Looking After Your Mental Wellbeing During the DClinPsy Application Process

The DClinPsy (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology) course is the training route to becoming a Clinical Psychologist. The application process spans the course of (almost) an entire year (from September to as late as July/August). It can involve tolerating a lot of uncertainty, stressful selection procedures, bitter disappointments and (sometimes) gratifying success. It can feel like a bit of an emotional rollercoaster at times.

As someone who has been through the process twice (and who has seen friends and colleagues go through the process too), here are a few things I learned that might be helpful to know.

*just a quick disclaimer that this is not intended as therapeutic advice, but as tips on how to cope with the doctorate course application process, based on my experience of applying in previous years. It should not be considered a substitute for therapy. Please seek help through the NHS for your mental health if you require it during the application process*

1. Think of it as a marathon, not a sprint.

You start by putting lots of energy into your application and wait anxiously for the next e-mail. Then there can be additional tests to do (which takes more time, energy and mental resources). Then another anxious wait for the final shortlisting outcome. Then you might get an interview (yay!), or maybe even a few. This means more prep and more energy. THEN there’s the interview day an an anxious wait for feedback. FINALLY you might get a result by May/June. If you are on reserve, then you might also have another anxious wait into the summer to see if a place becomes available…. phew!

You hopefully get the picture. It’s a long, and often, gruelling process.

If you focus all of your mental energy on the application for all that time, it might lead to you feeling stressed and burnt out. Try to conceptualise the process as a marathon, and not a sprint:

• Conserve your energy for the times when you need it most (application, tests & interviews)
• Find ways to disconnect from the process while waiting for results
• Continue to live your life, otherwise your whole year will be defined by it

2. Don’t be tempted to constantly monitor e-mails

After I handed in my first application, I started regularly checking my e-mails and internet forums for any news on shortlisting results. But, just like a watched pot, a watched e-mail inbox usually doesn’t give you the result you are waiting for. I ended up feeling more anxious, frustrated and impatient for a longer period of time. For the second application, I set myself a rule: keep e-mail notifications on (to make sure I didn’t miss important information about additional tests) but don’t regularly check e-mails or forums until a week before the shortlisting deadline. This worked for me, but figure out whatever approach works for you.

3. Disconnect from worry thoughts

The application took up a lot of my “mental space” at times. I found myself thinking about it when driving to work, going for a walk, or any time I had any down-time. Looking back, I think this might have been my brain’s way of trying to cope with the uncertainty. However, it meant I didn’t give myself enough of a break from the process. I found that taking an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach was helpful. I started by trying to de-fuse from these thoughts (e.g. “oh my mind is producing another thought about the application again”) and re-focused my attention on the present. I focused on other activities that connected me to the things I care about. Whatever works for you, find some way to disconnect from the process.

4. Plan smart, but not (too) hard

As the application season goes on, you might want to start preparing for interviews. I felt the temptation to start reading everything and looking up every possible policy or theory that might come up in an interview. The advice I got from trainees at the time was to “prepare smart not hard”. In other words; don’t go overboard reading about every possible theory or policy, really limit your learning to what is relevant to your experiences and talk to current trainees to find out what might be most helpful to look at.

(P.S. – I plan to do another blog about preparing for interviews later)

5. Have a back-up plan and practice gratitude

In my first year, I became optimistic about my chances when I found out I had an interview. However, I then preceded to really struggle in my interview and ended up not getting a place. I remember feeling absolutely gutted. Like lots of other applicants, friends and colleagues before me, I learned that you can never be quite sure if you are going to succeed in the application process.

No matter who you are, make sure you have some kind of back up plan that you would be content with. I wrote a list after my interview which included: what I was going to aim to do over the next year, what learning I could take from it and the things I was grateful for in my life. This really helped me cope with the outcome. Mentally prepare yourself for all outcomes and have a plan ready to go.

6. Be careful not to pin your self-worth on it

Psychology graduates face uncertain career routes, a saturated job-market and (often) poorly paid graduate jobs. It’s only fair to want a decently-paid, stable career; and the DClinPsy is a clear route to be able to do that. It’s common and understandable for applicants to place a lot of importance on getting onto it.

However, watch out that you aren’t also attaching your self-worth to getting onto the DClinPsy. Look out for any self-critical thoughts or feelings that indicate you might be doing this (e.g. thinking you have “failed” by not getting shortlisted). Question what it means to be a successful or “worthy” person. Challenge any self-critical thoughts. Take time to reflect on your strengths and the things you are grateful for. I can guarantee your success in the Doctorate application is not a reflection of how worthy you are as a person. It’s not you, it’s the highly competitive (and sometimes unfair) application process.

So look after yourself this application season. Find approaches that work for you. Seek support from colleagues and friends. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you need it. It can be tough, but the way you approach it can make a big difference.

–Trainee Psych Scribbles