By Dr. Kelly Bushéy
“Calgon, take me away!” Most of you remember the TV commercial where the woman closes her eyes, and all the stress in her busy life fade while she soaks her worries away in a bathtub. While the commercial’s purpose is to sell soap, it’s accomplished in a relatable way. We all have busy lives, and that comes with a certain amount of stress.
Do you remember being put in “time out” or putting your kids in “time out?” As a kid that was a form of punishment, but as an adult, is it? A time out from this past year wouldn’t have been such a bad thing for many of us.
The two scenarios mentioned above may seem unrelated, but they do have a common theme. Both are a chance to pay attention to your mental health. Would you be comfortable reaching out for help? Would you know when to reach out for help? In the past several years, it has become more acceptable to ask for help. As a matter of fact, it’s encouraged as a part of taking care of your overall health and wellbeing. That includes all of us in the health professions.
One of the challenges we may face is that period of time when we need to take a step back and take care of our mental health. For many families and cultures, that is made even more difficult because of negative stigmas. Studies show that some of the more common mental health conditions are anxiety, major depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Psychology is the study of human behavior with a science-based approach. Earning a psychology degree opens the doors to just about any career path you would want to take. How many other degrees can you think of that offer you the skills you need to help others, and yourself?
There are many career paths you can take with a bachelor’s degree in applied psychology. Some of those paths range from case management and substance abuse counseling to working in hospitals and community agencies. You could be working with and helping children, adolescents, military veterans and the elderly.
Our bachelor’s degree in applied psychology includes classes that cover psychology in its many forms, including general, educational, social, cognitive, abnormal, organizational and developmental. The learning process is engaging with class discussions and engagement. Students learn about their strengths and weaknesses, which become tools to help them in their lives and careers.
As a professor, one of the rewarding parts of teaching is being a part of the personal journey each student takes, leading to that “a-ha” moment when they discover the specific career path they want to take after graduation. Along the way, students learn the skills of written and oral communication.
The ability to understand yourself and recognize the behavior of others are skills that can be applied in just about any career. Think about how understanding interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships helps in careers like EMTs, law enforcement, health and legal studies.
An example I share with my students is this: think of all the thought and planning that goes into a wedding, but how many people really plan for the marriage itself? By knowing and understanding who you are, you are already ahead of most people. By fully understanding yourself, you can help others.
Ultimately, it’s personal and professional empowerment.
Dr. Kelly Bushéy, PhD, NCC, LMHC, BC-TMH, is the Associate Professor of Applied Psychology at Hodges University. Additional information about the program is found here: https://pathways.hodges.edu/courses/applied-psychology/
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