During my research, I must say that my vision and goals were affected in a significant way considering that the study I was involved in helped in changing the perceptions that I held towards operating as a psychologist. The first aspect of my research that impacted my vision and goals is my analysis of prior studies touching on the specific area of my research. In my interpretation of the previous reviews, I noted that a significant number of the researchers experiences substantial challenges that they have documented as part of their studies in a bid to defining a career in psychology. This impacted my vision and goals, as changed the way in which I can view psychology, as it creates a somewhat effective platform from which to define psychology as a career that emphasizes human interaction.
Sternberg (2014) points out that psychology reflects on a career path in which one is expected to reflect on human interaction and connection as a way of understanding some of the challenges and issues that people are facing. Thus, this impacted my vision in this career, as it advanced my understanding of what it means to become a successful psychologist. The second key aspect that influenced my vision and goals is interaction with the participants, which sought to build on the understanding that indeed people tend to face a wide array of issues. As a psychologist, one is expected to create a front through which people can reflect on the problems or issues that they are facing in a bid to promoting overall effectiveness in treatment (Stabile & Clark, 2017). That helped in shaping my professional expectations, as it became clear that I needed to have a higher level of understanding of human suffering and needs.
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Given the impacts, which I have highlighted in the previous section, the specific topics that I would interest in research in the future include depression and personality disorders. These topics are of interest to me, as they seek to establish overall changes in human behavior attributed to set out factors affecting mental status or wellbeing. In my research on these two topics, I will focus much of my attention towards understanding how depression and personality disorder tend to impact overall functionality in individuals. Additionally, I will also seek to reflect on some of the possible treatment approaches that psychologists may take as part of promoting positive health outcomes. In overall, this will build on the perspective that I would able to develop my position as a professional focused on my specific career path as a psychologist dealing with other people’s mental issues.
My vision was affected by the reading of the Career Paths in Psychology, as this particular reading sought to change the way I viewed the career element of psychology. Before engaging in this reading, I saw psychology from the perspective that one would only work within a single career path. However, this changed significantly after reading this particular text considering that the text highlighted a wide array of career options for trained psychologists. That resulted in a situation where I was able to revise my vision statement and goals in a bid to advance what I consider as a somewhat useful expectation in building my career as a psychologist.
Professional Competencies and Requirements
Capella program and specialization requirements
The Capella University program of Applied Behavior Analysis creates an obligation for students to attend approximately 11 courses for one to be conferred with a Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis. Each of the classes is important in laying the foundation for one to operate as a psychologist considering that they seek to reflect on differentiated expectations for any graduate intending to work as a professional psychologist. The requirement for one to graduate with a degree from the Capella program is that one ought to engage in each of these courses, which helps in providing the professional understanding on what to expect as part of building a career in psychology. Additionally, one is likely to work within a period of supervised practice experience during which time one would be supervised while operating as a psychologist.
Skills, abilities, and attitudes critical to the success
There are several essential skills, abilities, and attitudes essential to success for one to become a clinical psychologist. These success factors are crucial to any individual intending to operate in this field of psychology, as they create that effective platform from which one can boost his or her position in dealing with others. The crucial first ability to note is that one must have excellent communication skills. Communication is essential in psychology, as it helps in creating a definite connection between a psychologist and a patient (Lodge, 2015). Thus, this creates the need for one to focus on building his or her communication skills as a way of establishing that effective platform from which to operate as a clinical psychologist.
The crucial second ability that one must have is patience when dealing with patients considering that patients may have different expectations when visiting a psychologist. Wasylyshyn (2018) argues that the results in psychology often take long periods, which may include months or years, thus, creating the need for a patient. Thirdly, a psychologist is expected to uphold the highest ethical standards as part of dealing with the patients. Ethics reflect on the fact that the psychologist focus on taking care of people, which creates the need for having to ensure that indeed they maintain privacy and confidentiality (Stephens, 2017). Additionally, this means that an individual would be expected to engage in actions that do not pose any harm or danger to the patients during treatment. Lastly, one is supposed to have high problem-solving skills. Psychologists encounter a wide array of problems that they are supposed to deal with as part of their duties in dealing with human beings. Thus, this highlights the importance of having to ensure that indeed one adopts effective problem-solving skills.
