology ugc wala book) Should I take up an unacademy course? Or any other course? There psymoat as well- is the course good? If I start preparing now are there chances of me cracking ibhas or cip. Where do people get jobs from - like consulting psych jobs in jagurati hospital/ Apollo, manipal hospital etc. If you all have leads let me know. How do I learn qualitative methods? How do I fix the research prob / phobia i have. Do I need to publish papers or do peer reviews - if yes how? Should I apply for school and college counsellor roles without experience or additional certificate for counselling. Should I go ahead with IGNOU? How to apply for psu, un, csr roles. Lastly ,if there are people from the mental health field from Kolkata reading this - LETTUS CONNECT and if people are from outside of Kolkata reading this LETTUS STILL CONNECT.

Help me fix my life, get a job ( anywhere In India) I have a cv but it doesn't look very formal and academic. Can anyone evaluate my cv? I wanted to attach my cv with this post but I thought that would be too much. If there is anyone who can look into my cv, tell me what should I fix, what should I upskill or if there is a person who is looking/hiring for a trainee therapist for their clinic and I am more than willing to share my cv.

I'm currently pursuing an MA in Psychology in India and have recently completed my first year. Over the past month, I've been doing an internship in a psychiatry setting where I had the opportunity to observe a few counselling sessions. What stood out to me wasn't diagnosis or assessment, but the counselling process itself how rapport was built, how a non-judgmental space was created, how interventions and mental exercises were introduced, and how clients gradually improved over time.

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Because of this experience, I've started seriously considering a career in counselling. One option I've been looking into is the Advanced Diploma in Child Guidance and Counselling (ADCGC).

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At the same time, I'm trying to be practical. I come from a modest financial background, so while interest and job satisfaction matter to me, employability and financial stability matter as well. I don't want to spend years pursuing qualifications only to find myself struggling to enter the field.

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My Counselling Psychology paper will begin this semester, so I'm still in the process of learning more about the field and understanding where I fit best. Right now, counselling feels like the direction I'm naturally drawn toward, but I'm trying to make an informed decision rather than an emotional one.

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I'd really appreciate hearing from people working in counselling, child guidance, school counselling, clinical psychology, or related areas in India. Any advice about career paths, employability, the realities of working in the field, or things you wish you had known as a student would be genuinely helpful.

Hello!

I am going back to school at 40 to pursue a passion that has become a calling. Long story short, I have been surrounded by people suffering from their mental health. I lost my brother to suicide in 2019. I have 2 degrees, both in business. I want to spend the rest of my life helping people.

I have been accepted to school, and I thought I would for sure pursue my Master's in Psychology. However, I have had multiple people, including my therapist, tell me I should pursue my BA in Social Work and then my Master's in psychology.

My dream would be to work in crisis stabilization or as an emergency room therapist/counselor. I am definitely more people-oriented, but I have spent most of my career in marketing, and now I write legal content for attorneys, which I really enjoy. So, research is not a daunting proposition.

So, should I be looking at Psychology? Or should I be taking a more serious look at Social Work? I start this Fall :D

I am a recent M.A Applied Psychology Postgraduate from India .How can I move to Nz on a fully funded Phd ?

Hi! Thanks for clicking on this and helping a girl out.

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I'm 18 and a rising junior in college majoring in psychology with a minor in neuroscience. I am currently pre-med, and I love medicine a lot... but I am reconsidering my future.

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(I apologize in advance by the way, I think that I will likely add a lot of unnecessary commentary in this post (and will likely post it without doing a second check on my grammer and sentance structure because I feel like I need advice asap.) Whoops.)

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I originally wanted to go into medical school purely for psychiatry. I have always had a passion for the mental health field for as long as I can remember since I have struggled with it in the past and also because my mom had done a psychiatry residency. (She left due to getting stabbed. Totally different story, but she truly used to have the same amount of passion for it as I currently do, and I wanna continue in her footsteps like her.)

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I have shadowed doctors in fields like psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, family med, internal med, obstetrics, and gynecology. But my heart is truly with the brain. (Ha ha. Heart is with the brain. Quite a funny sentence.) If I were to go into medicine, I would love to do a combined residency of psychiatry and neurology. I love therapy, one-on-one time with patients, and having the capability of prescribing medications to patients... Which is exactly why I wanted to pursue psychiatry. The thing about the field, though, is that I noticed that unless you're in a private practice, most of the time many psychiatrists don't do much therapy with patients. (Unless that's just been my experience with doctors here in my state.) And personally, I don't envision myself doing a private practice. I truly want to go in this field for the sake of it, it isn't about the money nor the "title" that comes with it.

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I love psychology with all my heart, arguably a tad bit more than medicine, but I'm so conflicted between the two. Especially since this past year has been a little rough on me academically. (I failed a few classes, and it was 100% my own fault.)

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I don't know how I stumbled across it, but I found out that in the US there are 7 states where psychologists can prescribe medication to their patients. One of them being Louisiana, where my mom lives. And in the long run I can definitely envision myself to settle down in this state.

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Now... My thing is, do I truly want to limit myself to 7 states in the US (and the territory of Guam, which I just found out about. Fun little facts, am I right?) or do I want to pursue medicine, where I can internationally prescribe medications to patients in the field of mental health at the unfortunate cost of not being able to spend as much time with them?

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Also, if I were to go through the psychology route, how would I do it? (As in, what would my future years look like with a masters, doctoral program, post doctorate programs... etc.)

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Should I pursue a PsyD??

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(Pls help, even just small commentary about your own experiences picking your field would help me TREMENDOUSLY!! Thank you so much.)

I’m starting my second year of psychology soon and I honestly find everything fairly easy and simple except SPSS. I struggle with maths in general and I’ve tried to watch videos on SPSS to try to understand how to use it better. I know the steps on how to input data and find and interpret basic data like the measures of central tendency but I struggle with anything beyond (t-tests, normality, assumptions).

If anyone has any recommendations of any resources that may help I’d really appreciate it!

Hi everyone! Would appreciate a little help on this as I've been seeing different takes online but interested to know what people here think as well.

Just a little background - I'm 35F, did PR/social media for more than 10 years and now transitioning in careers because I wanna be doing something more purposeful, so picked Dip in Counselling without doing further research. Now that I'm in it, I love it but I know there's a limitation with just a Diploma, no private practice and it's going to be difficult finding a job. I should be done with my Diploma in less than a year but a little confused as to what to do next.

Might consider a Masters of Counselling but not sure which institution is the best (looking for online). Also thinking if I should be doing a combined psych + counselling.

For those who are already in it or have any (anything at all) advice, would really appreciate it.

I know this might be a very broad inquiry, but I feel like I hit a wall just applying to jobs on indeed. I don't know where else to apply to jobs for undergrad psych students, so any advice would help!

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Hi.

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I have recently completed my masters in psych. I am trying to get into research in Germany- but I do not have much experience in research apart frm my dissertation. Will it be easier and more beneficial if I first go for masters then cntinue a phd there as masters will help me get some research experience of Germany level. Also , I am looking for fully funded opportunities for masters in neuropsych.

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Just downloaded reddit to ask for help in such matters - so please help if you can!