Discussion

Response Guidelines

Read the posts of your peers and respond to at least two. Try to choose posts that have had the fewest responses thus far.

o What additional knowledge, skills, or abilities do you feel your peers should develop related to their career vision?
o What strategies or resources can you share to help your peers develop in their identified competency areas?
o What insights did you gain from your interview that could help clarify their vision?

In order to be a successful Behavioral Analyst who specializes in aiding delinquent youth, critical thinking skills, and effective writing skills are especially vital to obtain. Alongside those skills, having the necessary social skills is also key to formulating viable relationships with patients and their parents/guardians. It takes a special kind of person to deal with the fight or flight instincts of troubled children, so to have the means to connect with them on a personal, but most of all professional level, will make the difference between their demise or their favorable outcome in society. In retrospect, I need to be the type of psychological professional that can define the problems ailing youth, be able to overlook the obvious and formulate the right questions, and be able to examine the evidence that is provided by body language and behaviors. Writing skills are exceptionally important as they will convey the proper course of treatment/action to take for my patients.

The interview that was conducted provided much consideration and insight into my future endeavors. While I can enter my field with a Master's level degree, it will not take me to the heights that I desire, so in the end, it looks like a Ph.D is in my future! The days can be quiet long at times, especially when the child and their family requires extensive in home meetings and office meetings as well. Being ex-military, I have been privy to 12 1/2 hour shifts, so the idea of working long shifts for the greater good of my patients does not bother me one bit. The biggest thing that I got from conducting my professional interview, that this is a type of job that is very rewarding, with your expected downfalls as well. Most people would assume that working with criminal adults would be difficult because they have perfected their deviance over time, however children are as unpredictable as they come, and the interviewee was adamant that I understand, not to take the things they say personally, as it will destroy a person's sense of self-worth.

In evaluating the research guide to a master's level psychology degree was actually very helpful in discerning the type of work that can be associated with my degree. The part I appreciated the most about this resource, was the fact that it provided a specific set of skills that are associated with my career choice, as well as list of viable sources to explore as well.

While there is always something to be learned to better ones self in the field, I think that resource that I will need the most, is hands-on experience working with delinquent individuals. Obviously, I need to ensure that I am taking the proper courses to ensure that I am on the right track to success.