We caught up with Jess Neale and asked her all about her placement year!
As the field of mental health care continues to evolve, gaining practical experience in the area is essential for aspiring clinical psychologists. Jess Neale, a current third-year student, tells us about her placement year at the Essex Partnership University Trust, working in adult community psychological services within a secondary care unit.
From the start, Jess’s placement was designed to support adults in the community requiring additional mental health assistance. The team was super supportive of her learning and growth. As Jess put it,
“They really wanted to teach you and allow you the space to learn.”
This super supportive environment helped Jess make the jump from student to hands-on mental health care team member.
So, Jess’s days were packed with a bunch of different tasks to help her learn the ins and outs of the services provided. At first, she shadowed her co-workers and went to team meetings, which really opened her eyes to the teamwork needed to give proper mental health support. She even got to do things like answer emails and access crucial databases – a rare opportunity not every student had. One big responsibility Jess took on was scoring and uploading outcome measures for patients, which was incredibly important in monitoring their progress.
As Jess got more comfortable, she took on more responsibilities. By January, she was co-leading a dance and movement therapy group for women who had experienced sexual trauma and abuse. Being part of that group and seeing first-hand how the therapy could change people’s lives was, in Jess’s words, “absolutely amazing.”
“Being involved in something where you can see first-hand change and witness how the therapy can change their life was amazing.”
Going through this experience really showed Jess the power of therapy and how it can change people’s lives for the better.
Of course, there were some tough moments, like dealing with high-risk situations involving patients. But with her supervisor’s help, Jess learned how to handle those challenges. She was grateful to have a mentor who always had her back when things got tough.
Jess also had Kent’s Placement team’s support in finding a placement. The team hooked her up with connections and resources, helped her polish her CV, and even prepped her for the interview. Jess says their guidance was key in landing her placement and getting her ready for the job.
Despite initial feelings of imposter syndrome—an all-too-common experience among students stepping into challenging new environments—Jess quickly adapted to her role with the help of her supportive team. She describes her overall experience as incredibly positive, stating,
“I would say it was a really good experience and I would recommend it.”
Looking forward, Jess wants to be an assistant psychologist, working with young people and kids. She’s also curious about business psychology, especially how it can help make workplaces better for everyone. Jess’s story shows just how valuable real-world experience is for aspiring clinical psychologists and how mentors and support systems can make all the difference in the world of mental health.
