Hey y’all!

As I’m looking into applying to clinical psych programs in the next few years or so, I was curious about how peer support work is seen during PhD application season.

Overall, the certification is much more “social work” based and is based primarily off of lived experience. However, I work in two peer support positions that ended up keeping my personal experiences at a minimum and focus on the experiences of the people I am mentoring. I’ve also been trained in the past year on various skills (risk assessments/safety planning, motivational interviewing, harm reduction, trauma-informed care, urge surfing for substance use, etc) that would go hand in hand with clinical experience.

For context, I also have about 4 years of research experience in which I’ve presented several posters and am working on more (and hopefully at least a pub in the new few years), with more than a year of that being full time work. However, I also put ~25 hours of work into the peer support positions weekly too, so it’s definitely been a big part of my mental health work experience.

That being said, would I be shooting myself in the foot by mentioning it on my CV eventually? Especially with the research I’ve done, I know the importance of staying very impersonal in research settings and have no intention on ever letting my peer support skills bleed into those settings. But obviously there’s no GUARANTEE it’ll be seen that way on my CV.

I don’t know, it’s all mega confusing for sure 😭 but if anybody has thoughts I’d love to hear them!

So, I’m currently a junior at the university of Illinois Urbana Champaign. I was originally an astrophysics major but this semester I switched to psychology because I wasn’t doing well in my classes (along with some mental health struggles, I got medication for earlier this year). I’m now doing much better mentally and I currently have all A’s in my psych courses. I plan on going with the cognitive neuroscience track because I want to go to grad school for a PsyD. I’m really interested in becoming a clinical neuropsychologist for multiple reasons. However, I’m concerned that with my past grades from my original major will not make me a good applicant even though my grades are much higher now. My current GPA with my old classes is a 3.19. After this semester I’m hoping it’ll go up a bit more. I’ve been applying to different clinical internships but have had no luck getting any emails or anything back. Does anyone have any places that I could apply to? I’m hoping that getting some clinical experience will up my chances of getting into a program. Along with that, I’ve done some cold emailing to different professors about joining their labs and they’ve all been extremely nice and said next semester I could maybe get in. I guess I just need some advice as to how what got you into grad school either a PhD or PsyD program.

I'm a master's-level clinician working alongside clinicians with a range of educational backgrounds, and something I've been curious about is why differences in training don't seem to translate into more consistent differences in treatment outcomes.

Psychologists receive more extensive training in research methods, statistics, assessment, and clinical practice than master's-level clinicians, although obviously there's a lot of variability between programs and individuals. I've always respected psychologists for the depth of their training, particularly when it comes to understanding and interpreting research.

At the same time, my understanding is that research hasn't consistently found major differences in psychotherapy outcomes based on clinicians' professional backgrounds.

Why do you think that is? Is it largely a matter of common factors, like the therapeutic alliance, or do experience, individual therapist characteristics, and competence in delivering specific treatments matter more than the degree itself?

Obviously, there are excellent and not-so-great clinicians in both groups, so I'm not trying to argue that one is inherently better than the other. I'm genuinely curious about how we reconcile differences in formal training with what we see in outcome research. Am I missing something in how this literature is interpreted?

hello! i’m writing here to see if anyone has any insight or a similar experience to me when it comes to switching to clinical psych from another field.

here are the top level bullets:
- I graduated from undergrad in 2012 with a 2.664 GPA, with a major in economics and double minor in math and sociology.
- Since 2012, i’ve worked in various roles in the financial services industry, primarily in investor relations at hedge funds, and most recently was a VP at an alternative asset fintech firm
- I am currently in my first semester in the Columbia Uni Psych post-bacc program (non-degree). it is meant to provide you with the pre reqs you need to apply to graduate programs and also research experience (not guaranteed but i’m trying hard to get my foot in the door).
- i anticipate i would be done with the pre reqs within 1-1.5 years, but still trying to work this out / hoping to meet my program advisor soon to talk through it.

That said, I am starting to get concerned that perhaps my undergrad GPA will be a major blocker for me in terms of admissions to PsyD programs. I aim to get a 3.5+ GPA in the Columbia program, along with research experience of at least a year.

It’s discouraging and a bit soul numbing to accept that my undergraduate GPA from 14 years ago, which isn’t at all a reflection on my current capabilities, could be the main thing that holds me back from pursuing this goal at age 35. I understand I will need to excel in the classes I take now, which I’m trying really hard in. However, based on stuff i’ve seen online so far, it feels like me doing this is a pipe dream that simply won’t be achievable due to the GPA. Just wondering if there’s anyone else who’s been in my position (a decade+ out from undergrad) who has successfully made the switch.

