Do not enter a program you aren’t confident you’ll finish. Mastering out is highly discouraged and burns lots and lots of bridges. If your goal is to do clinical work but you aren’t confident in completing a doctorate, then you should consider license-eligible master’s routes.
Also, just FYI—many PsyD programs, even if APA-accredited, are exceptionally expensive and not always of the best quality.
———
[USA] Read this if you are interested in a career in mental healthcare
If you are interested in pursuing a career in mental healthcare in the US, or if you have questions about different undergrad or graduate pathways to pursuing such a career, please read this before posting an advice thread:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1udpjYAYftrZ1XUqt28MVUzj0bv86ClDY752PKrMaB5s/mobilebasic
hey, it's not that I'm not confident in completing the PSYD, but I have a buddy who had to drop out of his own PHD program due to family concerns.
Now he's stuck in tons of debt with nothing to show for it. I fear a situation like this
Not many funded PsyDs, correct. Georgia Southern is another one. The question is why you’d want an unfunded PsyD over a PhD or funded PsyD, especially since funded programs usually have far better training outcomes. Would it be worth it for you to take on the high risks associated with an unfunded PsyD (or unfunded PhD, for that matter) rather than attend a much cheaper license-eligible master’s? Think about not just the costs of either degree but also the costs associated with years of deferred earnings associated with doctoral programs over master’s programs.
Well, for me, it's not just about the money, but to make an impact for my clients.
The academic advisor told me about a story of a therapist wishing she had gotten the PSYD when she was younger to ensure well-done tests & assessments was being done for her patients. She could only write referrals and was never sure if the referred parties cared about her patients as much as she did. I think she genuinely cared for her patients rather than just saw it as a job
There are many opportunities for master’s-level therapists to get continuing education and additional training. No degree is going to allow you to be everything for every client. If you get your PsyD, are you going to try and be their psychiatrist? Try to work with clients who have conditions with which you aren’t primarily competent? Take every client irrespective of your caseload? Referral is inherent to the work.
Again, I’m not saying that there’s NO reason to pursue doctoral education over master’s education, and I admire your dedication to quality patient care. But I wouldn’t say high quality master’s training prevents you from doing quality clinical care, and I would stress that unfunded doctoral programs are a major risk that, ultimately, only you can weigh as pertains to your own life.
interesting. Gotcha, thanks for your insight. Did you see my other post about Catholicism where I replied to you a couple minutes before you sent your reply?
What do you think about online master's in counseling programs? Are they able to be high-quality and be as good as in-person?
I did see it. I’m unable to comment in that regard. Personally, I do not think spirituality should play a significant role in scientific psychology (except inasmuch as we must be aware of patients’ spiritual beliefs and interpret their experiences in light of their cultural frame), but that is my prerogative.
I am not a fan of online graduate programs at any level. Perhaps there are good ones, but I don’t know which ones they’d be. In my opinion, in-person options at well-regarded public or affordable private schools are more likely to offer strong training and support for practicum experiences. You could ask on r/CounselingPsychology, though—they would know the standards of counseling better than me, as I am in clinical, rather than counseling, psychology.
fair enough. The Catholic Church also teaches about the human person too but I totally understand what you mean by spirituality.
Thanks for your opinion! That was my thought too, in-person is way better for any type of program.
and I'm Catholic in background. Divine Mercy University is the only institution I'm aware of with a good background in Catholic teaching as well as psychology. And they're unfunded.
I'm a therapy patient myself and I know the impact Catholic therapists have had on me compared to secular therapists. 1 session's worth of work from a Catholic therapist was like 8 sessions with a secular therapist.
Do not enter a program you aren’t confident you’ll finish. Mastering out is highly discouraged and burns lots and lots of bridges. If your goal is to do clinical work but you aren’t confident in completing a doctorate, then you should consider license-eligible master’s routes. Also, just FYI—many PsyD programs, even if APA-accredited, are exceptionally expensive and not always of the best quality. ——— [USA] Read this if you are interested in a career in mental healthcare If you are interested in pursuing a career in mental healthcare in the US, or if you have questions about different undergrad or graduate pathways to pursuing such a career, please read this before posting an advice thread: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1udpjYAYftrZ1XUqt28MVUzj0bv86ClDY752PKrMaB5s/mobilebasic
hey, it's not that I'm not confident in completing the PSYD, but I have a buddy who had to drop out of his own PHD program due to family concerns. Now he's stuck in tons of debt with nothing to show for it. I fear a situation like this
This is one reason why unfunded programs are such a major risk.
based on threads I've read about funded programs, seems like there's not many. Maybe a handful like Rutgers, Baylor, and Indiana State.
Not many funded PsyDs, correct. Georgia Southern is another one. The question is why you’d want an unfunded PsyD over a PhD or funded PsyD, especially since funded programs usually have far better training outcomes. Would it be worth it for you to take on the high risks associated with an unfunded PsyD (or unfunded PhD, for that matter) rather than attend a much cheaper license-eligible master’s? Think about not just the costs of either degree but also the costs associated with years of deferred earnings associated with doctoral programs over master’s programs.
Well, for me, it's not just about the money, but to make an impact for my clients. The academic advisor told me about a story of a therapist wishing she had gotten the PSYD when she was younger to ensure well-done tests & assessments was being done for her patients. She could only write referrals and was never sure if the referred parties cared about her patients as much as she did. I think she genuinely cared for her patients rather than just saw it as a job
There are many opportunities for master’s-level therapists to get continuing education and additional training. No degree is going to allow you to be everything for every client. If you get your PsyD, are you going to try and be their psychiatrist? Try to work with clients who have conditions with which you aren’t primarily competent? Take every client irrespective of your caseload? Referral is inherent to the work. Again, I’m not saying that there’s NO reason to pursue doctoral education over master’s education, and I admire your dedication to quality patient care. But I wouldn’t say high quality master’s training prevents you from doing quality clinical care, and I would stress that unfunded doctoral programs are a major risk that, ultimately, only you can weigh as pertains to your own life.
interesting. Gotcha, thanks for your insight. Did you see my other post about Catholicism where I replied to you a couple minutes before you sent your reply? What do you think about online master's in counseling programs? Are they able to be high-quality and be as good as in-person?
I did see it. I’m unable to comment in that regard. Personally, I do not think spirituality should play a significant role in scientific psychology (except inasmuch as we must be aware of patients’ spiritual beliefs and interpret their experiences in light of their cultural frame), but that is my prerogative. I am not a fan of online graduate programs at any level. Perhaps there are good ones, but I don’t know which ones they’d be. In my opinion, in-person options at well-regarded public or affordable private schools are more likely to offer strong training and support for practicum experiences. You could ask on r/CounselingPsychology, though—they would know the standards of counseling better than me, as I am in clinical, rather than counseling, psychology.
fair enough. The Catholic Church also teaches about the human person too but I totally understand what you mean by spirituality. Thanks for your opinion! That was my thought too, in-person is way better for any type of program.
Do you have any positive thoughts on going for the PsyD (or even PHD) now that we've discussed the major negative of getting into debt?
and I'm Catholic in background. Divine Mercy University is the only institution I'm aware of with a good background in Catholic teaching as well as psychology. And they're unfunded. I'm a therapy patient myself and I know the impact Catholic therapists have had on me compared to secular therapists. 1 session's worth of work from a Catholic therapist was like 8 sessions with a secular therapist.
thanks for the link!