Is it ridiculous to try and become a child psychologist at 42?

[Spookygoose]

AIBU to even consider trying to do this? I’ve got a very high-paying but soul destroying career that I’ve begun to really hate (and which is completely unrelated to psychology). I want out and would love to train as a child psychologist. I own my own home outright & I’m married with one primary-age DD. I’ve got the funds to put myself through a psychology conversion MSc and then the 3 or 4 year doctorate to be able to practice as a licensed psychologist. However, I could not move to another area of the country for the doctorate (which I know is sometimes necessary). I live in the South East. I know doctorate programs are also ridiculously competitive and I’m not confident I’d be one of the most academically gifted students. My previous career was in the arts and I’ve always been creative but not amazing when it comes to maths and science. On top of that, even in the likely event I managed to get onto a doctorate not long after the MSc, is still be pushing 50 by the time I qualify. Am I dreaming or has anyone actually done anything similar?

No go for it! It’s never too late!

*unlikely event, not likely!

Have you considered Art Therapist? Supports children in a similar way to child psychology but may play to your strengths in being creative

what related work experience do you have? Get some nhs experience see mental health frontline practice. Try get a job in CAMHS as a support worker or HCA
Are you aware how fierce it is to get on the doctorate? Most candidates don’t get on first go

Or a play therapist?

It's not ridiculous but I'd keep in mind that doctorate and masters are highly competitive so most people looking to go down this path will often have to work in a role for a year or 2 to get the experience to be able to get the places on the courses. You'll also be at the very bottom rung of the ladder, career and even pension wise.

Art therapy FT salaried posts are v limited it is competitive with not a lot of posts

Not ridiculous but I wouldnt do it. I tried for three years to become a clinical psychologist- getting onto the training is brutally competitive because there arent enough training places and that was with extensive experience as an assistant psychologist and a first class psych degree. You will have to then do placements all over and with a young child that will be incredibly hard.

I am honestly not trying to be negative here but its not an easy road and the job is stressful at the end of it.

Yes. Agree

Have you considered speech therapy?

Try occupational therapy, they work in CAHMs teams and do parallel work that compliments the psychologists, but is much easier to get into.

This.

Its easy to say "wooo! yeah go for it sister - you are never too old!" then make a tea and watch the kardashians.

The job is vocational anf draining. 2 of my cousins do it - its also highly highly competitve.

I'm in a similar boat to you, when i make the move i want something that is quite "practical" / pragmatic and will take less time to train.

You need relevant work experience prior to applying for the doctorate
Also it’ll help you get a view of contemporary practice and assess if it’s for you
Not maths but a lot of stats, you’ll need to be adept as interpretation of stats , using stats packages eg SPSS.

your life experience will give you an edge. You’ll need experience of working in similar capacity. Some masters courses have the option of working on a placement. Getting onto the doctorate will be a lot about your experience so volunteer, do placements and see if you can work as an Assistant Psychologist.

Personally I’d look at your current well paid but soul destroying you hate role and see if you could utilise that skill set in another way or environment.

Exactly and as someone who has tried to get on it, it is very, very hard. I didnt try a 4th time, I ended up going to work on a psych ward and becoming a therapist. Many of the mental health nurses/HCAs I worked with had also tried to get on the clin psych training and failed.

Again, I am not trying to be negative but if you are going to go for it, do it with your eyes open.

Oh and btw, the clinical psychologists I do know dont get paid very much for the massive responsibility they have. Looking back, I am actually quite glad I didnt get in.

Two relatives did this - both in their fifties, and both have full client lists now.

I don’t think direct from MSc to doctorate is realistic. Normally you work as an assistant psychologist for a few years then apply for the doc.

My peer group have just turned 50 and a lot of them are branching out into these areas now, mainly from education based working backgrounds.

There's also a lot of movement into SEN.

They have all got the jobs they wanted, or started their own companies and they all say their success is because they come from other backgrounds.

The only thing I'd caution about, is that they all worked while gaining their additional qualifications. Which is a bit intense for a few years.

To be clear the doctorate is a generic training it doesn’t qualify you as a child psychologist . Do doctorate you’ll then apply for rotation or posts that specialise in child and adolescent

Why that specialism?

Really, go get work experience see if it’s the environment for you

Get a back up plan so if this doesn’t work out you have options

Someone else has suggested speech therapy - there are some speech therapy roles that are very psychological, whichever aspect of psychology appeals. Stammering treatment is very counselling heavy, brain injury is very neuropsychological, etc. And it’s only a two year masters.

Do you mean educational and child psychologist? If so, it is very competitive but age is definitely not a barrier. You would just want to have a plan B so it wasn’t a waste of a masters.

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/roles-psychological-therapies/clinical-associate-psychology

This be worth considering?

I know four people who became clinical psychologists relatively recently. Three had psychology degrees - two had firsts, one had a 2:1 - and the other did a master’s in psychology to convert from another degree. Of those with psychology degrees, two worked as assistant psychologists for about two years before getting on the course. The other had a PhD in psychology and had a paid job as a researcher at university in psychology before getting on the course. Three were in their mid-20s, and one was 30.

The doctorate to qualify as a Clinical Psychologist is a full time role and you are employed by the NHS.