i have doubts about my profession.am i in the right place?
i want to help people, but really, psychology???
sometimes talking to my friends just can't help. i want to talk to other psych's, other psych grads and students. where are you? what questions and concerns do you have? are they the same?
i actually went to google and typed in psychology forums in the hopes of finding someone similar to talk to. funny considering i have my own website and forum and all.
to be a psychologist, you really have to be on top of your game -all-the-time. i dont feel like i am on top of my game. sometimes i wish i just went and did accounting. nice, methodical work. as a psychologist you can NEVER go to work hung over, emotional or fatigued. you HAVE to be on top of your game. you NEED to leave all that at the door and be there and be 100% available to your client. and 55minutes later you have to leave that client and take in your next. how do psych's do that? how can you keep leaving things at the door? how can you not be devastated by a death of a close friend/family member and BE there for your client. how can you not be fatigued after a sleepless night and BE there for your client? how can you not be affected by your last client telling you that they were sexually abused by their uncle and that they cut themselves every day to relieve their pressure and BE there for your next client? how?
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so, i admit it's been awhile. ok, ok. a looong while. but it appears my long lost friend of yesterday is still here and is still welcoming me back with open arms LOL started my second semester of postgrad studies a couple of days ago. i made sure i slept enough and as i am going through a healthy regime i've been exercising heaps and eating a full hearty breakfast. so surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) i actually got the opportunity to PAY ATTENTION and understand what the lecturers and tutors were talking about. i truly hope this lasts longer than the first week haha. postgraduate studies in counselling psychology has been an interesting ride for me. this week has certainly been interesting. at certain types i felt myself look down upon the 'jamie' sitting in class and look around. what a hippie, interesting and mixed bunch of students here in counselling psychology. heck, what an interesting lecturer!!! robyn bett is the head of counselling psychology at murdoch university in perth, western australia. she comes across as a very soft spoken and caring lady. this semester she is taking the experiential counselling classes. however, she also works in private practice with family and children. mandy browne takes the principles of counselling 1 lectures. initially, i recieved an email from her giving us the unit outline and the reading list for that priniciples of counselling unit with a suggestion to have a read of it BEFORE the first lecture. and in that instance i saw a very strict and structured obeying lecturer and i groaned inwardly. i walked into the lecture room and was surprised to see and experience what i got to experience. she waited with no sense of impatience for everyone to come in even the late stragglers, she shared a few experiences from her personal past with us, she laughed and joked and was very carefree. she comes from a psychoanalytical background and also works in private practice counselling in the specialty of psychotherapy in fremantle, western australia. the last couple of days has involved me trying to find some quiet time to be self reflective and be connected on a different level with my thoughts and views and opinions. it involved a lot of trust in the group and open honesty. it was explained to us students that to be a relatively good counsellor we need to be intune with our inner thoughts and opinions so as to be able to put them aside with a client so as to walk their journey with them during counselling. one of the most memorable activity occurred in mandy's principles of counselling class. she got us to close our eyes, get comfortable and take long deep breathes. she then put on some flowing, music whereupon a lady sang in hindu or a similar language. it was flowy and bought images of slow flying silk in the air. soft, flowy but strong. after 5 minutes we were then asked to draw. draw what? anything that comes to mind. 
the black space is my mind, the unknowns or the unconsciousness. the bright colored blocks in my mind are the knowledge i've gained growing up, learnt from life and university, through people and experiences. as you can see it is very structured each block going in the same direction each roughly in a block shape. here i am trying to show that in my 20yrs of schooling we have always been taught on a structured basis and thus our learning and hence our knowledge appears to be structured. there is a thin black line surronding my mind from the other colorful bits. this represents how my mind is in a sense quite closed to certain ideas and viewpoints. its not VERY closed to ideas but there is still that barrier there. i am hoping that soon enough the black line will dissappear and more colorful parts will enter my mind. the colorful parts on the outside represent the knowledge and experiences of my tutors and lecturers. as you can see their knowledge is not structured and interact with each others. there is also another color on the outside that does not exist in the blackness of my mind. it acknowledges that there are things out there that others have learnt and know about but i am yet to even hear of it. i am to hope that one day my mind will become colorful and be able to interact with the ones on the outside. is it silly of me to want to frame this and put it up one day when i get my own office? 
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Counselling Children. So this is the new unit I am studying this semester. We spend half of our time in class learning the theory and the other half of the time watching a live session of a counsellor and a child. The class is immensely interesting as well as informative and practical. However, a big part of me wonders whether we are looking too closely at and imagining things that arent there? During the live sessions the counsellor and the child are in the play room which is full of toys and other things that children can play with. The child then goes along and plays with each thing that interests him/ her and if he/she wants to will converse and interact/involve the counsellor as well. From this play the counsellor deducts any issues that the child may have. The child has heightened sense of alertness to the external environment, is this normal? The child is adamant on not picking things up and tidying up toys and wishes to have everything in place when he/she comes back, is this a security/familiarity issue? The child is/is not vocal about not having the caregiver/parent in the room, is this a sign of previous parental neglect or the child’s clingyness? At the back of my mind I hear the suggestions from my peers and my lecturer but I’m wondering whether in fact we’re seeing what we want to see? The child wants to play with dolls because she is in a society where girls play with dolls and she is familiar with this toy, not becuase she has issues about her parents and her upbringing and care. The child wants to take her shoes off because it is more comfortable physically, not because she has issues of psychological and emotional well being that she has conquered. In short, perhaps she is just a normal, young little girl that just likes to play at random. And we, as psychologists/counsellors is taking that randomness and making it fit into psychological theories and making something normal an issue for our own deranged pleasure. Perhaps. On the otherhand there ARE children out there that DO have issues and emotional problems that DO manifest itself in their play. But are we looking too much into things these days just because we have the modern “advanced” knowledge of psychology to define it as so?
