Belle Selkirk, Clinical Psychologist’s Post

My Thoughts on the New BSc in Clinical Psychology by RCI Hi everyone,I wanted to share my thoughts on the new Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology introduced by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). While this new development has some great potential, there are also some critical points that need addressing, especially considering my experiences with Calmspace. 🚩Concerns: 📍Entry Point Requirements: The biggest issue I see is the requirement for students to have a science background in their 12th grade. This could exclude many passionate students from humanities backgrounds who want to pursue psychology. Many of our best minds in psychology come from humanities, and this requirement seems unnecessarily restrictive. 📍Hasty Implementation: The decision to impose this new program in August, without reviewing it thoroughly with institutions and applying it from the next academic year, seems rushed. This could lead to a lack of preparedness among educational institutions and potential students. 📍Low Seat Intake: The number of seats available for this program is quite low, which could lead to intense competition and leave many deserving students without the opportunity to pursue their passion. 📍Maturity Concerns: At 21, many students may not yet have the emotional maturity required for counseling roles. The program needs to include strong mentorship and support to help young professionals develop these critical skills. ✅Positives: 📍Structured Learning: A standardized curriculum means students will receive comprehensive education, preparing them well for their careers. 📍Raising Awareness: This program can help reduce the stigma around mental health and encourage more people to seek help. 📍Clear Career Paths: It provides a clearer path to becoming a licensed clinical psychologist, addressing the shortage of mental health professionals in India. 📍Practical Training: Emphasis on hands-on experience will ensure that students are not just theoretically knowledgeable but also practically competent. 🖋️Looking Forward: While the new BSc in Clinical Psychology is a promising step, we need to address these challenges to ensure it truly benefits the mental health landscape in India. At Calmspace, we’re keen to see how this unfolds and are committed to contributing to a solution-oriented dialogue. Constructive criticism can help shape this initiative into a more robust and effective program. Let’s work together to ensure this development truly benefits everyone in the mental health space. Thanks for reading, and let’s keep pushing for a balanced and thoughtful approach to mental health education. #MentalHealth #ClinicalPsychology #EducationReform #Calmspace #MentalHealthAwareness #rci #bscclinicalpyschology

Waking up to another guideline from RCI makes me think about the uncertainty for the batch of 2024. :/ We're still not sure if we will get a chance for a fourth year (As we were told we will get an opportunity). I appreciate RCI's efforts, but it seems they're not putting enough thought into their decisions. We don't know if the MA in Clinical Psychology they're proposing will be as rigorous as an MPhil. It's also unclear how long it will take for institutes to meet RCI's regulations. There aren't enough colleges and institutes already, so this adds to the problem. What about the students currently in MSc Clinical Psychology? It's disappointing that we don't talk about these issues more. Don’t you think with all this uncertainty, it's tough to succeed in the field of Psychology in India? #Psychology #RCI #Education #India https://lnkd.in/gXnYvA7m

The recent changes by the RCI as per NEP to make a bachelor's degree in psychology (or as a major subject) compulsory undermines the aspirations of numerous students who may not have pursued psychology at the undergraduate level but are currently pursuing or have completed their master's degree in psychology. This change in eligibility criteria creates barriers for those already on the path toward this profession (MA/MSc Psychology pursuing students).kindly take this issue into consideration and participate. https://chng.it/MzLptVTg2n https://lnkd.in/g5BuW3jB

The field of psychology in India is undergoing significant changes with the recent introduction of the Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology (Honors) by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). This four-year program, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), aims to provide rigorous training from the nascent stage. However, this initiative has raised several concerns within the community. Currently, the traditional 3+2 system (three years of undergraduate studies followed by two years of a master's program) often leaves students feeling underprepared to start practicing due to practical limitations in their training. While the new B.Sc. Clinical Psychology (Honors) program is a step towards addressing these issues by emphasizing skill-based learning, it is only available to students with a science background and focuses on clinical psychology. This restricts access for many aspiring psychologists and does not fully resolve the preparedness issue, potentially intensifying it. Moreover, labeling this degree as a qualification for licensure as Counselling Psychologists is questionable. The course's focus on clinical psychology might not provide the comprehensive training required for counseling roles. While the RCI's effort to regulate the field and enhance training rigor is commendable, it's crucial to ensure that educational programs are inclusive and accessible to a broader range of students. This inclusivity could help more individuals understand the field better and decide if it aligns with their career aspirations, ultimately reducing the supply-demand gap and the treatment gap of mental health in the country. The introduction of new programs marks a pivotal shift in psychology education in India. However, the concerns surrounding accessibility, inclusivity, and the adequacy of training are valid and need to be addressed. We are looking forward to more information and clarity from the concerned authorities. It is our hope that they will also take proactive steps in building the necessary infrastructure to support these significant changes in the field.

