Becoming a Clinical Psychologist: My Story - Dr Marianne Trent

Ever wondered what it really takes to become a clinical psychologist? In this powerful solo episode, Dr. Marianne Trent reads her personal chapter from The Clinical Psychologist Collective for the very first time. She shares her authentic journey from assistant psychologist to qualification, including setbacks, creative CV boosters, tips for reflective writing, and advice for standing out in psychology applications. Whether you're an aspiring clinical psychologist or someone considering the path later in life, this episode offers an honest, hopeful, and practical look at building a psychology career in the UK.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction01:32 - Reading the book’s dedication03:17 - Why clinical psychology wasn’t always the dream05:41 - Rejection as motivation06:44 - The shiny gold AP badge moment07:41 - Owning the psychologist title (or not!)08:42 - Car crashes, life crashes & carrots11:21 - The third time's the charm: application form success13:03 - Deciding between doctoral courses16:01 - Embracing “good enough” academic work16:54 - Graduation pride & personal loss18:44 - Studying a distance learning master’s20:32 - What the Aspiring Psychologist Membership offers21:33 - Creative ways to plug CV gaps24:14 - Creating and counting publications25:08 - Tips to make your form stand out26:02 - Why mock interviews are worth the cringe26:56 - Following your dreams & answering kids’ questions28:54 - An email to her future self30:19 - Closing thoughts & further resources

Links:

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97

💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/membership-interested

🖥️ Check out my brand new short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/short-courses

✍️ Get your Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/supervision

📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent

💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity

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🎙️ Essential listening for psychology students, trainees, and early-career professionals who want to build confidence, gain insight, and thrive in their psychology journey.

If you're striving to become a Clinical, Counselling, Forensic, Health, Educational, or Occupational Psychologist - or you’re already qualified and looking for guidance in novel areas - this podcast is for you!

I’m Dr. Marianne Trent, a qualified Clinical Psychologist, author, and creator of The Aspiring Psychologist Membership. When I was working towards my career goals, I longed for insider knowledge, clarity, and reassurance - so I created the podcast I wish I’d had.

Every week, I bring you honest, actionable insights through a mix of solo episodes and expert interviews, covering the topics that matter most:
✅ Building the right experience to stand out in applications
✅ Navigating challenges like imposter syndrome and burnout
✅ Developing clinical skills and understanding different psychology roles
✅ Applying for training courses and succeeding in interviews
✅ Exploring real stories from psychologists at different career stages
This isn’t just a podcast - it’s a support system for anyone pursuing a career in psychology.

💡 Subscribe now and start making your psychology career ambitions a reality.

📚 Explore my books, membership, and more: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent

• No. of episodes: 179
• Latest episode: 2025-05-05
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