Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Analytic psychology: What it means and what people can gain from it
John Denboer PhD has extensive experience and vast knowledge in the field of psychology, which he uses to help people, especially at-risk youths in the juvenile system. In the past few months, John has started a series of blogs in which he shares the many things he knows about psychology.
For this blog, John Denboer PhD takes a closer look at analytic psychology and what patients can gain from it.
Analytic psychology started with world-famous psych-analyst Carl Jung. The Jungian school of thought, while similar to the Freudian approach in terms of recognizing the significance of the inner psyche, differed in various ways.
Practitioners of analytic psychology pay a lot of attention to the unconscious, believing that any act of a person depends on what is inside their psyche. According to Jung’s teachings, there are three parts to the psyche. They are the conscious, personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious. How a person sees the world and experiences life depends on the factors affecting these three parts.
Treatments based on analytic psychology tackle more than a single factor at a time, allowing for patients to discover and rediscover parts of themselves that they may never know existed. And in learning more about who they are, why they feel the things they feel, why they do the things they do, and more, John Denboer PhD explains, patients become stronger as they understand themselves more.
How to spot depression in teens and young adults
It’s a sad reality that in today’s world, there are far too many teenagers and young adults who suffer from mental health issues. One of the most serious of these mental health issues is depression. What makes it even worse is that many times, it can be difficult to tell if a teenager or young adult is truly depressed or simply acting out. John Denboer PhD.
To help minimize the incidents of future tragedies and save lives, here are some tips from top psychologists on how to spot depression in teens and young adults. John Denboer PhD.
Alcohol and medication for sleep: While alcohol is illegal for teens, some of them still find ways to buy alcoholic beverages. What’s worse is that some drugs can be bought over the counter that can help induce sleep. Parents, friends, and loved ones should be both observant and vigilant if they see signs that the people they know are using artificial methods to induce sleep. John Denboer PhD.
Asking for help: A lot of teens and young adults who are depressed ask for help. Sometimes, they’re even unsure if it is depression, especially for those who have never experienced the symptoms before. If a teen or young adult expresses the need for help, parents, friends, and loved ones should take the time to listen. It may be more serious than anyone believes it to be. John Denboer PhD.
Applied psychology: What are the major skills PsyD and PhD students need to master?
John Denboer PhD decided on a PhD degree instead of a PsyD because he wanted to practice (and apply his knowledge) in a clinical setting. In this blog post, he offers some insights for students who wish to pursue doctorate studies in psychology.
To finish a doctorate in psychology, students must master skills that will help them provide the best services to individuals and organizations. Whether they choose to start their own practice, work as researchers, counselors, consultants, or public servants, they have to gain the necessary knowhow that will help them give appropriate advice and care for individuals who need their expertise. John Denboer PhD shares the skills that PhD and PsyD students need to focus on.
Research techniques and methods: Doctorate students need to consult various sources before releasing a diagnosis, a behavioral study, or a treatment plan. While many years in service might help them draw their recommendations from experience, they must also be familiar with various research techniques and methods. Being good researchers will allow them to find the right resources and information according to their needs.
Counseling: John Denboer PhD says that to be a good psychologist, one must be a good counselor. PsyD and PhD students receive training with regards to counseling so that they can better understand the individuals they will be assisting. Even in a clinical setting, a psychologist must be empathic yet informative and straightforward. They must also show their authority when it comes to matters concerning mental health. While these skills can’t be learned overnight, psychology courses offer PsyD and PhD students the opportunity to hone their counseling skills so that they can better relate to patients.
Discussing the differences between a PhD and a PsyD
John Denboer PhD maintains that psychology is probably one of life’s best pursuits, career-wise. The demand is high, and the pay is more than good for psychology graduates who pursue further studies. However, before going for degrees after college, psychologists need to plan their path out well. To do this, they need to learn as much as they can about their options.
For this blog, John Denboer PhD shares an important distinction between two possible options for psychology majors: PhD in Psychology and PsyD.
PhD in Psychology
While there are many PhD in Psychology programs, people have to remember that the field can get quite competitive as far as the admissions process is concerned. Programs tend to weigh heavily on research, which is preferable for psychology majors who want to branch out of clinical work and delve in academia and research.
As far as career paths go, there will never be a shortage of those with PhDs in Psychology. They can either teach in universities, handle patients in a clinical setting, and even focus on forensic psychology.
PsyD, or Doctor of Psychology
PsyD programs emerged a lot later than PhD in Psychology, John Denboer PhD explains. As an alternative to PhD programs, PsyD was created to cater to people who want to devote their time and effort to the pure practice of psychology, and not so much to academia and research.
PsyD programs are geared primarily toward clinical settings. The fact that there are fewer research and statistics classes to take makes PsyD a shorter program overall.
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
John Denboer PhD 