A Career Military Psychology involves working directly with veteran and enlisted members of the military as well as their families. There are many careers within the field of Military psychology. Counseling as well as clinical psychologists, research psychologist and professors are common careers within this field. There are two major routes to working in the field of military psychology you can choose to enlist as an active duty or reserve member of your intended service branch of the military or you can choose to be a civilian employer to the military.
With more frequent promotions, the ability to decided to go into war combat zones, and remaining more stationary; a civilian employer allows certain perks that wouldn’t be available in the enlisted route. The Department of Defense (DOD) employs close to 800,000 civilians in more than 750 occupations (Defense, 2012).
One or more years of experience as a Professional Clinical Psychologist or performing duties evaluating, diagnosing and assessing a variety of patients with mental health disorders, applying psychological theories towards a diagnoses, findings or treatment recommendations. Along with completion of doctoral program obtaining field experience during your masters is key to a career in clinical military psychology (Defense, 2015).
Working as a civilian psychology technician provides the needed experience for a career in clinical military psychology. A psychology technician evaluates patients using medical terminology, as well as uses test results to determine treatment referrals, and further required treatment including mental, emotional and behavioral. A technician provides counseling to promote clients’ functional ability and identifies signs of emotional or behavioral issues that impact a patients’ stability (Defense,
PBS’ Frontline film “The Wounded Platoon” reviews the effects the Iraq war has had on soldiers as they return home and transition back into civilian life, focusing particularly on the rise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among American military members from Fort Carson Army base (Edge, 2010). Incidents of PTSD have risen dramatically in the military since the beginning of the Iraq war and military mental health policies and treatment procedures have adapted to manage this increase (Edge, 2010). In “The Wounded Platoon,” many military personnel discuss how PTSD, and other mental health struggles, have been inadequately treated (if at all) by military mental health services. Reasons and Perdue’s definition of a social problem allows us to see inadequate treatment of PTSD among returning United States military members as a social problem because it is a condition affecting a significant number of people in undesirable ways that can be remedied through collective action (Reasons & Perdue, 1981).
On the other hand, the military lifestyle carries much more responsibility than the civilian lifestyle. There is always the threat of heading into a combat zone and having to risk your life. You have to be on time to work, there are no "I got stuck in traffic" excuses. You must always be well-groomed, and live up to the working and presentation standards of your specific military branch. You never have the option of saying "no" or just quitting
“In September 2005”, Van Dahlen created a nonprofit organization called Give an Hour, where she and other highly skilled psychologists work together for the common goal of providing free mental health care to military personnel and their loved ones (“About Us”). Slowly but surely, Van Dahlen has created this organization that has produced “volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions” and she has had the honor and privilege to forever change the lives of our country’s protectors for the better (“Mission Statement”). Growing up, a young Barbara Van Dahlen always had an immense respect for our military, as the daughter of an injured World War II veteran. Occasionally, she would hear her father reminiscing about his days in the service and all of the battles and training that he participated in. However, she recalls that he would often excise the da...
Kuther, T. L., & Morgan, R. D. (2013). Careers in psychology: opportunities in a changing world. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth.
Hundreds of thousands of United States veterans are not able to leave the horrors of war on the battlefield (“Forever at War: Veterans Everyday Battles with PTSD” 1). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the reason why these courageous military service members cannot live a normal life when they are discharged. One out of every five military service members on combat tours—about 300,000 so far—return home with symptoms of PTSD or major depression. According to the Rand Study, almost half of these cases go untreated because of the disgrace that the military and civil society attach to mental disorders (McGirk 1). The general population of the world has to admit that they have had a nightmare before. Imagine not being able to sleep one wink because every time you close your eyes you are forced to relive memories from the past that you are trying to bury deep. This is what happens to the unfortunate men and women who are struggling with PTSD. Veterans that are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder deserve the help they need.
Less than half percent of soldiers who took a pre-deployment mental test failed. Most soldiers fail the mental assessment because the doctors pay attentio...
...ion. When I am old and gray and my grandkids ask me what I did for a living I can hold my head high and say the Army was my profession.
