Does anyone know how to become a psychologist. Besides the basics. I want to know what tests and exact degrees and classes needed to be licensed. THanks everyone. 
hope i dont see you in my office! haha
Sure, maybe I can help.
First, you’ll need to memorize the technical vocabulary used in the field. This is so you can convince your patient that you know what you’re talking about. (and don’t worry about bluffing, anyone stupid enough to walk into a shrinks office is, well, stupid enough to believe you) No, no, I didn’t mean it like that. I mean they would be stupid enough to believe that “insecurities manifested from low self-esteem because of childhood inferiority” actually means something.
Then you’ll need some nice clothes. Maybe a suit, certainly a brief case, a BMW or two, and a few oak picture frames to post your certificate of “The Greatest Gimmick of All Time” degree.
Hey, wanna see something funny:
A human counseling another human.
Like I used to tell the shrink I went to:
Ya’ know, for half the price you’re charging me, I could solve your problems.
Now, are you sure you deserve $75 an hour to tell someone that they need to lay off the cheetoes, get more exercise, find a new career, breath deep, and be more open to their spouses sexual needs?
I’m a highschool sophomore who wants to become a pyschologist, myself. After having worked with a pyschologist (with a PsyD. from Harvard University) for over 2 years, I’ve learned that you have to really like working with peoples woes.
I don’t think you have to get a lisence perse (although I could very well be wrong)—You’d only need a lisences (in this case, an MD) if you were becoming a pyschiastrist(sp?).
Hope this helps.
This should help.
http://www.asppb.org/exam/req.asp
Although, Psychologists have one of the highest suicide rates (up there with dentists). You may want to spend some time with one and find out if you’d be able to handle it.
Both my parents are clinical therapists (psychologists). Take my advice…
DONT DO IT. It’s not worth the money. You lose your mind. You really do…
hahah thanks you all have been a help the first person to respond was quite funny and ill take in consideration that im young and my views may change…especially if there is a chance that i could go psycho my self (but whos to say im not already ) hehe…i plan to spend some time with a psychologist to see what its like and if i can handle it all…im always listening to my friends problems (although that dosnt truly compare) i do take pleasure in helping people get better and understanding their behaviors (im a people watcher(kinda scary sounding))…ive taken up an interest in social psychology and eating disorders…once again thanks. Good luck in your lives and future careers! 
hi, rafa, honestly, tell me why? this you lose your mind. whike you study or while do the therapies? I know the psychiatrists do have the reputation of being on the narrow edge with their patients, but why psychologists? the ones I know are, or appear for the first sight very nice people. but then, i donôt know them that close…
lenore
Because…ever have a friend who’d only tell you their side of the story alllllll the time and they were incredibly depressed and upset or just plain mad? Now consider that it’s your JOB to do that…
It drives you insane, no lie. Like people who work in mental hospitals start to forget how to be social correctly…ltherapists become seriously neurotic.
whoa are you ever wrong. lol, no offense…
To become a psychologist is one thing…to become a good psychologist is another.
For starters…get into a good school with a good psych program. You won’t be able to get a good job as a psychologist with only a 4 year degree. You’ll also need a minor—this can help you determine which type of psychologist you want to be.
Take me for example—I am majoring in psychology, this major involves aproximently 10 courses of libed (general education), then there is a foundation core…this is 22 credits<— 6 classes. These are your general psych, stats, history and writing classes. Next you need one class from the natural science core, 3 from the social science core, 1 from the applied science core and then about 8 psych elective courses. You get a DSM-IV-TR…it will become your best friend. I recommend both the little one and big one. It is how you diagnose people. I have friends that are psych majors who can not diagnose someone correctly (by using a case study) for the life of them. It’s harder than you think. I have a natural ability for it though…
After all that, you’ll have your major in psych.
You’ll also have a minor—mines biology—this way I can become a doctor, a psychiatrist, or a neuropsychologist. These are HARD classes, and LOTS of time and work. I’m talking Bio classes, Chem classes, Genetics, Evolution, Calculus, Stats…really tough.
…The next step in become a psychologist (assuming you don’t want to end up working in a jail or a school as a councelor or something) is to go to Grad School. In order to get a good job in psychology you should aim for either a MD. or a Ph.D …a Psy.d. is money too tho. One of my professors has a Ph.D …he says that the people who shoot for MD’s but don’t make it become Phds, the people who don’t make PhD…become PsyD, and the people who don’t make psyD, become councelors.
After grad school, I believe there is a test that you must pass…this I’m not completely shure about, but I really think there is. I haven’t gotten this far yet. …then you get a licence.
