Interested in becoming a graduate student?
If you’re passionate about understanding human behavior and creating systemic change, a PhD in counseling psychology may align with your goals.
Below are a few key points to help you decide whether this path aligns with your goals.
What is Counseling Psychology?
According to the APA, counseling psychology is a “generalist health service (HSP) specialty in professional psychology that uses a broad range of culturally-informed and culturally-sensitive practices to help people improve their well-being, prevent and alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to function better in their lives.”
Counseling psychologists often work in settings like university counseling centers, hospitals, private practice, community mental health centers, and academic institutions.
If you are interested in both research and clinical work, and how cultural, societal, and systemic factors shape mental health, this field may be a good fit for you!
Questions to Ask Yourself
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Do I enjoy asking questions and exploring them through research?
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Am I passionate about advancing mental health equity, especially for those from underserved communities?
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Do I want to engage in clinical work, such as therapy, assessment, or supervision?
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Am I ready for the commitment to graduate school (5-6 years)?
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Do I want to teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students?
What to Expect in a PhD program
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5-6 years, including coursework, research, clinical practica, thesis, qualifying exams, dissertation, and pre-doctoral internship
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Courses: Multicultural theory and practice, psychological assessment, research methodology, statistics, psychotherapy
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As a PhD student, you’ll have multiple roles (e.g., student, researcher, psychologist-in-training, mentor to undergraduate students, and instructor or TA)
*What to Expect in the LMHR Lab!*
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Contribute to research and literature in the field of Latinx psychology (i.e., attend conferences, poster presentations, symposium presentations, and contribute to manuscripts)
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Mentor undergraduate students in the lab
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Bi-weekly mentor meetings with Dr. Piña-Watson
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Bi-weekly lab meetings
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Yearly lab writing retreats to meet writing goals
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Attend lab social events (e.g., clay painting, bowling, escape rooms)
Other Resources
https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/counseling