My Journey to Becoming a Counselling Psychologist: Reflections So Far
It’s been a week since I received my acceptance letter for the Counselling Psychology Doctorate at City, University of London. It still feels surreal that I’ll be starting this September. Honestly, I cannot wait!
Now, I know exactly why I chose to become a counselling psychologist — but I also know there are tons of psychology-related professions out there. So, the purpose of this blog is to shed some light on the different psychological professions, whether you’re a psychology student figuring things out or someone looking to access support. But first... let me take you on a quick detour about how I even got to the point of applying.
The Origin Story
It all started back in college. I fell in love with A-level psychology (shout out to my psychology teacher who supported me during this time — you’re the real MVP!). Also, I was obsessed with Criminal Minds (P.S. I still am). The idea of analysing behaviour, understanding how thoughts and past experiences shape our actions — I was hooked.
Believe it or not, my original plan was to become a forensic psychologist. That dream pushed me toward a psychology undergraduate degree. By the time I wrapped up my undergraduate degree, I was convinced I’d pursue a Clinical Psychology Doctorate — because, let’s be honest, that’s all anyone on my course ever talked about. But then life (as it tends to do) gave me some perspective.
Through both personal experiences and professional roles, my understanding of what it means to be a clinical psychologist began to shift. I also discovered other doctorates — Counselling, Educational, Health Psychology, and more. Landing a job as a CBT therapist in a team filled with a wide range of psychological professionals was a game-changer. To be fully honest, before that role, I’d only ever worked with clinical and counselling psychologists. I’d never even heard of psychoanalytic psychotherapists or systemic therapists, let alone worked with them.
While working in that team, I attended a Counselling Skills Workshop at City. That experience lit a spark in me. I took a step back and started seriously researching the different psychological professions.
And let me tell you:
It can be super overwhelming — there are so many paths.
Some sources say different things about the same roles. (Confusing, right?)
So, to make life a little easier, I’ve pulled together a table that summaries the key differences between various psychological professions (based on my understanding).
Disclaimer:
These descriptions are my take on each profession. I absolutely welcome comments from people in the field — feel free to add anything I might have missed. It’ll help me (and others) keep learning!
So now reading into all the different professionals it made me realise that constant psychology is where I need to be. Lastly, whilst reading this blog, do any reflections or viewpoints come to mind?
Comment your views below