Then you go to med school. <----well, I will at least.
What person would pay a psychologist without a licence good money to councel them?!?!?!?!?!
So yeah…to become a psychologist you must get a 4 year degree…go to grad school…and pass a test.
a two year degree will virtually get you no where, as will a four year degree without gradschool.
wow thanks…ALOT
Ewww, that made my stomach turn.
K, I wont lie, I’ve seen more than my fair share of psychologists, psychiatrists, and councelors (IM me and I may tell you why, it’s personal, not shocking…just…yanno). I’m in the odd situation where I tend to see them on a social level, as well. (as I stated, both of my parents are in the field…roads cross…hell my mother is working in the same practice as a suck ass councelor that I saw in 8th grade).
The PsyD’s generally are people who really enjoy giving tests. I don’t mean they enjoy their job…I mean…that’s their life. They love to categorize and box people. It’s how their mind works. (E/I S T/f J’s).
Psychiatrists…who if I’m not mistaken are M.D.'s… they love to categorize even MORE…but they do it in such a way that you are reduced to a series of chemical reactions. In other words, they come across like biochemical researchers who never self actualized LOL. I dunno, if you like the chemicals of the brain primarily, go into psychiatry.
COUNCELORS are the bleeding hearts…and they can be PsyD’s, too. There’s two types of PsyD’s…the ones who care about the person (behavior modification and gestalt, normally) and those who just plain ol care about the stats…how the HMO’s go…what the office cut is in their earnings…blah blah blah. Councelors are what most people who go into psychology want to be. Most psych major’s I’ve met are really really altruistic INFP types. If you fit this beanbox, then you may want to consider stopping at your masters in social work and getting you L.C.S.W (License in Clinical Social Work).
What bothered me about what you said is because your teacher is an elitist bastard who thinks the only objective in life is to accomplish the most they can for gloating purposes. Your teacher is a typical M.D…fucking heartless.
If I had one thing to say to your teacher it would be, “Those who can’t, teach.”
Life is not as cut and dry as he presented. Go into a field that you like because you like to do it, not because it’s uber super cool and you get the hawt bragging rights off of it. Buy a porche or something…all the doctor-types make about the same amount of money.
Hell, after next year, my mother will be able to prescribe prescription medications…without a doctorate. She’s getting her master’s in nurse practioner at Vanderbelt. So yes, she’s going to have as much clout and be making as much if not more money than M.D.'s in her field (she has a massive case load) without even getting the doctorate and one year extra education than she already has.
Don’t box the world in…it’s not all about the “Dr.” in front of your name.
But yes, you DO need to be licensed. Oh, god dont get me started on how fucked up the psych board of ethics is in each state. Corrupt to the bone.
Understood what you said… I’m an ENFP…not your typical psych major, i guess.
My teacher is a bastard. Honestly, I don’t think he should be allowed to teach the classes he does. He’s a real bad teacher.
Personally, I want to be an MD, not for the money or the status, but because it’s what I’ve always wanted to be. I’d be a caring one too…not a rich bastard.
sorry if this makes no sense. it’s late. I’ve spent the last hour trying to figure out that stupid donnie darko website.
Psych rules.
UMMMM. MY QUESTION IS FOR THE PERSON WHO SAYS BECOMING AN PSYCOLOGIST IS NOT WORTH IT. AND U SAID SUMTHING ABOUT BEING MENTAL URSELF? I DUNNO. BUT LIKE, DO U HAVE PROOF ON THAT? OR IS THAT UR SELF-JUDGEMENT? OR IS IT ALL ON THE MIND?
SORRY ABOUT THE QUESTIONS. JUST CURIOUS
I’m not mental 
I’m awesome!
Actually, my caps locked friend, I said that you better understand what you’re getting into before you actually get into it. Psychologists tend to fly off the handle. S’all I’m saying, boy.
As for my mental condition… I’m able to hold a gun and pull the trigger, but only to kill you… not myself. Please don’t fuck with me.
Interested in psychology? It’s not all about unconciouss analysis or investigations of emotions and what-not. If you take any research course it will give you a glimpse of the grad school courses, and you’ll see that it’s allllll about stats, math and graphs. This is all you’ll do as a research psychologist. And if you have a high enough standing to get into the clinical program (where you see clients), you’ll still do stats for most of the phd period. Not for me. And the income average for psychologists isnt impressive either considering the time you put in. $4K to $5K/month. If you can handle the math and stats, might as well just do biochemistry major and then head to MedicIsCool.