https://drive.google.com/file/d/11bSHfdqOxKv_4MVluTg02PcZQzOlD8xj/view?usp=sharing
Anthony : Hi Pauline, nice to meet you. I’m Anthony, a first year’s student of Psychology Master’s degree. I have a few questions for you. I think that you can maybe help me and have answers ! After that, you can ask me some questions for your study. Can we start ?
Pauline : Yes !
Anthony : So first, why did you choose psychology ?
Pauline : Well… I’ve been passionate about psychology since I was a teenager. My aunt has been a clinical psychologist for many years, and she gave me a taste for psychology. I’ve always been fascinated by the study of human behavior and the functional and pathological psychological processes of the subject. And, I did internships with psychologists, which support my choice.
Anthony : And what about your background before psychology, did you do something different than psychology after you get your bachelor’s degree ?
Pauline : After my baccalaureate, I’ve completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology. After this period, I took a gap year where I went to London as an au pair in a French-American family with the objective to continue learning English. When I came back, I did a year in education sciences where I got my degree, then I went back to my studies in psychology, my first love.
Anthony : And what about your master thesis ? What is the subject ?
Pauline : I’m currently working on “the impact of representations in the establishment of coping strategies in the management and experience of endometriosis disease”. In a few words, I study the inter-individual differences in the elaboration of representations which would result in differences in coping strategies and consequently, would affect the quality of life of womens.
Anthony : I think you did an internship last year. What missions did you realise at the end of your intership ?
Pauline : Yes ! So, last year, I did an internship in a retirement home with people who were losing their autonomy and had cognitive problems. To summarize, during this internship I was able to learn about the different psychologist’s tasks, I carried out clinical consultation, consultation with the family, participation in several multidisciplinary meetings, realization of group workshops, and I carried out psychological evaluations and realized reports.
Anthony : And after you get your degree, do you know in which sector of psychology you want to work ?
Pauline : My project is not totally defined yet, I still want to discover new fields with my internships and my training this year. But for the moment I’m particularly interested in two fields. On the one hand, the clinical approach with the elderly person, and on the other hand in health psychology influenced, I think, by my thesis subject.
Anthony : To finish, I very want to know if you had difficulties during your first year ? If the answer is yes, what were your difficulties ?
Pauline : The Master’s degree suggests having a lot of autonomy in work, and the workload and intensity can sometimes be impressive, especially with a lot of evaluation and the internship. Last year, I would say, the biggest difficulty was the thesis, which requires a lot of thought, rigor and organization in the research work. The advice I could give you is to take time for yourself, sleep, go out, do sports, live your passions and enjoy, to succeed this year !
Anthony : Well, Thank you very much Pauline !
Pauline : Thank you Anthony for your questions. As part of a study for the University I would like you to answer some questions about your experience and your plans for this master and for the future. Do you agree ?
Anthony : Yes of course !
Pauline : Okay ! So first of all, why did you choose the master’s degree in psychology in Nantes in particular ?
Anthony : During my research, I focused on Master that have an integrative’s orientation. There were not a lot of propositions to me, and Nantes was the university where I did my Licence. I have my family and my friend in this city, and I don’t have to worry about an apartment. This is why I wanted to stay in my city, to don’t have to work to pay a bill for example. In Nantes, there are two professors who work on addiction, and this is an integrative Master.
Pauline : This seems like a very good choice ! And, you ask me the question earlier, I would like to know your ideas for your master’s thesis ?
Anthony : In the beginning, I was sure I wanted to work on addiction. But I didn’t know with which question I could link my choice. A professor sent an email about a possible work with her : ‘’Endometriosis and addiction’’. This is a study with a second professor in Nantes. I did some research and I found the subject interessent. So I ask to work on it. Actually, I don’t have my problematic, but I’m still working on literature.
Pauline : We have a similar project ! That is funny ! And, in previous years, have you already done an internship? If yes, in which field did you complete these internships ?
Anthony : Yes of course ! In my last year of Licence, I did 2 internships. The first one was in an association for adults with a handicap. I was with a specialized educator. The second internship was with a psychologist, but with children and still in the field of handicap. Both were very useful to me, but I don’t really want to work in the field of the handicap. Actually, I do my Master’s internship in the field of addictology.
Pauline : Very interesting ! And, for the future, after the master’s degree of course, In which field would you like to work as a psychologist ?
Anthony : Actually, I want to work in the same field as my actual internship. Addiction is a question that is important to me and I hope I can find a job in this field after I get my degree. But I want to observe other fields during my Master. I want to try an internship for the next year in prison.
Pauline : Ok, I wish you success in this field then ! And, I was wondering, which theoretical approach do you prefer, if there is one ?
Anthony : I like to say I’m ‘’Integrative’’. But I have to admit that I’m more close to cognitive-behaviors therapies than psychoanalysis. According to me, TCC is more useful, in particular with addictions. But psychoanalysis has many interessent things in the theory, in particular for the interview with patients. I want to work in both and create my own theory in a certain way.
Pauline : To end our interview, do you have any questions or apprehensions for the coming year ?
Anthony : I’m a bit worry about the master’s thesis. I’m not very interested in research things, but to get my degree I have to work on it. Exams are a second subject that creates a little bit of anxiety. But in my mind, I try to focus on my dream, to become a psychologist. Psychology studies are very difficult but there is a reward at the end.
Pauline : Thank you Anthony for answering these few questions. I wish you all the best for this year !