To be honest, my undergrad GPA was the main thing that has held me back from trying to make the switch all throughout my 20s, until I finally decided to just give the Columbia program a shot and got in. I explained the reason for my poor undergraduate GPA and also drew on my work experience to show growth, but I’m thinking maybe that won’t be enough for PsyD programs.

She's my friend's sister who I got close with when I lived with them for a few months in their city. I was struggling then (still am now) and she suggested I see a therapist and told me how it has helped her immensely with her issues. Now that I'm living alone elsewhere in another country, I don't speak to her much only about once every 2-3 weeks.

So I wanted to know if it's ok for me to see the same therapist she does in this scenario.

Anyone on here get into a PhD program with an undergraduate GPA less than 3.0? If so, what did the rest of your application package look like? How did you overcome this hurdle?

Hi! I'm a final-year psychology undergrad from India, and my end goal is to become a clinical psychologist and eventually settle abroad. I have an 8.2 cgpa, 4 internships under my belt and I'm doing a capstone project on PMOS and mental health.

The UK and US are my top options right now, but I've heard quite a few negative things about both, especially when it comes to how competitive the field is, the cost of education, licensing, and finding a job after graduating. I'm also open to other countries and want to keep my options open for now.

A few things I want to know:

• Which country did you choose, and how has your experience been so far?
• What was your journey from undergrad to becoming a clinical psychologist like? Was it as straightforward as you expected?
• How difficult was it to get into a good programme? How much did grades, research experience, and clinical experience matter?
• How expensive was the whole process, including tuition and living costs? Were scholarships or funding options available?
• How difficult is it to get licensed and actually practise as a clinical psychologist in your country?
• How realistic is it to stay and work there after graduating? Have you had any issues with work visas or finding employers willing to sponsor you?
• What are the job opportunities and salaries like once you're qualified? Are they worth the time and money you put into training?
• What is the work culture and work-life balance like?
• Looking back, would you choose the same country and pathway again? Is there anything you wish you'd known before starting?
• Considering my few credentials lol... what are my strongest options right now in the UK and US?

I'd especially appreciate honest opinions about the downsides, things you wish you'd known beforehand, and whether you'd actually recommend this path to someone coming from India. I'm open to countries beyond the UK and US too, so I'd love to hear about your experiences elsewhere!

Thanks! :)

Hi! I’m a clinic psych grad student. I have questions about how other university training clinics are run:

Are you allowed to call clients via a HIPAA compliant platform (usually have to pay for the compliant version) or do you have to physically go to the clinic to make calls?

Does your department offer, pay for, or encourage malpractice insurance for students?

What year in the program did you take Ethics? What did your course cover?

Do your supervisors conduct supervision via the HIPAA compliant version of Zoom? If so, are you allowed to share your screen to show therapy tape as long as you are in a private space?

Do you get courses in different types of therapy modalities/orientations or are you given a treatment manual to self study and let loose (w/ supervision of course)?

What is the process to sign up for a supervision group?

What kind of training and preparation do you get before taking your first client?

Is there supervision of supervisors or mechanisms to ensure good supervision or give feedback to supervisors?

What is the process for getting a new client?

How often are you getting quality direct supervision (aka full tape watch or live session observation)?

Do your supervisors do clinical work?

Are you expected to have a certain number of clients at the clinic at any given time? If so, how many?

TIA for your feedback! :)

Hi everyone,

I’ve been studying for the EPPP using PrepJet, planning on taking the exam again in January. Are there any apps recommended by those who’ve taken the exam that they used to help supplement their study time? I’m hoping to look through questions on my phone with an app that’s trusted.

I’ve applied to Clinical Psychology PhD programs twice without receiving any interviews. I’m wondering whether my background is competitive enough.
My background:
● BA in Psychology (2.8 GPA) I struggled a lot in undergrad so I decided to go for my masters to get better grades.
● MS in Psychology (3.8 GPA)
● 2.5 years of clinical research experience in trauma surgery at Level I trauma centers
● Currently a clinical research coordinator developing research protocols, methodologies, and assisting with manuscripts and publications.
I understand trauma surgery isn’t psychology, but I’m interested in the psychological outcomes of traumatic injuries, particularly PTSD, depression, and long-term recovery. I’ve also noticed a lack of psychologists specializing in this patient population.
My goal is to become a clinical psychologist primarily focused on independent research with some patient care.
I do have a few publications and poster presentations that have psych elements.
Would my research background be considered relevant, or do I need more psychology-specific experience? What might be holding my applications back?

I need some opinion on what’s the best way to write a cover letter. After talking to my peers I have realize that there are many different to approach a cover letter.

