How to professionalize in Psychology?

Psychology is one of the careers with the greatest diversity of professional opportunities and, at the same time, it is one of the most demanded university careers. This combination makes what we decide to do after completing the Bachelor's or Degree in Psychology key, since it will depend on whether we can position ourselves well in the labor market or not.

And it is that studying to be a psychologist is not the same as becoming a professional in Psychology; the first implies only learning in general terms, and the second involves having an added vision. strategy of how we can make this profession a sustainable work project capable of allowing us to live it.

In the same way that there is a difference between what is seen in a university classroom and what is seen on a day-to-day basis attending patients and clients, we must learn both theory and practice, even in its small details everyday. Therefore, in this article We will talk about the guidelines to take into account to become a professional in psychology.

How to go from studying Psychology to working in it?

The fact that every day there are more companies and organizations of all kinds that request the services of a psychologist, whether in the clinical field, Human Resources, Sports or specialized in personal development, makes psychology an attractive career for young people who want to dedicate their lives to this discipline and broaden their horizons professional. Today, the tasks of specialists with this profile are very varied, and as always new research and scientific discoveries about human behavior and mind are appearing, The normal thing is to continue training once the Bachelor's degree or Bachelor's degree is finished.

Due to the great diversity of itineraries that psychology students can take and the various modalities of specialization that exist once the degree is finished, it is possible that some people who want to start their studies may feel overwhelmed or disoriented.

That is why in today's article we will briefly review the steps that we can follow to be psychologists, in addition to the advantages of studying the Degree in Psychology and post-university specialization.

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What should we take into account to study psychology?

Studying psychology allows us to learn more about human nature, the mind and also about emotions and psychopathologies in the field of mental health. On top of that, it equips us with several useful tools to help anyone who might present alterations in your mental health or need any type of professional help in your life daily.

To start studying psychology we must ask ourselves if that is what we really want for our professional life and if that is our true vocation. To do this, it is worth ordering our expectations and priorities on a piece of paper and, based on that, carry out a brief SWOT analysis. Besides that, also we must take into account the great variety of specializations that we can pursue in the future, something that will undoubtedly motivate us much more to take the final step.

The first step to becoming a psychotherapy professional is study the Degree or Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at the university of our choice. This training will allow us to acquire the essential knowledge of psychotherapy in general, through a scientific methodology and organized into theoretical-practical thematic blocks.

It should be clarified that although we will focus here on the training path to become psychotherapists, there are other outlets besides psychotherapy with which you can practice as an expert health professional mental.

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The keys to becoming a professional in Psychology

The world of psychology is so broad and covers so many areas of intervention that it is advisable to continue studying and specializing in Masters and/or Postgraduates, since in this way we will have greater knowledge and greater chances of positioning ourselves in the labor market.

In the laboral world A qualified and specialized professional in their branch of intervention will always be more sought after than another graduate in psychology who does not have specific studies or an optimal level of training after university.

That is why in order to become high-level psychologists we must choose a field of intervention, according to our preferences and vocation; in which to specialize to acquire all the tools and strategies that make us virtuous, reliable and methodical professionals.

There are many branches of specialization that we can opt for, among the most demanded we can find Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology, Child Psychology, Organizational Psychology or Human Resources and Sports Psychology, in addition to the various internal specialties that are included in each of these branches or modalities.

Regardless of the branch in which we want to specialize, it is important to carry out the specific practices of each specialization during post-university training, since the degree / degree focuses more on theory and Psychology in general, as an abstract discipline instead of giving details about the psychologist's day-to-day and his practical work.

With the practices that we find in the Master's or Postgraduate studies, we acquire all the skills and abilities of practical application necessary in the daily life of a professional of the psychology. In addition to that, learning is carried out most of the time in specialized centers together with highly qualified professionals and in professional environments similar to those of the real life of a psychologist.

In summary, the practical knowledge acquired in post-university internships will be very useful for us when entering the current labor market and will allow us to adapt more skillfully and easily to the real world of daily psychology.

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Advantages of continuing studying at the end of the degree

In addition to facilitating access to more clients due to greater qualifications and knowledge, continuing to study at the end of the degree and specializing in a certain area will allow us to update our knowledge and acquire the best therapies, techniques and strategies of our discipline and specialization.

Another of the advantages of specializing is to find new areas in which to deepen and learn within the psychological discipline, which we can use in our daily professional practice.

On the contrary, the main drawback of continuing to study at the end of the degree is the economic expense that we spend on Masters and/or Postgraduates, the time invested in post-university training and the effort that we must put into practice to successfully overcome each of the phases or objectives of training.

How to choose a Master or a Postgraduate

When choosing the best Master's or Postgraduate degree that suits our interests, we must take into account a series of aspects that are of great importance for our professional future.

To begin with, we must ensure that this training allows internships in specialized centers and that the classes They are taught by professionals in the sector and not only by people who dedicate almost 100% of the teaching.

In addition to that, it is important to assess the possibility of studying online or hybrid (face-to-face and online at the same time), of having up-to-date study materials and having easily accessible tutors to answer questions at any time and in a manner personalized.

In general, it is recommended that at least 50% of the contents be oriented to the practice of the work, and not only to its theoretical aspects; After all, professionalization implies preparing ourselves in the best possible way to start working in a field, something complicated if we only have a knowledge based on abstract ideas and not on everyday aspects of dealing with clients, patients, research teams, communities in which to intervene, etc

Finally, it is important to take into account the price of the training and its duration, as well as the number of standardized credits offered by each subject. If you consider that you need a very complete training, choosing a Master is the best option; If, on the contrary, it is enough for you to study for a few months, the postgraduate option may be the most appropriate.

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Do you want to specialize in psychotherapy?

If you want to learn the theory and practice of patient care within the framework of psychotherapy, you may be interested in the Master's Degree in Integrative Psychotherapy offered by the Mensalus Institute.

This training program is developed by the team of psychologists from one of the main Psychology centers in Barcelona, ​​and allows work with real cases with patients, as well as learn the most used strategies and techniques in psychological assistance from a theoretical framework integrator. It is available in face-to-face, online or hybrid mode, and lasts for one school year. To learn more, visit The Mensalus Institute page.