Today’s blog was written by Freya Love, Assistant Psychologist at Headspace Guildford.
This blog is a continuation of our series here at Headspace highlighting the different routes you can take into clinical psychology as a career.
I was witness to the lifesaving help that psychology can provide from an early age, which propelled me into a career of clinical psychology. I am particularly passionate about addressing the mental health crisis in the LGBTQ+ youth community, specifically the substantial risk of depression, anxiety and suicidality.
Knowing I needed to have a part-time job alongside my undergraduate degree, I tried to choose roles that would also bring me beneficial experience for my career path. I recognised that a gap in my experiences I had acquired so far was working directly with children, so I applied for a job at a nursery. This was incredibly beneficial alongside my degree, not only for the experience with children, but also the opportunity to observe developmental theories from my lectures in practice within the different age groups at the nursery.
I was very fortunate to be able to carry out my placement year in a Child and Adolsecent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) team. This was my first experience working directly with children and their mental health, and was invaluable experience. However, the experience also highlighted to me the importance of increasing knowledge of the LGBTQ+ experience in clinicians, as there is such overrepresentation of our community within mental health services, it is imperative that the care received is informed and accepting.
I am incredibly grateful to be able to finish my degree while working for Headspace as an Assistant Psychologist. Headspace as a practice is very dedicated to social justice, and addressing the current issues in clinical psychology, as well as pushing for an improved, more diverse vision of the field. It has inspired me to continue in my chosen career path, specifically to reach a point where I can provide knowledgeable and specific care catered to the LGBTQ+ youth community. After I have finished my degree, I would like to spend time working for mental health charities, before proceeding with a clinical psychology doctorate.
My career path into clinical psychology so far is just one of the many, many routes into the field. I would say a barrier for many prospective individuals is that much of the experience offered in the field is unpaid, which immediately creates an impassable obstacle for so many. This fundamentally needs to be changed in the field. In the meantime, I would encourage those interested that it is not only these niche, specific psychological positions that offer great clinical psychological experience. Any job or position where you are working with people can also be invaluable psychological experience. The more clinical psychology grows as a field outside of the majority straight, white, cisgender and middle-class demographics it currently holds, the better for both the field, and those it serves and is aiming to help.
Please feel free to contact me at freyaalove@gmail.com if you have any further questions.