HelloMrs.

Goguen,
MynameisMeganJacksonandI'mineleventhgradeatPineLakePreparatoryinMooresville.
Formygraduationpaper,I'vechosentowriteaboutthetopicofClinicalPsychologyasacareer
I'dliketopursue.IwashopingIwouldbeabletoaskyouafewquestionsregardingyour
experienceasaClinicalcounselor.Ilookforwardtohearingbackfromyou!
MeganJackson

Megan,
Iwouldbehappytoanswersomequestionsforyou.Whenwouldbeagoodtimeandhow
wouldbethebestwayforyoutodothis?OnceIhearback,Iwillbebetterabletoletyouknow
howIcanaccommodatebasedonmyschedule.
Sincerely,
Sara

Mrs.Goguen,
I'msureyouhaveabusyscheduleandIwouldn'twanttointerfereso,ifit'sokaywithyou,Ican
emailyoumylistofquestions.
MeganJackson

Megan,
Thatwouldbefine.Ifyouwouldn'tmindcallingmyofficeat7043781390toleavemea
messageasareminderthatyouaredoingso/requestingthishelp,Iappreciateit.
Sara

Mrs.Goguen,
Icalledandleftamessageforyouatyourofficeasareminder!:)Thankyousomuchforgiving
methisopportunity!Here'smylistofquestions,youcananswerwhicheveronesyou'dlike.
1.Couldyoudescribeatypicalworkdayforyou?
2.Whatskillsarerequiredinyourpositiononadaytodaybasis?
3.Whatpartsofyourjobdoyoufindmostchallenging?
4.Whatdoyoufindmostenjoyable?
5.Howmanyhoursdoyouworkinatypicalweek?
6.Whichseasonsoftheyeararetoughestinyourjob?
7.WhatdevelopmentsonthehorizoncouldaffectfutureopportunitiesinthefieldofClinical
Psychology?

8.Whatchangesinthefielddoyouthinkmayoccurinthenext510years?
9.Whoarethemostimportantpeopleinthefieldtoday?
10.WhatwouldbeareasonablesalaryrangetoexpectifIenteredthisfield?Whatisthelong
termpotential?
11.Whatistheadvancementpotentialinthefield?Whatisatypicalpath?
12.Howdidyougetyourjob?
13.Whateducationalpreparationwouldyourecommendforsomeonewhowantstoadvancein
thisfield?
14.Howdomostpeopleentertheprofession?
15.WherecanIfinduptodateinformationonsalaries,employers,andindustryissues?
16.WhatprofessionaljournalsandorganizationsshouldIbeawareof?
17.IsthereanythingelseyouthinkIshouldknow?
Thankyousomuch!
MeganJackson

Megan,
Ireceivedyourmessage!Thankssomuchjustwanttoknowwhatyourdeadlineis,andwhen
youneedmyresponsesby...
Thanks,
Sara

Mrs.Goguen,
ThepaperisduenextThursdaysosometimewithinthenextweek:)
Megan

MeganJustaquicknotetoletyouknowIhavenotforgottenaboutyou,andwillbegettingmy
responsestoyoutomorrow!Iapologizeforitendingupbeingonthelattersideofyour
deadline...
Sincerely,
Sara

It'squitealright!I'mstillworkingonthepaperandwillbeabletoaddinyourcommentary
tomorrow:)Thankssomuchforhelpingmeout!
Megan

