Creating social impact

With two parents working in healthcare, Jac always knew he wanted a career that helped people.

His interest in psychology piqued when he had opportunities to take psychology subjects during high school.

'Psychology was something that always intrigued me. I never got bored of it – there were so many elements to it that I found interesting. I knew if I could combine that with my interest in working with people, it would lead to a career that keeps me interested and continually keeps me learning,' he says.

Jac chose to pursue psychology via the ‘5+1’ pathway at Deakin – five years of university study that includes both a bachelor degree and postgraduate study followed by approximately one year of supervised practice in an internship program. He recently graduated from the Master of Professional Psychology, a degree he was attracted to for the practical, real-world learning it offered.

'Right now I’m a provisional psychologist. Once my internship program is finished, I'm eligible for registration as a psychologist.'

'Within psychology there are a lot of different pathways. But I was always interested in the intervention and social impact side. I wanted to support people directly.'

Now, Jac gets to do that every day as he completes his internship year at a not-for-profit organisation helping people who may be limited by socioeconomic factors access psychological services.

'Most of my day is spent working with clients in hour-long sessions with notes, admin, treatment-planning and case consultation in between. There's also a collaborative element with the team I work with – we’ll discuss client presentations and formulations and how to approach certain cases.'

'The most rewarding experiences are working with clients who are in a difficult place and seeing major changes in how they present following intervention. When a client has those ‘aha’ moments it’s quite fulfilling and encouraging as a clinician to see that progress.'

Working in his current role has cemented Jac’s desire to have a career focused on direct client contact.

'I’d love to do this sort of role for a long time. Psychology always gives you opportunities to grow and learn – so while the role will stay consistent in terms of the work, the knowledge base is always growing. There's always opportunity for new learning, and that really appeals to me.'

Of course, working face-to-face with clients also comes with plenty of challenges, and having a strong self-care practice is essential for those wanting a sustainable, long-term career.

'There are certainly heavy, heavy days in this role – and in mental health roles in general. It's a difficult field to work in emotionally from time to time. You're dealing with people's worst days; you’re holding space for people’s challenges and pain.'

'It's important to be aware of that going in, so you can prepare yourself mentally. But it's also important to check in with yourself often and debrief with your colleagues.'

'There's a strong emphasis on self-reflection and self-care within the industry. In my experience there's been a lot of opportunity for reflection and support from my peers and my colleagues, and it’s also something Deakin does really well.'

The supportive environment and industry-active teaching staff at Deakin were what drew Jac to stay throughout his studies.

'Deakin was fantastic the whole way through. It gave me good vibes from the start. I remember going to open days when I was still in high school and just loving the environment, loving the approach,” he says. “I did my undergraduate and my fourth year there, and I came back to do the Master of Professional Psychology. It was such a supportive environment.'

'Deakin also had a fantastic online approach to learning – it was quite ahead of its time compared to some of the other universities.' While Jac started his studies at Deakin with a vision of becoming a psychologist, he knew the pathway was a long one. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the challenge, he took it one step at a time and focused on the opportunities available along the journey.

'One of the things that appealed to me is that I could stop along the way and still have a role that was relevant to my degree and would give me experience. And I did that for a few years between my undergrad and masters, before deciding to finish the pathway to become a psychologist.'

'That's the beauty of the psychology pathway – you can stop along the way. There are roles available at three-year mark, there are roles available at the four-year mark, and if you're willing to put in that long-term commitment to doing the 5+1 pathway, there are more roles still.'

'Choosing a pathway can be challenging in some ways because there are so many different options to choose from, but it’s fantastic to have such variation in what we can do.'

Looking back at his own journey, Jac has some sage advice to offer those who are considering or already on a similar pathway. 'It's a very fulfilling industry. If you’re interested in people and supporting people, go for it. But also consider the long game and consider where you want your career to take you.'

'If you’re interested in the undergraduate element only, that's okay too. Don't feel like you have to go the whole way. And try to engage with your peers as much as you can at university because I think that that makes the experience a lot more enjoyable and fulfilling!'