Will a Ph.D. Make Me More Phenomenal?
Recently I applied to Portland State University to get my Ph.D. I was accepted into a program where I can do the prerequisites to achieve this higher level of education. I want my Ph.D. because I know that I am smart enough to get one. I do not want to have a private practice as a psychologist. I’m not sure what I want to do with degree. Perhaps I want to prove that I can achieve this level of academic success. I know that I can do it and once I get my degree my career possibilities will be greater.
I’m interested in neuroscience. What the brain can do fascinates me. The idea of neuroplasticity is exciting because our minds can change based upon the experiences that we have. For example, people with PTSD have visible changes in their brains after they experienced trauma. Your brain is not the same after something terrible happens to you. In the same way, your mind can be modified if you go to cognitive behavior therapy. Some studies indicate that CBT has the same efficacy as antidepressants. People’s brain chemistry can change based upon therapeutic modalities that they are participating in.
In some ways, having a Ph.D. will make me more awesome. Here’s an example: I am often asked to write books. However when people who are interested in me writing for them find out that I do not have a clinical degree in psychology, they question my credibility. It doesn’t make any sense to me because I have a wealth of knowledge based upon my personal experience with mental illness and what I’ve studied over the years. I have read the DSM so many times. And I’m sure that there are clinical psychologists who know less than I do about mental illness. I am not trying to sound arrogant ; however, I have studied psychology and I know a great deal.
Considering all of these factors, I still want to get my Ph.D. I want to be Dr. Sarah Fader and I can’t help it. I deserve to be seen as a credible source concerning mental health. If that means getting my Ph.D. so be it. But, that’s not the real reason I want my PhD. I wish it because I like academia. I want to continue to study and learn and grow because the more that we do that, the more that we can become better human beings and help people. Let me rephrase, the more that I can become A better human being and help others in the way that I want to. So I will keep you posted on my progress concerning getting my Ph.D. Who knows how long it will take me? I have two young children so please keep that in mind, and hopefully I will not abandon this ide; however, I cannot be sure of what will happen next.