Ethical codes, principles, laws, and policies
The American Psychological Association (APA) has created the applicable moral codes of conduct for psychologists in a bid to advance their moral principles while focusing on their abilities to deal with patients. A graduate is expected to register as a member of the APA, which exposes him or her to the ethical code, rules, and procedures for psychologists. Additionally, the individual is also expected to abide by laws and policies touching on patients’ rights and freedoms among others. These laws and policies have been put in place with the sole focus being towards protecting the patients from any underlying issues that may arise as part of professional misconduct.
The ethical code, as presented by APA, seeks to provide standards of professional conduct with the sole focus being towards avoiding cases where some of the professionals in this field of study may act in an unprofessional manner. On the other hand, the code also highlights the procedures associated with resolving any notable conflicts that may arise within the professional environment. Some of these conflicts cannot be resolved by the ethical code, thus, creating the need for having to refer to the laws or policies that touch on the specific disputes. The association helps in handling some of these conflicts with the sole focus being towards reaching an amicable solution that both parties would be able to appreciate.
Self-Assessment
After analyzing myself, one of the critical areas that I would need to develop on is my communication abilities, which is one of the essential expectations for me to operate as a professional psychologist. I am somewhat weak in communication, which may affect my ability to operate as an expert in the field of psychology. As I embark on the process of becoming a professional, it would be vital for me to work on trying to improve my communication skills and abilities. The improvements that I make will be aimed at creating a better avenue through which I will be able to connect with my patients. Additionally, this will also seek to reflect on a critical structure of performance aimed at improving the way that I interact with my patients taking into account that this is important for me as a professional.
The other key area that I would need to develop further in a bid to achieve my goals and vision is patience. Although I consider myself as being patient, I must argue that my patience is somewhat limited meaning that I always focus on ensuring that I reach specific results within limited periods. However, I noted that the results in psychology might take a sometime before they are seen, which requires notable levels of patience. Thus, this has helped me understand the importance of having to advance my abilities to remain patient especially in my bid to dealing with patients. Lastly, I would also need to improve my problem-solving skills to advance my overall position in this particular field of psychology. By improving on my problem-solving skills, I will be in a better position through which to deal with some of the critical problems that my patients encounter, which would help improve on my overall projections towards operating as a professional.
Action Plan
The first step in my action plan is to complete all courses in my Capella program, which will help build on my educational experience towards becoming a professional. I intend to focus much of my attention towards completion of the program, which would act as one of the critical steps through which to achieve the expected qualifications as a psychologist. Some of the possible opportunities for additional training would reflect more on joining similar programs, which would provide me with more information on what I would expect in the profession. If I would need to increase my education, I will need to find an alternative program that will provide me with more information on what I would need as a professional.
In my current position, some of the possible opportunities include changing my career path towards focusing on an alternate field of psychology. That will provide me with a better opportunity of stretching my career expectations towards becoming better at what I do. Additionally, this will also seek to expound on my abilities to build an effective avenue through which I would be able to advance my career further. I intend to join the American Psychologists Association (APA), which will work as a critical professional group for me to achieve what I expect in my career. My joining of this association will also provide me with a platform for networking through which I would be able to meet more psychologists, who will help advance my career in the field of study.
To help me stay current, I will focus on reading modern materials including journals and articles from multiple authors. Reading will help me get a clear understanding of any changes occurring within this particular field of study, which may affect me or my career in any way. I will apply what I have learned in the course through the way I handle my patients. The course has provided me with some form of understanding of what I ought to expect in my position as a psychologist. The information and knowledge that I have gained through the course would help provide me with a better platform from which to improve on my capacities as a psychologist. I will apply critical thinking and effective decision making as a psychologist in my approaches towards effective treatment of my patients. Critical thinking and effective decision-making would be essential in ensuring that indeed I can build on useful treatment expectations as a psychologist.
References
Lodge, J. M. (2015). Transitioning into academia: The challenges and opportunities for early career psychologists and psychological scientists. InPsych: The Bulletin of the Australian Psychological Society Ltd , 37 (6), 14.
Stabile, A., & Clark, C. (2017). Personal and social factors, recognized by entrants in the career choice of Psychology. Orientación y Sociedad , 17 , 179-186.
Stephens, N. M. (2017). Award for distinguished scientific early career contributions to psychology: Nicole M. Stephens. American Psychologist , 72 (9), 910-912.
Sternberg, R. J. (2014). I study what I stink at Lessons learned from a career in psychology. Annual review of psychology , 65 , 1-16.
Wasylyshyn, K. M. (2018). An accidental psychologist: Abandoning one career for another. The Psychologist-Manager Journal , 21 (3), 187.