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The jobs advertised in Australia seems to me to be getting more and more ridiculous as time goes on. Take for example this advert I found on seek.com: "Responsibilities include administrating and coordinating psych assessment procedures through to arranging feedback session and assisting in the preparation of reports and briefings. Depending on your skill level and development, you may have the opportunity to support the Psych Assessment Consultant with report writing and facilitation of feedback sessions.
Working closely with the Assessment Consultant and the Project Management team you will also use your strong administrative and organizational skills to assist in delivering program related support.
The successful candidate will have excellent communication (both written & verbal) and strong interpersonal skills. You will have a very high attention to detail, along with a desire to learn and develop. With numerous opportunities for career development within this supportive and dynamic culture, you will have the tenacity and flexibility to adapt in this client focused consulting environment. Project administration experience is also desirable." There are two positions available, working 3 days a week.... all UNPAID. Look at the amount of responsibilities this position involves not to mention the requirements of the successful candidate! It would all be well and good if I was in Sydney to devote 3 FULL days of my week to working unpaid but since I am in Perth with little to no prospect of getting PAID work to accompany this UNPAID work it would be very, very, very unwise to relocate my life to Sydney. But even so, it is alot of work to be asking for without any sort of financial renumeration. However, in so saying... some people do actually pay a fair sum for a registered psychologist to supervise them on an ongoing basis for two years. Some charge up to $150/hr and you need to see them for at least 2-4hours a week for two years!!! Nevertheless I still find it disconcerting that companies are advertising such an involved position with no monetary benefits whatsoever. xxo
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Honestly, technology can be the bane of all human life at times! I write out this pretty wordy blog yesterday only for it to be eaten by this thing called "the web" !!!! ARGH! I was frustrated to say the least. Still... Here I am to try again. Looking for a job since Nov08 has not been fun to say the least. Not only have I looked far and wide in Perth, I've also expanded my search to the eastern states - Melb, Sydney, Brisbane etc. I've even gone as far as Tamworth, Darwin which are pretty much in the country!!! Still, to no avail. So I looked even further to New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong. One of the sites I definetly recommend for searching for international jobs is www.monster.com. It has a comprehensive search engine for jobs in North America as well as around the world. Personally when looking for jobs within Australia I use www.seek.com.au. The difference I find in general between the types of jobs available here in Australia and the types of jobs available in the US is significant. In the US, there are countless numbers of basic, low skilled jobs that only require a basic degree in health sciences, not necessarily psychology but beneficial if so, and very little experience. These positions mainly involve manual labour (carers/aides) or child minding like services with very little to no counselling/therapy. They also pay a ridicuously low wage of around $8-12/hr! However, it is a foot in the door in this competitive and demanding field of psychology and counselling. However mundane there are countless numbers of these roles available which one can work oneself up from. In Australia it is different. The types of positions available to a fresh graduate with a bachelors degree only are: Consulting (Hr/Rehab), mental health care worker (usually alot of manual labour, physical therapy), counsellor (private or telephone), mental health junior/assistant (either in research or part of a practice under supervision from a psychologist). However, these positions usually require some sort of experience. Without experience the only thing within reach would be working within administration or reception in a health/psychology related organisation or those jobs that only require a sufficient pass in a degree of whichever field or specialty. Y'know them type of jobs I'm talking about. If you have a masters/postgraduate degree in either country however, things won't look as bleak. A postgraduate degree equates to at least 1-2year of clinical experience under your belt which can help improve your job prospects immensley not to mention the professional recognition of further education. Thus Masters/PhD graduates are able to seek positions such as junior/assistant psychologists (clinical, counselling, industrial/organisational), Counsellors, Research fellows and the such. So in the end it all boils down to the fact of whether one has EXPERIENCE or not. Either in the form of a masters degree or of external means. Since I could not find an entry level job that would provide me with this experience that is oh-so necessary I decided I must try other means.... voluntary work. You'd think that since I am offering my theoretical knowledge and skills FOR FREE without pay that I'd be snatched up within moments of even contemplating this idea? No. Alas, this is not the case. I've looked at countless number of volunteer work - Lifeline, Anglicare, Curtin's Volunteer Addictions Counsellor Program, VicAid, Salvation Army, Women's Health Network etc. I was more interested in Lifeline and the Curtin's Volunteer Addictions Program and will blog more about this in my next writings... But for now, I'm starting my preparations for my week of interviews! Thursday for my Masters program at Murdoch and..... Tuesday for my volunteers counselling program with Lifeline WA! (I must say that I did not think either was within reach for me, surprisingly enough even the volunteers program which I shall explain in more detail later). xxo
