Name: Dr Nick Mooney
Job: Clinical Psychologist, Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB)
Summary of role:
I work across two departments as a Clinical Psychologist within the CCDHB. One role is with the Older Person’s Mental Health Service, and the other is with the Child Development Team.
Despite the age gap, these two roles do share some similarities. My role with older adults typically involves conducting psychological and neuropsychological assessments with clients within the community or in hospital. Common presenting concerns include anxiety disorders, depression, grief, and dementia. The results of my assessments indicate whether talking therapy is required, and/or whether other service providers or doctors need to become involved with this person. Similarly, my role within the Child Development Team focuses on both assessment and therapeutic management. Typical concerns include learning problems, intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorders. Both roles provide me with the benefit of working alongside other health professionals. These include social workers, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, visiting neuro-developmental therapists, and of course other clinical psychologists.
Why did you choose to work in health?
University allowed me to explore my interests in science and social studies and I really enjoyed psychology from the outset. A number of health professional pathways were available to me back then, however I decided to pursue clinical psychology as a career for a number of reasons. Clinical psychologists learn skills to work with a wide variety of people, with a wide variety of problems, and within a wide range of settings. This variability is important to me should I ever decide to change my fields of interest or move overseas in the future. Areas that I am interested in include Forensic Mental Health, Trauma, Older Adults, and both Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Clinical psychology also requires me to ask “why” people think, feel, and behave the way they do. If I can understand “why” people are experiencing certain problems then I’m in a much better position to be creative and help them generate their own individualised solutions to grow. Another reason was the importance placed on research in clinical psychology. I particularly liked how the training programme allowed me to study my areas of interest at the doctoral level. A final reason was because of the challenges the profession offers and the fact that I am never likely to become bored! Working with clients or families with complex difficulties can be demanding and I am continually learning new things about my clients, and myself.
Do you have any advice for high school students who are interested in studying a career in health?
Clinical psychologists require good communication skills, the ability to relate well to others, and an interest in helping people. I also believe that you need to be non-judgemental and objective when working with people and their problems. Undertaking work (either voluntary or paid) that requires you to interact with people in difficult circumstances will help you develop these necessary personal skills.
Clinical psychology training programs are competitive and a large commitment to undertake. Talking to clinical psychologists working in the areas that you are interested in might give you some more insight into the rewards and challenges of the job. It is also important to keep in mind other helping professions related to clinical psychology.
Discuss your most memorable experience on the job.
Anytime I’m able to help improve the quality of someone’s life is a memorable experience. This can range from diagnosing a disabled child so that his parents can access specific resources; helping a middle age man cope with hearing voices; or creating a plan so that an anxious older woman can attend social activities after her husband has died. A particularly memorable experience was when I saw my very first client alone as a Clinical Psychology Intern. It was terrifying because I was convinced I didn’t know anything. Thankfully my training kicked in, I helped him to understand his difficulties, and he engaged in enough sessions to overcome his anxiety. I sometimes think of this client when I see a presenting problem I have never worked with before.
What are some of the challenges working in your role?
One of the main challenges is learning the limits of what I can and cannot do for people. I can’t talk someone out of a dementia or an intellectual disability, but I might be able to help caregivers and family better manage the problems associated with these disorders. Furthermore, not everyone gets better with talking therapies. This can be hard to accept, especially when I take the view that my clients are trying their very best to get better. The behaviour of some clients can also be very challenging and emotional burnout is a risk.
What subjects did you have to study at school to get into your area of work?
English, science subjects (e.g., biology), physical education and social studies subjects (e.g. history, classics) all provided me with useful skills to study clinical psychology. Because of the importance placed on conducting and understanding research, statistics is often a mandatory paper if you study psychology at University.
What’s a typical day like for you?
My day normally starts between 8.00 and 8.30am by arriving at either one of my two offices at Kenepuru Hospital, Porirua. Team meetings are typically in the mornings however usually no more than once per week. Throughout the day I’ll try to see two or three clients although this can vary widely. A large proportion of my work is completed in the community. This might require a therapy session in a person’s home, observing a child in his or her school, or talking to rest home staff about behaviour management techniques. Children and families will typically come into the office for new assessments, while I prefer to see older adults for the first time in their homes. Writing up the outcomes of each assessment and therapy session is completed back at the office and can take up some time. Nevertheless this paperwork is essential in order to communicate my findings back to the client, as well as their doctor and any other professionals who may be able to assist. I’m normally able to leave by 5.00pm, although the odd extra hour at the end of the day is necessary from time to time.