Assistant Psychologist Personal Statement

I’ve always loved the thrill of a challenge, and what’s more challenging than attempting to study the most mysterious thing known to mankind: the human brain? Dr Oliver Sacks said ‘If a man has lost a leg or an eye, he knows he has lost a log or an eye; but if he has lost a self – himself – he cannot know it, because he is no longer there to know it.’ Without memory, what are we at all? Memory makes us the person that we are; we build from our past experiences and use them to adapt our personality, and the complexity of it all is what intrigues me to pursue psychology at university and into a career as a neuropsychologist. In 2009 a family member of mine was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. This was one of the first elements that sparked

Before being introduced into the medical field, I had always seen myself as an engineer. Growing up I was fascinated by how everything worked. When something would break down I would be the first with a screw driver in my hand ready to take it apart. Of course being at such a young age, I would often worsen the situation than fix it, but the thrill and excitement from fixing a broken object meant the world to me. I thought becoming an engineer was my lifelong passion.

I now find myself wishing to further my passion for psychology while studying abroad in London. I will be taking a Psychology course that will transfer as six hours of upper level three hundred courses. The course I will be taking investigates how school and clinical service delivery operates in the U.K. with a focus on autism spectrum disorders and emotional and behavioral disorders. The University of Westminster is where I chose to study not only because of the diverse history that resonates among the city, but the prestige of the psychology department. At The University of Westminster, the undergrad and graduate psychology programs are all accredited by the British Psychological Society. This opportunity will provide a number of things that will assist in the development of a career in psychology. Studying during the summer will allow me to get ahead and take advanced classes at my home institution that pertain to behavioral psychology while focusing on children. It will be an opportunity to expand my knowledge on a subject I am passionate about learning from

Landrum, R. E., & Davis, S. F. (2014). The Psychology Major: Career Options and Strategies

“Letto diciassette!” I froze at the sound of “bed seventeen,” and watched with horror as the Italian nurse ran into my grandmother’s hospital room. The monitors were beeping out of control, yet my heart seemed to be beating even faster and louder. I stood at the end of the dimly lit hall, shaking and unable to move. A health care provider spotted me standing there, desperate, alone, and vulnerable, and made her way over to comfort me. The feelings I experienced next were what I remember most when I look back on that dark and gloomy day in Italy. ***The feelings of hope, reassurance and genuine kindness. The feeling that a missing piece of my heart had been put back where it belonged. That is what I remember most and that is the role I want

Having pursued employment opportunities that allowed me to make a positive difference on the lives of the less fortunate, the Counselling Psychology course at University of East London is an obvious field that will allow me to continue these desires. Ultimately, this course allows me to change the lives of people and obtain my goals.The course prepares me for employment as a professional clinician, and grants me the ability to continue the promotion of well-being.

Looking back at my years in school and my educational teachings, I see them as stepping stones that led me to where I’m today. From grade school to high school, we were slowly taught the knowledge necessary to later transfer into a college level classroom. Then once in college, our courses would act as stepping stones leading us to our chosen career path. For me personally, that will be the medical field. Specifically in Neonatal/Pediatric Nursing.

The basic definition of psychology is the study of human minds and there function, with respect to the affects the human mind has on behavior. The field of psychology is one of the most diverse fields that continue to expand and branch out into a plethora of distinguishing subfields; some subfields include retail marketing, legal work, social work and education (Sternberg, 2007). When deciding what career path to select one has to consider the level of education and scholarship they are willing to pursue. Pursuing and completing an undergraduate degree will earn an individual the title of a reflective scholar. A reflective scholar is a graduate that has completed a Bachelors or Bachelorette degree. Next, is the practitioner-scholar, which, is an individual that has graduated with a Masters degree. Following the practitioner-scholar is the scholar-practitioner, who is a graduate that has complete a program at a Doctoral level (McClintock, 2003). Each level of scholarship entails a pristine level of knowledge about the practices, strategies and techniques needed to establish quality and efficient

I have always been thrilled by what goes around in people’s minds, but it was at the age of fifteen that I was first attracted to the field of psychology and particularly to clinical psychology. It was mainly because I read my favorite book When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin Yalom. This novel had a personal impact on me, as someone I know was dealing with depression, migraines, insecurities and suicidal tendencies same as happens so in the book’s characters.

There are many professional pathways within psychology that an individual may apply themselves to for their career. These include: clinical, forensic, health, and educational psychology. The professional career pathway within applied psychology which will be discussed in this essay is the field of clinical psychology. Clinical psychology aims to reduce the amount of psychological distress an individual experiences and enhance the promotion of psychological well-being. Clinical psychologists attend to both mental and physical health problems including addiction, anxiety, depression, learning difficulties and relationship issues in order to help individuals resolve their problems. Clinical psychologists predominantly work within hospitals, mental health groups and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Clinical | Careers, 2016).

Obtaining a Ph.D. in counseling psychology will give me the outlet to do just that. At a young age I lost my mother to pneumonia, leaving my sisters and me distraught. Coming from an African American home, there was a stigma against psychologists. Instead of us receiving the psychological help that we needed in order to handle our loss, we were expected to cope with it on our own and that resulted in us suppressing most of our feelings. Members of my family did not see the value of going to talk to a stranger about the issues going on in our personal lives. Similar situations to mine happen often in the African American community. This experience is what strengthened my desire to become a counseling psychologist. There is a need for more African Americans in the counseling profession. African Americans should not have to question whether to seek psychological help. I want to be a familiar face so that I can contribute to African Americans feeling comfortable with turning to professional psychological

I've put time into researching all aspects of the job role in psychology and have a positive feeling I am well suited for this role. I'm currently in the process of completing the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care. On this course I have studied a range of units including Psychology which I found particularly interesting as we are looking into behaviourist theories including Pavlov and his Classical conditioning theory and how a person can be conditioned to behave in a particular way from a Stimulus. Another unit we are studying is Sociology which is interesting as it shows why people behave the way they do due to social impacts such as culture or social status.

At this point in my life I am eager to continue my education in the hopes of mastering my purpose of helping others. I realize that by way of consequence of difference, the intersectionality of many factors of an individual’s life can lead to negative experiences and this is an aspect of society I hope to change. Also, my dream of opening my own psychology office would not be possible without furthering my education. This degree will allow me to counsel at risk youth and make a difference in their lives. I know that continuing my education through this program will prepare me for the professional practice I will encounter daily and help to lay the foundation of my future as a helpful member of society.

As a short term goal, obtaining this postgraduate degree in Counseling Psychology and upgrade my career exposure to smoothen my plans to work as a certified & registered psychotherapist and counselor. For my long term goal, I intend to set up a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation clinic which will provide and offer services such as mental health related counseling services, massage therapy for patients suffering from acquired brain injuries and physical therapies.

My purpose for seeking to pursue a doctorate degree is to enhance my knowledge of theories, research methods and assessment as it relates to psychology. More specifically, I would like to fine tune my skill set of executing varying concepts and techniques derived from theoretical discourses applicable to my work as a Psychologist and in so doing, obtain credibility within the field and among colleagues. I also believe, like Abraham Maslow in his theory of Human motivation, in becoming a lifelong learner and achieving intellectual self-actualization. I felt like my esteem needs were met through completion of a Master’s degree and am now compelled to aspire towards higher study; thus doctoral pursuit. Through my journey in completing a Master’s degree in Counseling psychology, I acquired internship experience and continue to obtain a wealth of firsthand experience within the human services field from years of working with students with behavioral, emotional, and social problems.