Interview Report: Insights into a Psychology Career, [University Name]

This report details an interview with Jenner Paulson, a private practitioner in psychology, offering insights into the field. The interview explores Paulson's journey, from his initial interest sparked by his brother's mental health struggles, to his current 'just getting warmed up' stage in his career, including his private practice since 2017. The discussion covers challenges faced during his degree, such as time management, and how he developed coping mechanisms like 'quick self-care' routines. Paulson shares his perspective on career choices, highlighting the importance of research and the value of specialized certifications like RPT. He discusses the aspects of his job he enjoys most, the essential character traits for a successful therapist, and the impact of his profession on his personal life. The interview also addresses difficult cases involving abuse and violence, preferred treatment styles, and the biggest challenges faced in his career, including imposter syndrome. Furthermore, Paulson reflects on the rewards of being a therapist, his personal values in practice, ethical dilemmas, and common misperceptions about mental health therapy. Finally, he outlines his career goals, including increasing his client load, obtaining additional certifications, and mentoring other therapists.

Running head: INTERVIEW
Interview with a Professional
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Introduction
I have conducted the interview with Jenner Paulson who is a private practitioner in the
field of psychology. He also graduated in December of 2017, and is now engaged in all types of
internship works, private practice sessions and many other such activities. This interview has
helped me to understand about the different ways in which I can shape myself towards the
profession of becoming a successful psychologist in the near future.
Discussion
1. When did you first notice your interest in the field of Psychology?
Self reflection is one of the most useful ways that helps us in undertaking a personal analysis
of the different pros and cons are present within me. In other words through this interview I have
been able to understand how my interview that is a now a professional psychologist gained his
interest. It was from the mental misbalance of his brother that he had to consult with a
psychologist. He was really motivated and inspired by seeing the treatment measures that were
used by the doctor. He was also happy as his brother was totally cured. Thus it can be said that
taking a close note of all the different incidents happening in our loves is of utmost importance
that gives rise to the different decision of why an individual might want to become a teacher, a
singer or even a psychologist.

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2. Where are you at in your psychology career? For example: Just getting warmed
up, mid-career, prime, running on fumes, (in your own words)What was most
challenging for you when obtaining your degree?
I would put myself in the just getting warmed up stage. There has been a change taking
place I my career I have started private practice within a span of about 1 year. I also
graduated in December of 2017, so I am still very green in the field. I feel that I am still
at a novice and also learning phases as I need to still lean many new facts and
information. I felt that finding out time for taking care of me is one of the toughest phases
in my life. It was a very busy schedule as I had to somehow strike a balance between day
to day school work, works of internship and also maintaining relationships. I was finding
it difficult to manage time for myself within myself. I developed a series of tools for
“quick self care”. Taking an hour to go to the gym, or on a walk, or to listen to a podcast
and lay in bed saved me from many of the burnout feelings I saw other students dealing
with.

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3. If you could choose your career all over again, would you consider doing something
different? What would you do different?
One of the useful ideas that I got from the interview session is that it is very useful to take
time and conduct an in depth research for understanding all the good options. In the modern day
concept the system of education has developed a lot, it is really essential for all of us to make
sure that we are selecting that option which is actually best for us. This will be much helpful in
understanding the courses and the options that can turn out to be enriching for my future career. I
learned about the different cheaper options that are present in the modern day educational filed.
One among them is the RPT (registered play therapist).
4. What part of your job do you like most?
This is a path that helps the aspiring psychology students to get some specialized courses
so that they can actually cater to the needs and demands of people. During my interview I came
to know that these options were either not available or not much known among students in the
earlier days. It is for this reason that my interviewee was also not able to use this during his
education. However he said that if now he is given a chance to take some career decisions once
again, he would then surely go for this course as this is one of the most useful fields that can be
opted for by the students.

