Today we are talking with Kirsten Allen about her career path and current role. She received his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in psychology and her Master's in Sport and Performance Psychology and her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver. Her previous work experience includes working as a Research Assistant for the US Olympic Committee and as a Sport and Performance Psychology Consultant for the Center for Performance Excellence. She is currently a Sports and Rehabilitation Psychologist at the Shepherd Center. We discuss:
Her Current Role
1:05: Description of her current role
2:41: Her roles and responsibilities
4:02: How social the role is
5:23: An overview of her patient interactions
7:01: What she likes and finds challenging
8:15: Examples of collaboration between practitioners
9:30: Her process of assessing patients
11:28: Opportunities for moving up
Her Career Path
12:30: An overview of how she got into this path
13:43: How she chose her graduate school program
14:21: Why she got a PsyD in addition to her masters
15:05: The difference between a Ph.D. and a PsyD
16:30: Why she chose sports psychology for her master's instead of social work or counseling
17:24: Differences between masters in psychology specialties
18:09: The difference in ability to practice between a master's and a doctorate of psychology
19:38: What can you do as a practitioner with a master's in psychology
21:15: Why she chose a PsyD over a Ph.D.
25:26: Financial differences between a master's and a doctorate
26:28: The timing of psychology graduate school options
28:45: An overview of the internship process
29:45: Post-graduate school steps
30:46: Stipends for Ph.D. vs PsyD
31:39: Options for income during graduate school
32:27: Job qualities she learned she did and didn’t want
34:21: Her plans for creating her own private practice
Her Advice:
36:23: Advice for picking a career track in psychology
38:11: Advice on how to get experience in different roles before internship
39:16: Advice for picking a graduate school
40:58: Advice for how to stand out in graduate school applications
43:55: General career advice