Good jobs for psychology majors are available for those who have earned a bachelor's, master's and doctorate degree. Psychology courses train individuals to work effectively with others, conduct tests and assessments and correct behavioral problems. There are opportunities for psychology majors to work in clinics, schools, early childhood centers, business, health clinics, hospitals and correctional institutions.
Participation in warfare can create dramatic conditions and experiences for the mental health and well-being of military personnel. During the 20th century, US military psychiatrists attempted to deal with the mental problematic consequences of warfare while also helping to achieve to the military goal of preserving the number of people available for work, and decreasing the weakening impact of psychiatric syndromes by implementing screening programs to detect factors that would predispose individuals to mental disorders, providing early intervention strategies for difficult war-related syndromes, and treating long-term psychiatric disability after deployment.
have become a vital feature of the soldier's identity. While having obvious survival value in combat, this mindset is typically highly maladaptive and self-defeating when applied to civilian life. For example, aggressive, split-second decision-making and action are vital in a war zone but similar actions in community life can easily fall under the categories of disorderly conduct, assault, and domestic abuse. Unfortunately, war veterans have a hard time letting go of these behaviors that were once essential in staying alive and unharmed. These existing psychosocial functioning may not adequately assess post-deployment reintegration programs because veterans have unique difficulties resuming their social roles and participating in community
After completion of the social work program I would like to work in a clinical setting. I would really like to be in a mental health center or a hospital working with military members. I don’t have and preference on the kinds of issues that I would like to work with. As long as I am helping veterans, I will be happy. The reason that I prefer to work under these condition is because I have a passion for working with military members, since I am prior military I feel like I can relate to them and I understand what they are going through. I know that it is very hard for military members to talk to civilian about their problems because civilians just don’t understand, no matter what they say. I will be required to have a diverse set of qualities
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind, brain, and behavior. In psychology, and all of the other sciences, relying on opinions is abandoned in order to find out which explanations best fit the evidence or data given. Science continually forces us to question our findings and conclusions. Over time, psychology has advanced greatly and a main reason for such progressiveness is because of the change in the research model used.
Upon evaluation, the journal article “ Mental Health in Deployed and Non-deployed Veteran Men and Women in Comparison With their Civilian Counterparts” by Mark W. Hoglund and Rebecca M. Schwartz published by Military Medicine in Volume 19 proves to be a moderately reliable source due to the academic presentation which includes data, personal interviews, qualified sources and a balanced argument that have points that support their argument. Mark W. Hoglund was a project manager for Family Health services, he served as a Human Resources professional in three different organizations, and studies Adult Career planning and Development. Rebecca M. Schwartz is a clinical psychologist, assistant professor, and a graduate of public health. Although Schwartz never served in military and majority of her studies are for HIV in kids and women this leads her to have lot of information about the mental being.
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior and translates as science of the soul. It is the study of human behavior and deals with how we think, feel, and act. Some areas of psychology are clinical, industrial, physiological, experimental, personality, social, and developmental. Psychologists can work in hospitals, schools, rehabilitation facilities, in public and private clinics or in the research field. They usually treat persons with mental and emotional disorders, so one may ask; why bother with psychology if you do not want to actually work as a psychologist? Even though it happens that i do want to study psychology, this year that i was introduced to it,i discovered that even if i wanted to study something entirely different, psychology would still be useful to me. So when studying psychology, you learn about human nature. This means that psychology actually has impact on every aspect in life. It helps see through the motives other people too have more importantly, it will help you to understand your own motives better. As a result
Regardless of what type of career path that is chosen one has to be motivated to put full effort into it. Be active and resourceful every because Clinical Psychologist looks upon one 's expertise in the work enviroment. Also listening skills, conceptional thinking and comprehension is also important. Clinical Psychologist pave the way for emotional venting and without criticism or condemnation. They help people become comfortable and cope with their inner issues. So pursuing a field in Clinical Psychology could become a resourceful job for anyone who desires to study and analyze the psychological view of the human brain along with providing a solution for neurological, mental