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5. I believe not everyone has what it takes to be a therapist. What would you say are
important character traits for a successful therapist to have?
There are so many beneficial lessons that I have come across after this interview session.
However the first among them is to like the job that one is doing. There will be challenges in
almost all the job fields. However it must be made sure that one is able to identify those
obstacles and then be able to understand about the ways in which they can be better utilized. I
have been able to understand that some of the most useful aspects of become a psychologist is to
be able to meet with many new people on a daily basis. I will be able to understand the problems
and also suggest some good and useful measures that will help my patients to become much
more confident and also be able to embrace their authenticity and their understanding. This will
help them to be comfortable in their own skin and also know that they have all the support and
help from my end.
I have also learned that each and every individual does not have the treat to become a good
and ideal therapist. However this is not a, matter to worry became there is always great scope for
one to work over the flaws and develop themselves to meet the criteria of reaching up to their
goals.
6. How does being a mental health specialist affect your personal life?
I have also come across some negative points or some challenges that I might face, I have
got to know from my interview that it is hard to carry on the treatment procedures with the
emotions that get accumulated. While treating different people with different diseases I might

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often feel a kind of heaviness within myself. I will have to develop the technique of washing off
the emotions so that it does not interfere within the process of treatment. This will surely affect
the direction of my career in a positive way. I am sure that following these rules will n naturally
help me to meet up all the differ challenges coming in my way, I will also know the different
useful courses that I will have to use while working as a psychologist.
7. How do difficult cases that involve abuse and violence affect you?
The course of my career will be guided in the right path as I have learned about the
importance of being honest and patient in life. I will be able to understand about the emotions of
my patients. I have learned that I will have to work with the abusers at times as part of my job.
This initially was very difficult for me to understand. However later I realized that as a
psychologist I have to work with many different people including both the abuser and also the
abused.
8. What is your most preferred treatment style in mental health therapy?
I have learned that it is essential to develop a kind of authenticity or originality among
ourselves so that we can actually get connected with people and then become the guide for our
patient. This will help me to become an ideal psychologist and also make sure that I am not
cheating in any way or making any improper treatment decisions. The other important thing that
I have learned from this interview is Internal Family Systems therapy and incorporating
some “parts work”. What are the biggest challenges you faced in your career?

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9. What are the biggest challenges you faced in your career?
This will help me to meet with people, understand their psyche and also find out some
measures of helping them out. Learning about the imposter syndrome and doubting my ability to
run a business created a second thought within me, I learned during the interview that in the
modern day being a good psychologist is not enough. One needs a good marketing and
communication skill. I am of a bit shy nature but however I have made up my mind to challenge
my weaknesses and make sure that I am being able to stand up to them and also develop a
proper personality.
10. How does being a therapist, helping people, and changing their lives, make you
feel?
I have learned that the best reward a psychologist can get is the gratitude of a patient. I will not
be concerned about the paycheck but will always try to make my patients happy and cured from
their illness.
11. How your personal do believes influence your choices at work?
I try to never impose or even imprint any of my values upon the people I work with. I will
always stay open and free with my patients and make sure that all the patients are giving their
opinion in their treatment procedures. None of the decisions are to be taken without giving prior
information to the patients. I believe my values lead me to try to be kind, encouraging, honest,
and freeing for my clients. I attempt to bring a caring and non-judgmental heart into the
counseling room.

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12. Please share an experience when your ethics were tested.
Ethical dilemma is also one of the very useful aspects that I learned from the interview. I
have been able to understand the ways in which a psychologist can come out from any kinds of
ethic related issues. This can happen while treating patients having Borderline Personality
Disorder. Patients suffering from this do not usually understand about the distance that they
must maintain with their doctors and keep on calling while giving the threats of complaints.
However this is really a matter of concern. However the solution is to develop a kind of safety
plan with the patient so that the treatment can be carried on without any kinds of hindrances.
13. What is the biggest misperception people have about mental health therapy?
Counseling knowledge is one of the useful things that I have learned from the interview. I
have realized that counseling is not always done on people who are made. This is a
misconception among patients and the society. Thus as a psychologist I will try to raise
awareness among people so that they do not misunderstand counseling to be any harmful things
or a certain treatment that can be done only on people who are crazy. The other useful lesson that
I have learned is to never continue working with boredom. I have understood the difference
between working for happiness and working for money. This is a profession where I am
responsible for taking care of the patients and help them get back to the normal courses of their
lives. However if I feel that I am no longer getting any interest in doing so then I will be taking a
break and go for some kinds of refreshments.

