Psychology and volunteer work

I am hoping to eventually take some undergrad classes in psychology but as of right now I do not have enough money to go back to school. Its going to take me a while to save up so I was thinking that there might be a way to use my free time on the weekends to do something productive. This way I can have something to put on my resume a few years down the road.

Does anyone have any ideas of volunteer work that I could possibly do that would be relevant to the field of psychology and which does not require any special training?

Thanks.

I've been a volunteer at a hospital a couple of times. To the best of what I know I think you can just volunteer in the non-psychiatric areas of hospitals. But this is just from my own personal experience. I've been in a psych ward several times and I never saw any volunteer people in that part of the hospital.

You could try calling around to various hospitals and see what opportunities they offer you.

Sweetngentle

I have been a volunteer at a homeless shelter for a couple years-- they love having volunteers. ( I struggle with staying at a "real" job)

You get to see all kinds of different mental struggles there!(some I can even relate to!! ) And I also am able to observe how the staff and the therapist interact with various situations. It's VERY eye opening!!!

Sometimes it makes me feel like I have my sh*# together better than I thought! (wishful thinking, of course )

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!!

mariposa

Before ever persuing any medical position after training many RN's and LPN's and CNA's. I always give the advice or employ them to be an Assistant first. I.E. a CNA in a psychiatric hospital or longterm care. It helps open your eyes to the behind the doors picture of the world of medicine. And many hospitals have schooling benefits.

Good luck, never lose your empathy.

in my opinion the best therapists are those who have actually experienced the pain of mental illnes and overcome it. These people have the deepest most fundamental understanding of pain, misery, despair and ultimately recovery and happyness. I have been to so many supposed "top notch" pyschologists who were just textbook trained with expensive degrees but really had no clue what was up, enjoyed making a high salary and see u later. Then i have had therapists who beat depression and anxiety or were on the brink of suicide themselves and it is such a different experience, they actually know the pain and the way out. im sure there are many great therapists who never experienced mental illness but its just my experience that those who have provide much more insight and are more effective.

jonathan33 wrote:in my opinion the best therapists are those who have actually experienced the pain of mental illnes and overcome it. These people have the deepest most fundamental understanding of pain, misery, despair and ultimately recovery and happyness. I have been to so many supposed "top notch" pyschologists who were just textbook trained with expensive degrees but really had no clue what was up, enjoyed making a high salary and see u later. Then i have had therapists who beat depression and anxiety or were on the brink of suicide themselves and it is such a different experience, they actually know the pain and the way out. im sure there are many great therapists who never experienced mental illness but its just my experience that those who have provide much more insight and are more effective.

are you recommending the thread starter seek to induce a depression or other disorder in herself, in order to become a better therapist?

just kiddingggggggggggggg