Dr. Erica Goldblatt Hyatt is an Assistant Professor and Department Chair of Psychology at Bryn Athyn College. She received her B.A. from McGill University, M.B.E., M.S.W. and D.S.W. from University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Hyatt has been published both commercially and academically and is a recognized speaker on a national scale. She is the author of “Grieving for the Sibling You Lost,” by publisher New Harbinger.

(Photo Courtesy of Dr. Erica Goldblatt Hyatt)

What continuing education is required for your role?

“I enjoy workshops on mental health diagnostics, ethical dilemmas and bereavement. In the state of Pennsylvania, practicing psychologists need 30 contact hours at a minimum when it comes time to renew their licenses, with at least 3 hours that focus on ethical issues.”

Can you describe your duties as a psychologist?

“I’m not a practicing psychologist, but I do prepare students for potential careers in psychology. Some psychologists practice in the clinic, working to assess clients who come for therapy or neurological testing, and then they may provide evidence-based interventions rooted in best practices to help those clients achieve higher levels of functioning in their lives. Some work in labs doing research, designing and conducting experiments that tell us more about human nature and behavior. Psychologists describe, predict, explain and intervene when it comes to how people think, feel and behave.”

How has education prepared you for your career in psychology and social sciences?

“I got my bachelor’s degree in sociology and then immediately followed up with a master’s degree in social work (M.S.W.), as well as a master’s degree in bioethics. I went back to school for my doctorate a few years after I got my M.S.W., because I felt I needed more education under my belt to help me be a better clinician, and I also wanted to learn more about my favorite areas of practice and do some research in order to contribute to society’s knowledge about it (which, at the time, was adolescent sibling bereavement, and now my doctoral dissertation has been turned into a book with New Harbinger Publications. So you never know where education can lead you). My education in a doctoral program helped me learn how to really ask important questions and explore the research that might hold answers to them, as well as design my own research projects.”

What advice would you give someone who is pursuing a career in psychology?

“Follow your passion, your instincts and your interests. You’ll have supervisors whose job is to guide you through how to ask questions in an empathetic, non-judgmental way. And that’s a big piece of being a clinician: avoid passing moral judgment on your clients. You’re not there to provide personal reflections on clients’ stories or behavior. Keep striving to learn and seek supervision, even if it isn’t a requirement of your job, position,or license, because working with other experienced providers can help you think about challenging issues in new ways and will help you take care of yourself, too. Self-care is very important in this field.”

Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/