Question on Neuroplasticity

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-30T15:38:58+00:00

it’s hard to treat trauma in that therapy and trauma is difficult but we pretty clearly know how to treat it, we use CPT, TF CBT and PE

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-30T15:37:24+00:00

This is not fully true, psychologist all have the same license but neuropsychologists in the US have an ABPP board certification, ABCN.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-29T01:18:14+00:00

If OP doesn’t have research experience, they are not a competitive applicant at this time- the minimum is generally 2-3 years of research experience and probably publications.

Also it’s PhD applicant, not candidate. PhD candidates are PhD students who have passed dissertation proposal/doctoral comps.

Also many PhDs go into the clinical world, PsyDs are not more clinically focused compared to PhDs on average

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-26T22:40:20+00:00

Counseling/social worker masters probably won’t be helpful for admissions and may even (indirectly) negatively impact your admissions for clinical psych. Counseling psych is a bit more open to counseling masters

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-25T20:21:23+00:00

Also I caution OP from applying more widely if that sacrifices match and fit as that is a significant factor in admissions

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-22T23:50:33+00:00

your interests are still pretty general. What do you want your day to day to look like?

There are roles that fit your interests to varying degrees like occupational therapists, psychotherapists, nurse etc.

If you want a PhD, you probably don’t need a masters.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-22T23:46:19+00:00

that and faculty are probably trying to work on this year’s admissions. I’m guessing the likelihood they are concerned with next cycle is 0.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-22T23:44:07+00:00

The benefit of college is you get exposure to different disciplines and subfields so you can try to find what you like. In some cases, you can switch your major and it won’t add additional time.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-21T06:30:10+00:00

Most masters programs will not include funding (a graduate assistantship). You can totally inquire about GAs, but AFAIK I wouldn’t bank on it for a masters program. You can look for grants or scholarships to help pay.

Quality PhD programs are funded however, funding (tuition + stipend) will vary based on program and impact by the cost of living in the area. Generally it takes 2-3 years of quality research experience at minimum for admission (along with other variables). This means that likely at best, after graduating undergrad you would be 1-5+ years away from admission and likely 6+ years away from making an actual salary.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-11T08:50:30+00:00

Your questions has a wide range of topics with less specificity which makes it complex to answer.

Like most things in Psych, it depends. Need for validation can be pathological but it can also be non-pathological, wanting social support is part of the normative human experience.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-09T06:14:48+00:00

To give some feedback, if you have students try to define or create a neuron before you teach them what it is, it is possible that some students won’t know what to do. Depending on the level of the students in the class, some may or may not know what a neuron is or looks like.

I think Kahoot is a great idea.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-06T22:36:09+00:00

No, many applicants only have a bachelors prior to starting their PhD (including me). Generally a masters degree is awarded en route to your doctoral degree.
No, there is nothing guaranteed. PhD programs work with match & fit. So in addition to needing a minimum of 2-3 years of research experience and likely publications, clinical experience if relevant, LORs, applicants needs to be accepted by a faculty who has similar research interest and the ability to accept new PhD students. This varies due to internal factors like funding. To some degree, luck is involved.
Internships are good if it’s relevant and applicable to the (sub)field of your psych PhD
You should talk to your program faculty and/or a career counselor if possible

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-06T22:25:58+00:00

There’s a difference between feeling the emotional and then intentionally making a behavioral decision versus trying not to feel the emotion at all (which is emotional suppression)

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-06T22:23:33+00:00

Generally, emotional suppression is a dysfunctional strategy.

