Psychology Personal Statement Example 53

Studying psychology will be the beginning of my journey to a challenging, fascinating and gratifying career. Since I was quite young I have aspired to work in a caring role, and more recently in the area of mental health. My desire to help children or young people with emotional difficulties was sparked by my own personal experience and understanding of these issues.

Through these experiences, using health services and volunteering for mental health charities, I now have a firm ambition to become a clinical psychologist. My other goals include contributing to psychological research, writing self-help books and teaching psychology later in life.

As my interest in psychology and mental health has developed, I have had a lot of volunteering experience in these areas. I sat on Rethink Mental Illness’s Young Person’s Panel for just over a year, and I currently sit on Time To Change’s Young Person’s Advisory Panel. Both of these panels involve inputting ideas into nationwide frameworks for young people.

I also spent some time as the vice-chair on the Dorset Area Forum for Rethink where I had a lot of practical responsibilities such as taking minutes and administration tasks as well as being creatively involved with projects.

In the last year I have been involved in Time To Change’s launch of young people work. In January 2012 I was chosen to do a small speech about stigma and discrimination at an event hosted by Nick Clegg. This was an incredible experience, speaking to many other influential people as well as Nick Clegg himself about something I feel so strongly about.

Other experiences I have gained include organising and running a conference in 2010 and a launch event in 2012, being a ‘human book’ and telling my personal story, being part of a poster campaign, making a newsletter and filming a short animation film.

Outside of my volunteering, I have many hobbies and interests. I love to read, write stories and poems, I enjoy learning new things and I also like to paint and draw.

When I have time, I like to create short videos, graphics or stories related to mental health to go on my personal blog. I try to be a mental health activist even in my personal life, so I seize any opportunity I have to talk about it and raise awareness. In school I was in the student council, young enterprise and peer support teams, and for several years I was a young leader at my local Girl Guides, where I had to support and facilitate a group of 10-14 year olds in various activities.

As well as GCSEs, I studied a NCFE Level 2 Diploma in Creative Imagery when I first became interested in psychology and this showed me that I enjoy learning about psychology and I am really interested in psychotherapies. During my current college course in Health and Social Care I am learning from a different perspective to someone who may be doing A Levels.

I can relate what I learn to real situations in a variety of health and social care settings, which prepares me for a career in psychology as I will need to liaise with other professionals. I feel that this different perspective means I can approach psychology in a practical way as well as theoretically.

My work placement in a nursery school has confirmed my belief that I will be well suited to working with children, and that communicating with children comes very naturally to me.

Both academically and personally I strongly feel a course in psychology is right for me. Not only will I enjoy learning, but I know that my perspective through personal experiences, volunteering and studying health and social care will complement my abilities.

Many people say that I am very tolerant, articulate and sensitive which I feel are characteristics that are very important in the field of psychology when supporting vulnerable people and understanding different psychological disorders. My long term career goals will ensure I am determined and driven to make the best of my university experience.