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14. Where do you see yourself at the peak of your career?
I’m not totally sure to be honest. Currently my client load is 6 or so clients a week.
Realistically I would like to be around 15. I want to work hard so that I am able to get some
additional certifications courses. RPT and IFS certifications are some of the courses that I
want to accomplish. Realistically I would like to be around 15. I want to get my RPT and IFS
certifications. I also would love to be encouraging and passing on skills and hope to other
therapist. Other than that I am hopeful that at my peak I will be a therapist that stays humble,
continues to learn and grow, and cares about the people he serves.

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15. If there was one thing you could avoid doing at your job, what would it be?
I never want to be harmful to one of my clients and I never want to become disillusioned. I will
always try to ensure that I am working for the welfare of my patients and not only for the money
that is needed. If I ever hit the point where I stop caring about the clients and am just doing the
job for a paycheck (compassion fatigue) I will always try to take a gap or a refreshment between
the my work schedules so that I am able to understand about my intentions without any doubts. I
hope it never leaves because I hope I continue on in life as a loving and caring person, but if I hit
that point I hope I get out of the work.
16. Please describe what a typical work day looks like as a mental health therapist.
It really depends on the setting you are working. Prior to private practice I worked in a
residential facility for youth in the juvenile justice system. I realized that when I was in the
community health department I had a much more hectic schedule. Most days I would go to the
facility take a client to court, have 3-5 individual sessions throughout the day, and drive to the
family home of 1-2 clients a night to conduct a family session. Notes and other paperwork was
interspersed between the individual sessions. In general, this would add up to 50 hr weeks
working nights as well as early mornings. Now I schedule clients 3 days a week usually one after
another and do about an hour of notes after my 2 sessions. On my days off I work a part time job
as a kickboxing instructor.

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17. How do you maintain your knowledge?
I think that this interview session has helped me to develop a determined and strong step towards
my future career. I always try to talk with my colleagues and my seniors as well so that I can
maintain my knowledge properly and keep myself updated.
18. Because Psychology is a field that is always developing, and new studies are
conducted; How do you stay up to date?
I have gained knowledge over the different ways in which I can prove myself as a good
psychologist. I am aware about the rapidly advancing technologies in the modern day scenario. I
will be able to enrich my knowledge base by talking with many other therapists, listening to the
scientific discussions on podcasts and also by keeping myself aware all the time.
19. What advice would you give to an individual, who is at the beginning of their
career path in mental health therapy?
I have also got a food guideline from Jenner Paulson that I will have to love myself and
take care of myself if I want to become a good psychologist in the near future. A true
psychologist is one who is able to take care of their own health and then come to their
chambers and take care of all the other patients. It is also good to go for the counseling
sessions whenever one is feeling overburdened

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20. What kinds of accomplishments tend to be valued and rewarded in this field?
What’s your favorite reward, what makes you keep on going?
I believe what is valued depends on the circles you engage. My greatest intention has been to
make sure that I am getting a thorough appreciation and also good wishes from my clients. I like
to make sure that I am getting appreciations from my clients and they are remembering me for
the treatment that I have done. My favorite reward I have received yet is having a client calling
me up after getting cured and expressing his gratitude for the art that I have played in getting
them cured. I am not really concerned about the paycheck or amount of money that I am getting
rather I will be concerned about the good will or the appreciation that the clients are sending me.

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Conclusion
Thus it can be concluded that psychology is a field that helps in knowing different people
with different kinds of mindset. I feel thankful to my interviews Jenner Paul who has taken time
out from his busy schedule, I am really much more confident about myself and my decision
regarding my career choice after this interview session. I have gained sufficient knowledge about
the different challenges and the ways to face the same.

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Bibliography
Cruz, C., Hanus, M. D., & Fox, J. (2017). The need to achieve: Players' perceptions and uses of
extrinsic meta-game reward systems for video game consoles. Computers in Human
Behavior, 71, 516-524.
Kringelbach, M. L., & Berridge, K. C. (2016). Neuroscience of reward, motivation, and drive.
In Recent Developments in Neuroscience Research on Human Motivation (pp. 23-35).
Emerald Group Publishing Limited.