“Perhaps students should be reminded about the huge amount of responsibility that comes with becoming a psychologist and that it should never be treated as an academic goal because in this field, you work with vulnerable people everyday who come for help during the lowest periods of their life.” At the end of my graduate training, this is a point I think about often as I reflect on my academic journey up to this point. In undergrad, I prioritized getting a 4.0, graduating with honours, and stacking my CV wherever I could in order to finally make into my graduate program. I had a general understanding of what the career of a psychologist would entail, but I was more focused on becoming as competitive an applicant as possible. It wasn’t until I began my master’s, however - after taking courses on things like ethics, social justice, and diagnosis - that the gravity of a psychologist’s influence and responsibility began to sink in. I do think that, naturally, a student won’t fully “get it” until they’re about to fill those psychologist shoes themselves. However, I also feel deeply for my undergrad self, who I can now clearly see often found herself losing perspective of the career path in the sake of chasing the top grades, research opportunities, volunteer roles, etc. Being reminded of the “why” behind the dismal admissions statistics may have added a touch of purpose in my chase for the strongest CV possible. I don’t disagree that the admissions process should be competitive - graduate programs are selecting people who will be working with clients at their most vulnerable moments, after all, and these individuals can and should be expected to demonstrate a high level of competence. However, It’s unfortunate that, to an extent, the highly-competitive admissions system requires certain sacrifices - sometimes at the expense of one’s own mental health - in order to succeed. Would be curious to hear the thoughts of my classmates and colleagues who have gone through graduate psychology training! I know for a fact I’m not alone in this - psych undergrad is brutal if clinical/counselling psych is the goal.

Guidelines for B.SC Clinical Psychology Program by RCI. Here is the final bomb that RCI have dropped on the entire fraternity of Clinical Psychology. And now removed this from the website. Are they confused or what ? The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) has introduced a B.Sc. Clinical Psychology (Hons.) program, starting from the 2024-25 academic session. The course is aimed at training frontline mental health workers for basic interventions and mental health promotion. Key Points: - **4-year, full-time program**: Includes clinical placements in varied settings such as schools, community centers, and clinical institutions. - **Graduates will work as “Clinical Assistants (Clinical Psychology)”**: They will support Master-level Clinical Psychologists under supervision, offering basic psychological services. - **No midway entry or exit**: The course structure is designed to provide comprehensive training. - **Eligibility**: Open to students with a 12th-grade science background, selected through an entrance exam. Though this program will create a new category of mental health professionals, many in the community see this shift as a **downgrade**, especially with the **abolishment of the M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology**. The implications of this change remain a point of debate within the field. ### Personal Highlights: One of the major concerns I foresee is the inclusion of **both Clinical Psychology (CP) and non-CP faculty** in the course. The differences in approach and philosophy could lead to significant challenges. In my experience, even within CP faculty, there are internal politics and differing opinions, which can be difficult to navigate. Adding non-CP perspectives to the mix may amplify these challenges. Additionally, it's essential to highlight that these graduates will be **assistants to Clinical Psychologists**. Their roles will be limited to basic assessments and psychoeducation, and they will not be involved in deeper clinical work. This tiered structure could create challenges in defining responsibilities and managing expectations within clinical teams. #MentalHealth #ClinicalPsychology #Education #Healthcare #NEP2020 #RCI #Menathealthindia

MPhil In Rehabilitation Psychology Valid Till 2025-26 Academic Session The MPhil course was discontinued by the UGC in line with the National Educational Policy (NEP) 2020. #mphil #rehabilitation #psychology #academic #session #student #education #career New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a notification allowing the validity of MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology till 2025-26 academic session. The decision to validate MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology is taken keeping in view the important role played by Rehabilitation Psychology in delivering mental health services, UGC noted. An official notification released by the UGC reads, "University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of PhD degree) Regulations 2022, notified on November 7, 2022, discontinued the MPhil programme following the recommendation of the National Education Policy 2020. Considering the vital role played by Rehabilitation Psychology in delivering mental health services, the UGC has decided to extend the validity of MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology till 2025-26 academic session only, in partial relaxation to the above Regulations. Accordingly, students can be admitted to an MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology programmes by HEls till 2025-26 academic session only."