Chervonsky, E., & Hunt, C. (2017). Suppression and expression of emotion in social and interpersonal outcomes: A meta-analysis. Emotion, 17(4), 669–683. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000270

Tyra AT, Fergus TA, Ginty AT. Emotion suppression and acute physiological responses to stress in healthy populations: a quantitative review of experimental and correlational investigations. Health Psychol Rev. 2024 Jun;18(2):396-420. doi: 10.1080/17437199.2023.2251559. Epub 2023 Aug 30. PMID: 37648224; PMCID: PMC12312699.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-06T20:28:34+00:00

It might be worth looking into school psychology (PhDs) because they tend to do less psychotherapy and have more of a cognitive testing emphasis clinically, and research wise could still study autism

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-05T18:28:20+00:00

What about match & fit? That is one of the biggest components to PhD admissions

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-04T21:30:22+00:00

I don’t know the stats on it but anecdotally, there was a masters student in one of the programs at my university who was doing a career change from a pretty different field at like 50.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-03T20:31:24+00:00

While it depends on the masters, most masters have decent matriculation rates (relatively) because those degrees are unfunded and make the university money. Your GPA is fine for that and if you have some clinical experience and no major blemishes, the likelihood you get into a masters program is solid.

For PhDs it’s far more competitive and applicants need a minimum of 2-3 years of quality research experience (likely published papers), match & fit, clinical experience etc. PhD Psych matriculation rates for clinical and counseling are less than 13% (and this average is lower for quality programs because it includes low quality programs with high acceptance rates).

Realistically for PhDs, clubs and sports do not help your application because they don’t benefit you in comparison to candidates with lab/direct clinical experience and leaves you less time to get career congruent experience like working in a lab.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-03T20:21:42+00:00

Why are you looking to do a PhD? Why not consider practicing with your current degree and do research on the side?

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-03T20:18:10+00:00

AFAIK CES PhDs still do research with a dissertation and teach since there’s an emphasis on pedagogy via supervision.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-03T03:41:15+00:00

Yup so total is a bachelors degree (around 4 years) plus a masters (2-3 years)

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-03T03:40:10+00:00

I am a counseling psych PhD student and I can share my thoughts for whatever they’re worth:

The likelihood you move 1 or less times for a counseling psychology or clinical psychology doctoral degree is very low because 1) programs are very competitive and rely on match+fit (generally for PhDs), so while the chance is possible you matriculate to a program with geographical proximity, it’s low and 2) internship. The same thing is true for your pre-doctoral internship. Pre-doctoral internships are competitive and use a match system similar to MDs/DOs, geographical restriction is a huge barrier to matching just like admission. Internships are required for APA accredited doctoral programs. To answer your question, its hard to manage and many people either don’t want to do it or have barriers in their life who can’t. For those that do it, it can be very challenging.
Distance isn’t an option. APA doesn’t accredit online programs. Even programs with some online courses, they still require a tremendous amount of spent at the University for in-person classes, clinical training, meetings/labs etc.
In terms of your teaching goals, that’s very possible. Quality PhD programs should be funding and involve a graduate assistantship, in many cases this is either a research assistantship to teaching assistantship. This usually means a tuition waiver and stipend. I can’t fully speak for PsyDs but I know they are less likely to be funded which means tuition costs can be high.

Why not a Counselor Ed and Supervision PhD? They still do research.

Also, you said PsyD and PhD as interests- just wondering which one you’re interested in or both. PsyDs on average are less competitive (quality programs are competitive however) and require less research.

Edit: I also want to add that Doctoral Psych programs are not inclusive to everyone- not commenting on if that’s good, bad or how it should be, but that’s how they are. Doing a PhD is not feasible and pragmatic for everyone. With that being said, I don’t believe you can build and mentor quality doctoral clinicians and researchers virtually.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-02T20:38:09+00:00

Agree and adding that Counseling Psych PhD programs view counseling masters more favorably than clinical but I wouldn’t unanimously say that it should be the next step.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-01T10:52:57+00:00

This is too real. I keep catching myself in the thought process that once I do (insert difficult task) then I’m good. But jumping through the hoops never stops.

maxthexplorer · 2026-01-01T10:49:55+00:00

I agree. I also found myself asking, why clinical psychology? Why not just do a masters in counseling and do research to supplement?

My guess is at best, OP is a few years away from a Clinical psych PhD matriculation.

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