MA in psychology or counseling?

[sculpting]

Hi Guys,

Thinking of a career change. Any advice would be good.

My background: BS biochemistry, MS Biophysics, 6 years employed as Applications Specialist, Technical Trainer, Product Manager and now Market Manager in a heavily regulated biotech. I am getting MBTI certified next month and likely DISC certified this summer.

My Objective: I would like to pursue a path that allows me to take my past skill sets and utilize in a manner where I can help people.

I have thought of two options-both requiring an MA I am afraid.

An MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

I much enjoy troubleshooting projects, but especially people problems in organizations. Likely if I followed this route I would specialize in the Life sciences industry. There are some very interesting trends observed as the companies evolve from small start-ups to corporations and also in how companies evolve from minimally regulated to heavily regulated in product development tracks that directly relate to the people involved. Very rewarding thought from a logical-systematic angle. I assume this could be reasonably lucrative.

An MA in Counseling

I would like to apply Jungian dynamics to personality disorders, especially BPD and NPD. Both are poorly understood, poorly characterized and carry massive social stigma. This would be extremely personally gratifying, but likely far less financially lucrative.


Does anyone have any experience with either of the two above career paths?
(Yeah I know it all sounds very Te certain but it is just a big fuzzy map, with all the middle stuff totally open to Ne wonderings, so please suggest away!!)

Thanks!

 

[Scott N Denver]

I don't have experience with what you are asking, but wanted to ask you a question.

Since you have biophysics background [what did you do in that btw]? and work in biotech [a field I am hoping to transition to], I am curious: how NT has your experience been, and how NF and NFP friendly has it been?

My background, and that of most of my colleagues, is physics. INTJ as snot. very NT, very TJ. NF/FP/NFP friendliness: zero?, negative infinity???
So I'm hoping biotech is more NF and NFP friendly and much less NT-dominant, hence my questions.

Going back to your question though, would the first option be a faster schooling since its more related to your background??? How long does counseling training take? I have a relative who is an INFP and a psychotherapist and she loves her work, but gets burned out on people/listening/socializing.

 

[sculpting]

I dont know timewise-it looks like the I/O degree is 2 years full time. I have no idea about the counseling aspect. I was hoping someone here could help fill me in with details-I'd assume two years? But in both cases I will need to go back and cherry pick a few undegrad courses for sure.

I think I may have said all this before in other threads under my previous identity happy puppy, yap yap.

But I did protein crystallography and protein NMR in grad school.

Biotech is very NTP heavy, but oddly a good smattering of INFJs as well. That tert Ti really kicks in and I run across quite a few of them in Principal investigator positions. Some INTJs and ENFPs. There are lots of other folks who end up in biology as undergrads on the pre-med route-thus you see all personality types at the bench-it's just that the pay for an MS or PhD isnt great until you are close to 35, thus you REALLY have to like it to stick with it. Meaning you totally dig the science which seems more common with NTPs, but you do see other folks too.

Oddly it's close to 60% female now days in bio grad programs.

emo burnout? Oddly by helping individuals I feel massively reinvigorated, refreshed. All the ISTJs I work with come and find me to tell me how bad their week was. By caring for them, it helps me reach a part of myself. I dunno, I should volenteer in some fashion for awhile though.

 

[Scott N Denver]

I dont know timewise-it looks like the I/O degree is 2 years full time. I have no idea about the counseling aspect. I was hoping someone here could help fill me in with details-I'd assume two years? But in both cases I will need to go back and cherry pick a few undegrad courses for sure.

I think I may have said all this before in other threads under my previous identity happy puppy, yap yap.

But I did protein crystallography and protein NMR in grad school.

Biotech is very NTP heavy, but oddly a good smattering of INFJs as well. That tert Ti really kicks in and I run across quite a few of them in Principal investigator positions. Some INTJs and ENFPs. There are lots of other folks who end up in biology as undergrads on the pre-med route-thus you see all personality types at the bench-it's just that the pay for an MS or PhD isnt great until you are close to 35, thus you REALLY have to like it to stick with it. Meaning you totally dig the science which seems more common with NTPs, but you do see other folks too.

Oddly it's close to 60% female now days in bio grad programs.

emo burnout? Oddly by helping individuals I feel massively reinvigorated, refreshed. All the ISTJs I work with come and find me to tell me how bad their week was. By caring for them, it helps me reach a part of myself. I dunno, I should volenteer in some fashion for awhile though.