HiMegan,
Goodluckonyourfinishedproject,andhopesomeofmyresponseshelpwiththeinformation
youarelookingfor!
1.)Atypicalworkdayformeconsistsofarrivingatmyoffice,checkingemailsthencheckingmy
scheduleandpreparingforeachclient'ssession.Sometimesthisincludesmelookingatold
notesfromprevioussessions,aswellasgatheringanymaterialsorresourcesIfeelmaybe
helpfultothatclientduringtheirappointmentwithmethatday.Iaminprivatepracticeandrent
officespacewithinanotherpractice.Isharemyofficewithanotherprovideranutritionist
actually.MydaysintheofficeareMonday,Tuesday,FridayandoccasionalSaturdays.On
MondaysandTuesdaysIseeclientsfrom10am7pmwithabreakforlunch.Somedaysevery
appointmentslotisfilled,meaningIcouldsee/providecounseling/therapytoupto8clientsin
oneday.OnFridaysIseeclientsfrom10am3pm,typicallywithoutalunchsinceitismyshort
day.Itrytodocument/takesomenotesduringeachsessiontokeepwhatwediscussedfreshin
mymind,andcompletemynotesatalatertime.Returningphonecallsandemailsaswellas
schedulingclientsforfutureappointmentsandcollectingpayment(aftermyofficemanager
leavesmidafternoon)isanotherpartofmytypicalday'sactivities.
2.)Skillsrequiredonadaytodaybasisinclude:patience,goodlistening,organizationaland
timemanagementskills.Italsorequirestheabilitytositforlongperiodsatatimewhichleads
meto3.)Ifindsittingsomuchalongwithkeepingupwithdocumentation/notestobethemost
challengingpartsofmyjob.Inaddition,ifIdidnothaveanofficemanagertodosoforme,I
wouldfindfiling/billingmypatientsession'swiththeirinsurancecompanyandfinancialrecord
keepingofpaymentsreceived,tobeadefinitechallengeforme.
4.)WhatIfindmostenjoyableinmyjobistheopportunity(whichIamquitehumbledby)tohelp
supportpeopleofallagesandstagesintheirlivestoprovidehopeinsightencouragement
information,educationandanyresourcesnecessarytohelpthemeitherovercomeobstacles,
adjusttolifesituationsorimprovetheiroverallwellbeingorrelationshipswithothersespecially
byofferingpositive,healthywaystodealwithfeelingsingeneraltohopefullygivethemabetter
senseofwellbeingandabilitytoachievewhateverdesiredoutcometheyareworkingtowards.
5.)Iworkroughly3040hoursaweekwhichincludesthe2530hoursIamintheofficeandany
additionalhoursondaysIamnotintheofficeworkingonpsychotherapynotes,attending
meetings,trainings,orofferingcontractworkinthecommunitywhetheritbefacilitating
counselinggroupsorworkshopsatschools.
8.)TheprimarychangesIforeseeoccuringinthenext510yearsincludemoreandmore
therapists/providerselectingnottobeinnetworkproviderswithinsurancecompany'sduetothe
lowerreimbursementratesandamountoftimerequiredtofile/receivepaymentandVirtual
counselingwhetherviaSkype/FaceTime,etc.becomingmoreandmorewidelyofferedand
used.
11.)Forme,theadvancementpotentialandpathinmyfieldrequiredaMastersDegreeand
thenLicenseinClinicalSocialWork,inordertoworkinprivatepractice.IreceivedmyBAin
PsychologyandElementaryEducation,howeverneededmyMastersdegreeinSocialWorkto
pursuemydesiredjobworkingasaSchoolSocialWorker.Workingonandachieving/obtaining
requirementsnecessarytobecomelicensediswhatallowsmetoprovidecounselingina
privatesetting.

12.)IgotmycurrentjobafterreceivingmylicensewhenafriendofminewhoisaPsychologist
andownsherowncounselingpracticeaskedmeifIwasinterestedindoinganyprivatepractice
andrentingofficespacefromherevenifonly1dayaweektostart.ThatiswhenIpursued
beginningandopeningupmyownbusiness/practice.Onceupandrunning,after6monthsI
decidedtogoaheadandrentmyofficetheotherdaysitwasopen/availabletoaccommodate
mygrowingclientcaseload.
13.)EducationalpreparationIwouldrecommendforsomeonewantingtoadvanceinthisfield
wouldbetokeepuptodateontheircontinuingeducationrequirementsnotonlytomaintain
theirlicense,buttostaycurrentwithbestpractices,ethicsandknowledgebaseforthefieldand
populationtheyworkwith.
14.)Ifpursuingthefieldofsocialwork,youshouldbeawareoftheNationalAssociationof
SocialWorkersalsoreferredtoasNASW.
BestwishesinallofyourfuturegoalsandendeavorsMegan!Ifyouwereopentosharing,I
wouldloveseeingacopyofyourfinishedproduct:)
Sincerely,
Sara

Mrs.Goguen,
Icannotthankyouenoughfortakingtimeoutofyourbusyscheduletoassistmeinmywriting!I
amextremelyappreciativeofyourinformativeanswers:)Iwillabsolutelysendyouthefinalcopy
tomorrowwhenit'scompleted.
Gratefully,
MeganJackson

Megan,
Mypleasuretoassistyouandpayitforward,asother'shelpedmethroughoutmyeducationand
careerjourney!Ilookforwardtoreadingit:)
Sara