Becoming a licensed clinical psychologist involves much more work than you may think. It requires undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate degrees.
Like many college students, Gressner first became interested in psychology during undergraduate. Starting out as a biology major, she took a psychology course for fun. Soon, it turned into her minor, then eventually her major.
What really influenced this decision was the book An Unquiet Mind, by Kay Redfield Jamison. After reading it, she says, “I really felt called to do this work”.
But what exactly is needed to break into clinical therapy?
After undergraduate, you still have many hoops to jump through. Moving onto graduate school, obtaining a doctorate, and passing an exam are all steps before you can call yourself a psychologist.
Most graduate schools require a bachelor’s degree in psychology due to prerequisites, but sociology, anthropology, and biology are also options. After completing undergraduate, there are a couple paths: a combined graduate and doctorate program or separate graduate and doctorate programs.
If you have ever taken a psychology class, you know that the history of psychotherapy goes as far back as the ancient Greeks. Though some ideas were incorrect, the idea of helping people with their emotions has been around since the 1400’s. Today, the field is still changing.
Formerly a man’s job, there has recently been a shift into the feminization of therapy. Men have abandoned the profession, and with that, a pay decrease is occurring as therapy is losing its prestige.
Since there are so many types of therapists, including private practice, the pay range is wide. The average pay for clinical psychology is around $74,00.
Despite this, the general future of therapy is good, especially as there are so many types of therapists. She says, “people are always going to need therapists.” The field is expected to grow 19 percent between 2014 and 2024.
For those wanting to become a therapist, lots of experience is the way to go: externships, internships, school, tests, and a residency.
She explains, “My first job was an unpaid externship of 15-20 hours a week to learn how to do therapy, while still taking classes. Then, for my residency, I worked at the Bowling Green State University Counseling Center, leading to being hired by them. I’ve now been in this field for 15 years”.
For some finishing up undergraduate, a year off is necessary before beginning graduate school. Gressner obtained her PsyD by the age of 26 by jumping right into more school. She explains that it was overwhelming to be helping people at a young age but ultimately worth it.
An important quality outside of schooling and experience when becoming a therapist is personality. Since you’re working with people, you must be generally likeable. She says GPA doesn’t matter so much when it comes down to it. She looks for necessary education, training, a willingness to learn, flexibility, and timeliness.
After working for 2 different colleges, Gressner decided to begin her own private practice. She found an office space, hired a business couch, and got to work.
She says that networking is very important in her field when you’re starting, sharing how she networked.
She explains, “My business coach encouraged to attend more networking events, geared towards females. What’s your specialty? Define your niche and brand. That helps. Make connections at events with people that may be part of your niche. I would attend psychologist group monthly, meetings, be introduced to others, go to coffee meet-ups & events. Lots of coffee meet-ups.”
This is when she created her mantra, live core confident.
“Core Confidence is trusting yourself and feeling strong and secure in who you are both inside and out. Many buy into the myth that people are either born with confidence, or they are not.” She says, “but in truth, confidence is learnable, adjustable and capable of reconnection.”
On a typical work day, she sees 3 clients, supervises her interns, and returns messages. But, at the end of the day, she goes to acupuncture and then for a run. Though she finds her career rewarding, she cannot bring work home with her. When you’re working with heavy topics such as self-harm, suicide, and trauma you need to make time to take care of yourself.
She tells, “For part of my training as a young psychologist, I was taught about how to set healthy boundaries and compartmentalize things. My biggest relief is exercise. I’m really good at turning things on and off. Every hour you have to let go and move onto the next client. All of your personal problems have to be put on hold.”
For Gressner, being a therapist is ultimately rewarding at the core. She helps people become the best versions of themselves, especially college students. “College is a great time because of identity development personally and career wise,” she says, “I’m helping them make the bridge from adolescence to adulthood.”
The MFJS Reporter -- Winter 2020 M-W 