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... WOOOO! I got an interview for my Masters of Counselling!!!! WOOOOOOO! Sorry, I know I have neglected this blog. I think I got bored of all the intricate details I was trying to explain =P So in short. If you have a 3year degree Bachelor of Science/Arts majoring in Psychology, the most you can go with that degree is HR. Or them jobs that require only a university degree with no specifications in which field. Y'know, them ones. A 4year degree will be a Bachelor of Science/Arts with a fourth year in honors or a fourth year merge as a Bachelor of Psychology. With a four year degree most people can get a job right down the ladder in a psychology practice or within the psychology field. Then to be registered they will then need to get a supervisor (either at their own work place or an external supervisor which they privately pay for) for two years whilst working within the field of psychology. But finding a job that will take you in has been (for me at least) extremely difficult. I keep running into the barrier of "not having any experience", "not having a Masters degree" or "not being registered" - which basically are all the same thing if you think about it. They (companies, organisations and employers) boil it down to the clients confidentiality and liability issues. Sucks. OTHERWISE, the other option for registeration is continuing on to postgraduate studies such as Masters and specialising in the field of either Clinical, Counselling, Industrial/Organisational Psychology. But entry into these postgrad courses is tough and extremely competitive. I've heard, only HD students get in. So... where am I in this whole mess they call PSYCHOLOGY. Well I spent 6months applying for job...unsuccessfully. Decided that I will actually try to get accepted into Masters (of Counselling). I applied to Murdoch so far and have had to provide certified transcripts and certificates, as well as my resume and a personal statement. Let me tell you.... that personal statement (500words) was HELL to write! Imagine not having used my brain since Nov 08 and all of a sudden you're put in a position where you must write a convincing enough personal statement that will sway the unit coordinators minds about accepting you. It took me a good 3-4days to even get started!!!!! I was (and am still) very sceptical about getting accepted. But I guess I am one step further being shortlisted for an interview!!! So, yes I am quite excited, not to mention nervous! BTW, to all my readers - if I don't get into masters this blog won't be very exciting! HAHAHAHA. xxo
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Starting something new is always daunting. There is always a level of apprehension (not to mention procrastination) that is involved. And starting this online blog, as my cousin Jerry can testify, is no different. However, having travelled on the rough roads that is a new graduate, specifically a new graduate with a psychology degree, in this modern world afflicted by economical and financial issues I'd like to impart some wisdom and shine some light on what it has been like and what others can expect for themselves. A little about myself. I am 24years old, studied 18years in Australia, 6 years of which at a higher education level... and I'm still jobless. Don't laugh, its actually a very common occurrence since the world has essentially gone into recession. It's not a pretty sight at all. My educational background consists of completing my TEE exams here in Perth, Australia. Back then I was interested in pursuing medicine which meant I had to have a minimum score (TER), pass a UMAT test and attend an interview. I didnt get in. I tried twice. But my UMAT scores were never good enough. I actually think the UMAT is a really good idea. It separates the people who are academically smart but with no common sense/empathy with those that do. I think in previous generations, some medical practitioners were quite heavy handed and did not have the empathy and personality to form a good rapport with their patients. The UMAT is an aptitude test and is designed to "assess general attributes and abilities gained through prior experience and learning; specifically, the acquisition of skills in critical thinking and problem solving, understanding people and abstract non-verbal reasoning. ". So it's not all about brains now is it? Anyways, I digress. I knew I wanted to be in the health industry. Just not quite sure exactly as what! So I ended up going into a Bachelor of Science degree studying the usual advanced physics, chemistry, human anatomy, physiology and such.... except I failed advanced physics in my first year! But to pass 1st year of uni I had to take another 1st year unit to make up for it. A couple of my friends were doing psychology units and I thought it would be fun to join them and have a bit of company in lectures/tutes. But I kept with it because I really loved it! So I guess I fell into psychology because I failed physics! Four years later, I completed a triple major (Psychology, psychological health and human anatomy & biology) at University of Western Australia. Prestigious I know but it's not all that its cracked up to be..UWA that is. After this, I took a bit of a breather and lived in New York for 6months working with a research team in Mount Sinai Hospital. In mid 2007 I decided to finish off psychology by completing the fourth/honors year which I did at Murdoch. And here I am now! Something to note when thinking about pursuing psychology in Australia. You will need to start off with either a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts majoring in psychology. However, a single major in psychology will not be acceptable for entry into further psychology studies. At this bachelor level stage a double major is required. A single major will only get you as far as a job in HR, medical administration and such. With a double major - Omg. this is such a drone. I thought that starting this would be so easy. I just write what I think and I KNOW I want to alert people to what theyre in for when they choose psychology. But I seem to have forgotten how much I can digress and go on and on and on Haha. Anyways, maybe I'll leave it as it is for now and go on a bit later =). xxo
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