I was wondering if that was you happy puppy... Trying to full us huh tsk tsk tsk

For timelines, the university of denver has a very well-regarded psych/counseling program. You could look at their info to get a sense of timelines, course pre-reqs, etc. My relative said like almost everyone in her work group got their degree from there. Anyways, it would give you a reference for timelines and such


Maybe I've already asked you elsewhere, but since I asked here and you didn't directly answer, how NF/NFP friendly would you describe your workplace(s) as being??? Like seriously, are NF's *wanted* or *valued*???

 

[Lark]

Psychology all the way.

I qualified as a social worker about five years ago and wish I'd be studied psychology instead, more options.

 

[sculpting]

Maybe I've already asked you elsewhere, but since I asked here and you didn't directly answer, how NF/NFP friendly would you describe your workplace(s) as being??? Like seriously, are NF's *wanted* or *valued*???

I had an emo moment and rebranded. I am in Marketing-It's how we roll

INFJs end up actually running labs fairly often. As I understand it-which could always be flawed-Fe refrains the need to externalize emotions, thus they dont seem to need emo affirmation like an Fi user????? Not in the same way????

The enfps seem to all gravitate towards something customer focused. We end up holding each other's hands when we are totally emo-bombing, so it's okay. Many of my partner companies employ very high level applications and training positions in which ENFPs lead. They sort of live outside of the company ladder, but are customer focused duct tape. Many enfps end up in Marketing, thus end up headed towards executive positions oddly. It seems like all executives go through Marketing at some point. I only know one enfj and she was actually a vet student so my data is flawed. infps-I have a few, but they are very quiet. I just cant help you on that point.

In grad school, the enviornment was high NPT-thus high Fe. Emo displays or discussion was totally off limits and would get you shunned. Funny I emo dumped most often on my INTJ friend, even then though it was subtle, and only happy emo. My favorite person to talk emo with was an ENTJ dude who had pissed off everyone in the building. He finished his PhD in 3.5 years, published a nature structure paper, and was despised by everyone around him. He promptly went across the street to law school and is making like 250K as a patent lawyer now. I would see him now and on the law school diag and we would chat. If I hadnt been married.... oddly enough an INTP as well who was very validating.

As for my the real world-much more mixed. In a heavily regulated biotech like mine-almost 50% ISTJs. Once you get to know them, we all dump emo at each other but very Te flavored. They value skill and competency above all else. They dont care if you sit under your cube crying all day or have seizures in meetings, as long as you accomplish your deliverables, It appears you can spend hours chatting to invisible people and wear your bra outside or your shit and they won't blink. They acknowledge I am am crazy as a matter of fact-but I am effective, thus it's cool. They all like to talk about how they go to therapy as well. I so heart ISTJs. (However they are like piranias when shown an ISFJ. It goes very bad.)

Another 40% NTPs. I overuse tert Te here. No emo cuddlies at all with these guys unless they know you really, really well..

Most companies-research will be heavily NTP with a few NTJs. Manufacturing, product development, QA, QC will be heavy ISTJ. Marketing seems ENXP heavy and sales ESTP heavy. A diagnostics biotech will have more standard corporate structure with many more ESTJs where a life sceince research company is more NTP dominated.

Psychology all the way.

I qualified as a social worker about five years ago and wish I'd be studied psychology instead, more options.

Thanks much!

 

[thisGuy]

An MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

I much enjoy troubleshooting projects, but especially people problems in organizations. Likely if I followed this route I would specialize in the Life sciences industry. There are some very interesting trends observed as the companies evolve from small start-ups to corporations and also in how companies evolve from minimally regulated to heavily regulated in product development tracks that directly relate to the people involved. Very rewarding thought from a logical-systematic angle. I assume this could be reasonably lucrative.

An MA in Counseling

I would like to apply Jungian dynamics to personality disorders, especially BPD and NPD. Both are poorly understood, poorly characterized and carry massive social stigma. This would be extremely personally gratifying, but likely far less financially lucrative.

would counseling sustainable for you?

im thinking you might get bored with counseling after a while.

obviously i dont know crap...but you already knew that

 

[Just Some Guy]

1. Neither. Stay in the hard sciences.

2. If you have to pick one, "Industrial/Organizational Psychology", see 1. above.

3. Pay no attention to 1. or 2. above, because if you base your career choice on the opinions of the losers here (yours truly included), you are a fuckin idiot.