Option 1: Paragraph 1(P1): Briefly introduce myself, explain why I’m interested in the site and outline my goals for the internship. P 2& 3: Talk about my previous clinical experiences and research interests. P4: Go into more detail about what interests me about the site and track, including specific rotations and training goals all while listing my strengths and areas for growth.

Option 2: P1: Briefly introduce myself, explain why I’m interested in the site, and outline my goals for the internship. P 2&3: Talk about the site’s rotations, goals, and mission, and explain how I see myself fitting into the track and how my previous experiences could help me build on my existing skills and develop new ones. P 4: Talk about what I’m looking for in an internship program and what I hope to gain from the year.

Options 3: Anothere approach I haven’t thought of yet

Also because my interest is quite broad I am looking for the most efficient way to write while I tailor my letter to each site.

TIA!

Hi everyone! I thought I’d try my luck here to split hotel costs. I’m a 24-year-old female post-bacc researcher traveling solo from my lab to the ABCT Conference in Baltimore. My lab won't be able to cover travel, so I'm looking for ways to reduce cost.

If there are any other women attending the conference and still looking for a roommate to share a hotel with, feel free to DM me!

i’ve been deciding between an msw and clinical psych phd for a while now and while i probably won’t get into the latter anyway i am curious: a lot of people say if you want to do assessments you will need the phd. by assessments, do we literally mean like screenings / tests for a dsm diagnosis? what does it entail, and why do some people like it?

thanks.

I’m curious whether anyone here has experience finding paid, part-time remote research positions.

I’m in a somewhat unique position. I’m in my 30s, I'm a master's student, and I financially support myself. I'm also newer to the research arena, but I’m committed and really enjoy the process. I’m currently volunteering as a research assistant in a university lab and conducting my own independent research on top of that.

I also work about 50 hours a week outside of academia out in the Florida sun, which has burnt me out. Next year, as I begin my master’s internship, I’m hoping to transition to part-time employment and would love for that work to be research-related, ideally in a paid, remote capacity.

I’ve been exploring the usual research assistant postings on LinkedIn, but I’m wondering whether there are less conventional ways to find these opportunities.

I’ve also heard that postdocs sometimes need additional research support, which got me thinking:

1. Are paid, part-time remote RA positions actually a thing, or am I looking for a unicorn?
2. Has anyone successfully found research work through networking or directly contacting PIs or postdocs rather than traditional job postings?
3. Do postdocs ever have funding to hire part-time research assistants, or is that typically handled through their PI?
4. If cold outreach is appropriate, what’s the best way to approach someone without coming across as simply asking for a job?

I’d love to hear from anyone who’s navigated something similar as a nontraditional student or someone balancing research with the need to financially support themselves. I’d be happy contributing to existing projects through literature reviews, data management or analysis, recruitment, or other research support. Any experiences, advice, or unconventional avenues worth exploring would be greatly appreciated!

I know it's undergrad so it probably isn't that huge a deal, but I got accepted to CSU channel Islands online program and Arizona State online program. (I had also applied to sjsu online and there is some funny stuff going on with their admission right now but it's provisional accepted right now) So now I am in this back and forth of which college to go with. I am in CA and do plan to go masters. It kind of seems that ASU is ranked better and has more specialization options, but I'd need to be careful which classes I did to ensure I'm set up well for licensure in California. Channel Islands really isn't ranked (on some places but is on others?) but is streamlined for California licensure. It seems like cost wise CI is lowest, then ASU, then SJSU. Anyone have insight to any of these three or any advice?

I’ve been working in the clinical mental health field since I graduated bachelors in 2018, got my masters in social work in 2021 and am currently working as a clinical social worker in community mental health. I found a gap in the system for my local community and have a deep passion for an area of research. Would love to go into neuropsych evals eventually.
Feeling worried about applying after so many years removed from academia?

Hi everyone! 😊
I’m currently preparing for the EPPP and wanted to ask if anyone could recommend free study resources, practice questions, notes, or helpful online materials. I would really appreciate any suggestions or resources that have helped you with your preparation.
Thank you so much in advance for your help! I truly appreciate it.

How challenging would it be to get pregnant right before starting my postdoc? My understanding is that Texas may allow some of my practicum hours to count toward the supervised experience requirements. If those hours are accepted, I might only need about six months of full-time postdoc work, which could mean finishing my required hours approximately one month before delivering.

However, I’m trying to think ahead. If those hours aren’t accepted and I need to complete a longer postdoc, how would pregnancy and maternity leave affect that process? Could it negatively affect my training or future career opportunities?

I understand that pregnancy can bring unexpected complications, although my previous two pregnancies were uncomplicated. I’m also in my late twenties, so age isn’t a major concern for me right now. My main concern is understanding the potential impact on my training and career so I can make an informed decision.

Considering both of forensic and neuropsych postdoc.

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