u/Electrical-Level3385

I'm currently an undergrad, doing a psych conversion next year, thinking about my career options and came across clinical associates in psychology on the NHS website.

It seems pretty ideal to me in allowing me to explore a large part of what draws me to psychology in terms of planning and reviewing treatment to help with complex and challenging cases. The added benefits of having a funded master's and band 6 pay immediately after qualification are also huge.

Is there something I'm missing about this though? I am not used to the notion of careers in psychology being this accessible and quick to get into.

some questions I have:

1. is this feasibly something I could apply for and expect to get into straight after my conversion course? how competitive is the application process and do they expect more than a BPS qualification and some work experience? I know that it's meant to be a "bridge" between clinical psychologists and other mental health professionals but I don't know how this actually works in practice application wise. For the record by the time I finish my conversion course I should have about 18 months experience volunteering for Samaritans.

2. is this a good route to get into a clinical psychology programme? not that I'm necessarily planning on using it as a stepping stone, but it would be good to know now how that works out in practice. Considering I wouldn't be accredited in counselling from the course would this be a barrier?

3. are there any downsides here im not considering here? like poor options for career progression, limited job opportunities/having to move wherever work is, or poor working conditions/hours?

I'm in love with this piece but I'm not sure if I should actually attempt learning it or keep it as an aspirational project.

I have been working on his op 32 no 2 nocturne for a while now, but have taken a step back after getting frustrated with stagnating progress and struggling to refine my playing. So right now I'm focusing on relatively easier pieces, like the C# minor posthumous nocturne, the op 9 no 1 nocturne, and the waltz op 69 no 2.

I think I struggle the most with consistency in voicing and balancing the volume of left and right hands, particularly with nocturnes where the RH has to be very dominant but gentle and singing in tone at the same time. So I'm focusing on pieces which are less demanding in other technical aspects.

Right now I'm focusing on relatively easier pieces (the C# minor posthumous and op 9 no 1 nocturnes, the waltz op 69 no 2, and raindrop prelude).

According to piano library, it's one of chopins easiest etudes and ranked at the same level as op 32 no 2, but I'm not sure if this is accurate or if I should try to tackle it?

Heat intolerance is a major side effect I experience and, unfortunately, this summer I'm not going to able to stay out of the heat much (manual labour job and time abroad). Do you guys have any tips for how you handle it outside of just staying out of the sun?

CW for discussion of previous health anxiety fears/fixations, death and trauma.

I feel like health anxiety is one of the most traumatic experiences I've ever had. I feel silly saying that, but surely, other people must have similar experiences and it's just not talked about?

I have experienced many traumatic things in my life and I'm not using the term lightly. I feel like it fundamentally shaped who I am today and took away a lot of the senses of stability and security I had previously and I still have trouble wrapping my head around all of it.

Nearly two years ago, I fully convinced myself that I had a very specific, very terminal illness, and for a few months (before I saw a neurologist, had clear scan results and was diagnosed with FND) I lived in constant fear of death and a sense that it was almost certain. The FND diagnosis and reassurance allowed me to realize I had health anxiety and begin a very long but very successful treatment journey (thank God for ERP!).

The thing is, that period of my life was the closest I have ever been to death. I have certainly had near death experiences and prolonged traumatic experiences but nothing like that sense of being on the precipice of a certain death for such a long term, day in and day out. But because it was psychological, I guess it's not expected at least explicitly I'll have lasting damage from that.

But for me it was completely real, and learning to trust my body and my safety after that experience took a ridiculously long time and a lot of therapy and I'm still not really there yet.

I feel like during that period my entire life shrinked and every aspect of my identity and experience which relied on a sense of security just disappeared. I spent so long bargaining for my life internally that at the end of it all, even after the relief of being assured I was ok, I was left with this crazy empty feeling and the sense of not knowing what to do with myself.

I feel incredibly grateful to be alive, but still against my better judgement and largely recovering from my health anxiety, I still feel like everything is insecure.