Personal Statement
Studying clinical psychology has been my dream. My interest in Clinical Psychology has been a gradual process, with humble beginnings in Middle School when I read My mother’s books on psychology. This interest increased in High School where I took a class in general psychology and at the University when I took psychology, as a major. Further, a practicum course introduced me to practical clinical psychology, as a trainee with a Mental Health Hospital in Jeddah. My interest in the field is boosted in my university project that focused on emotional intelligent in psychology. However, the research is limited, but I acquired a new perspective on the effects of emotion on mental health. In addition, my experience working and training in various psychiatric units of different Health Centers in Jeddah tossed me into the world of clinical psychology and psychotherapy.
Moreover, my motivation to the study is influenced by my close-knit family, made up of 6 members, one of them being my grandmother. I am the eldest, among two brothers and a sister. Being the first-born, I am expected to offer emotional support and be an example to my younger siblings. This has taught me to be responsible and I have learnt to reach out to others, a trait that has assisted me during my practical experience in various psychiatric Health Centers in Jeddah. My parents have encouraged me to pursue my education to the highest level. More so, with my father being always away on business, I have always had the responsibility of assisting my mother and caring my siblings. This prevailed when my grandfather passed away while I was in high school. It was an emotional time, as for the first time I experienced great loss. The emotional strain, the struggle to stand by my family, and the support I gave my grandmother, was the beginning of my interest in emotional intelligence in psychology.
These hospitals, the patients, and the different treatment approaches used increased my interest in the field. Moreover, these experiences form the basis of my interest in clinical psychology. I want to study at your institution since this major is not on offer in Saudi Arabia. This is because there are few Saudi females in the field, as majority are both Saudi men and foreigners. In addition, clinical psychology is a new field of study in Saudi Arabia, therefore, I am opting to get comprehensive and higher education and training from an institution abroad. My preference is your institution. I belief your Clinical psychology program will offer me theoretical and practical skills and knowledge for psychotherapy. Given the limitations of clinical psychology in Jeddah, Studying the course at your university will give me the necessary skills in psychotherapy especially in emotional disturbances.
After completing the Degree, I intend to practice psychology in Jeddah and offer psychotherapy especially for the emotionally disturbed. Immediately after completing the course, I will rejoin the psychological support program in my hometown, built following the 2009 floods. I will use this group as a social outreach program to assist people, whose mental health is victim to one form of disaster or another. I will use the skills and knowledge gained to assist psychotherapy specialists working in Emotional Freedom Techniques Workshop and local training courses offered in Jeddah’s health facilities. The goal is to use those Health programs I participated in to reach out and assist others in my community. Apart from social activities, I intend to look for employment and work with Jeddah’s Health Department as a trained psychotherapist specializing in adult mental health. I intend to develop my clinical psychology to a registered and full pledged psychotherapist, and open a clinic to offer affordable psychiatric services to Saudi Arabians. This need is under the control of the realization that, most clinical psychologists in Saudi are men with many of the female psychologists being foreigners. In addition, the best mental health hospitals offer expensive services that middle and low-income people cannot afford. The other reason for opting to study at your university is the stigma associated with Mental illnesses in Saudi Arabia. My desire is to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge in the area to assist those with mental health disorders, while educating and informing the community on ways to assist this group of people.
I carried out an independent research project on emotional intelligence in my last year in the University. The research problem explored the need of studies linking emotional intelligence and psychic health in Saudi Arabia. The study revealed that emotional intelligence affected mental health. In the process, I developed an interest in emotional intelligence, which I intend to carry future studies on. The study focused male and female University students, and tried to understand if there are differences between the sexes in psychic health, emotional intelligence, organization of emotional dimension, and self-awareness dimension. The research used the emotional intelligence questionnaire created by Rasha Aldaidi (2005) and the Psychic Health Test for the Youth developed by Abdul-Aziz Alshakhs and Abdul-Mutalib Algeriti (1992). The study improved my research skills, quantitative and qualitative enquiry and critique of literature. Given my experience with the 2009 flood victims, I intend to carry out a research, on the relationship between emotional intelligence, depression and mental health. The main research question is does emotional intelligence a predictive factor in the occurrence of mental health condition of depression. Is emotional intelligence a predictor of problem solving and self regard?
My first clinical experience was as a Trainee at a Mental Health Hospital, where I worked with Schizophrenics. After graduation, I joined Dr. Ahmad Al-Ghamdi Specialist Training Center for six months, where I learnt Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Later, I joined the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties where I trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and received a certificate to practice as an assistant specialist. I have also worked and trained as psychologist assistance for three months at both King Fahd Hospital, Psychiatric unit from 20th, March to 10 June 2010. I worked in the same position at the Saudi German Hospital Group, in the psychiatric unit from 3 July to 2 October 2011. Saudi German Hospital Group has the largest psychiatric unit in Jeddah, catering for various mental and psychiatric health issues. The hospital presented opportunities of learning and growth from the various cases and health facilities.
Other technical skills include training in cognitive behavioral therapy and Stanford-Binet’s Intelligence Scale. Apart from technical skills and knowledge in psychiatric therapy, I also have social traits and characteristics. I am able to communicate with various people with different customs, traditions, religions, opinions, and ethnicities. I am a good listener and one that loves assisting others. Moreover, I am passionate about clinical psychology, as I have taken a keen interesting in learning the loops of what it takes to become a psychotherapist. I believe your institution’s clinical psychology will meet my academic, career and professional needs.