There is a growing trend on social media to bash people coming from diffrent bg into Psychology or people with distance education degrees. Psychology is a multi disciplinary field. Confining it to domains of deductive determism isn't helpful.At the end of day we are dealing with human beings with emotions, lets not treat them as set of symptoms of dsm.Even DSM keeps evolving with time. Here is a list of some of the people I personally know, all coming from diffrent fields, with distance education in psychology(me included) and contributing to society. -A government lawyer who works with rape victims and runaway children. - A nursing proffesional with MA ignou, cleared NET and doing PhD - A Military veteran with distance MA in ignou running a successful coaching and mentorship program - An ex School principal, now a parenting expert - A very successful dermatologist now working in psychodermatology - Mother of an autistic child now counseling parents of children with spcl needs. - A Corporate trainer now working with IIT students and running her own NGO. -A very experienced educationist worked in RCI and faculty Development programs. All of above are MA from IGNOU. All these people are genuine professionals, with years of experience in respective fields and IGNOU degree helped them to serve society better. What we need is better training setups. I know many regular mode students with no real aptitude for psychology, how are they better fit to serve the community? Psychology proffesionals are not confimed only to hospitals and therapy rooms. lets not waste time in pulling each other down. Contribute in creating a better mental health community that serves needs of all strata of society. Spend time and money on upgrading your skills, as far as quakes are concerned, better regulations are definitely need of the hour.In an ideal scenario a basic assessment exam to get registered as Psychologist must exist(irrespectiveof mode of education).

Arthur McDonald Championing Indigenous Representation in Psychology Arthur McDonald, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, dedicated his life to amplifying Indigenous voices in psychology. After earning his doctorate in 1966, McDonald began his academic journey as Department Head at Montana State University, where he established a graduate program in applied psychology. However, his passion for fostering Indigenous representation led him to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. There, he founded Dull Knife Memorial College and trained Indigenous psychology graduate students, creating opportunities that had long been overlooked in the field. McDonald’s visionary advocacy extended nationally through the Indians in Psychology program, which provided crucial funding for Native students in clinical psychology. His efforts inspired the Quentin N. Burdick Indian Health Programs Initiative, which supported Indigenous students pursuing health professions. Recognized with numerous honors, including APA's Lifetime Achievement Award, McDonald’s legacy is one of empowerment and transformation, ensuring that mental health services and education reflect the rich perspectives of Native American communities. Source: Art McDonald | McDonald Institute . #NNAM #NNAM2024 #CarolynAttneave #NationalNativeAmericanMonth #NationalNativeAmericanMonth2024 #RegisteredBehaviorTechnician #RBTCertification #BehavioralTechnician #BehaviorAnalysis #BehavioralDataCollection #ABADataCollection #NativeAmericanMonth #NativeAmericanMonth2024 . Who We Are With over 35-years’ experience in the field, the developers of Behavior Agent addressed the pain points related to current systems that fall short of aggregating meaningful data. Our technological solution streamlines the inefficiencies that occur within a behaviorist’s workload. With Behavior Agent, users can double or triple their caseloads without adding any additional hours. The time savings is substantial. We know, we use it every day. The whole person approach is key to successful outcomes so B.A. Medical was developed with industry experts to bring the same level of meaningful data about an individual’s physical health. Behavior Agent was born and is used by professionals who work every day providing treatment to medically and behaviorally challenged people. We are proud that our professional experiences drove the development and that we have solved the problem. We chose to be behaviorists because we care about people and their well-being, not to do admin work. Behavior Agent allowed us to return to our purpose; making a difference in the lives of our clients. . Visit us @ www.behavioragent.com #DrLisaKeliher #BehaviorAgent . We also talk about: Registered Behavior Technician, RBT Certification, Behavioral Technician, Behavior Analysis, Behavioral Data Collection, ABA Data Collection, autism awareness, autism acceptance, ADHD, ASD, autistic, autism support, down syndrome, Asperger's, autism spectrum

New study highlights the importance of self-control in childhood - https://lnkd.in/efVPJfzZ Converse, P. D., Piccone, K. A., & Tocci, M. C. (2014). Childhood self-control, adolescent behavior, and career success. Personality and Individual Differences, 59, 65-70. Summarized by Emily Manove, UMB clinical psychology doctoral student Introduction: Research has found that childhood self-control, defined as “internally focused active control tendencies involving regulation of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors” (pg. 65), predicts multiple psychological outcomes later in life. Recent research has demonstrated that childhood self-control predicted negative behaviors in adolescence, such as smoking and dropping out of school (Moffitt et al., 2011). A study also showed that childhood self-control was tied to educational achievement, which […] The Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring