With a doctorate in clinical psychology one is deemed to be "an expert in human behavior."  I myself am now deemed to be such an "expert."  I can now also call myself and force others around me to call me Doctor.  These are what I see as the two main benefits of having a doctoral degree.  These delusions of grandeur are what got me through the grueling 6 years it took for me to receive these titles.  

From the other side of those dusty library walls, things aren't so pretty.  First off, let's just state the obvious....the economy is crap.  Yes, it's crap whether you have an 8th grade education or a doctorate.  I'm not going to sit here and pretend that having a doctorate doesn't afford me certain privileges.  It does.  But in a time when jobs are being cut and factory-like schools push out therapists faster than you can say "here's your bill," it can make even the most positive of us shrinks kind of pissy.  You might be saying, "Why don't you get off your high horse and just go out and get yourself any nice little office job?"  I'd have say that I see your point.  However, there's this little thing called "cognitive dissonance" that I'd prefer not to get involved with.  After going to school for 24 years and paying an arm and a leg, I think you'd want to practice in the field you were supposedly trained for as well.  

This "arm and a leg" comment brings me to my next point.....money.  Lots of it.  I managed to be in complete denial throughout my years of higher education.  I had this great technique of stuffing loan statements into a big folder in my closet.  I never actually looked at them really.....until now.  With the combination of going to a school ran by blood sucking vampires and something called "interest," my loan payments now amount to the cost of a 2 bedroom condo in Denver, CO or a super expensive european sports car.  Now I will be paying for the titles of "doctor" and "expert" past the time of my retirement party.  It's a beautiful thing. 

Finally, as if the abysmal situations previously stated are not enough, I practice in a state that allows any Tom, Dick, or Mary to practice "psychotherapy."  So, you could have someone with a high school diploma providing psychotherapy in the good ol' state of Colorado.  I do believe that a huge part of being a therapist is that you either have it or you don't...some skills just can't be taught.  This is precisely why a good chunk of trained professionals with doctorates or masters in psychology make for horrible therapists.  There are some things you just can't learn from a book.  However, I also believe that a good theoretical basis, years of supervised practice, and an emphasis on introspection and cultural competency are required to be a good therapist.  The more learning, supervised training, and theoretical knowledge you have (in combination with the "right" personality or "innate" abilities), the better the shrink you'll likely be.  

I do, in fact, love what I do.  The real beauty of this all actually exists on "the couch" and occurs in the therapy room.  Oh, and let's not forget the fact that in a debate, I can use the "expert" card with my partner and there's really nothing that can be said in response to that.  In those moments, it all feels worth it.

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