psych diaries

is uni the right path for you? exploring alternatives with iphone igor

thinking about skipping university? in this episode, we chat with igor, a content creator and entrepreneur with 39k+ tiktok followers, who chose an alternative route. instead of uni, he built skills through online courses, hustled his way from selling sweets in school to running online businesses, and carved out his own brand.

we cover the pros and cons of uni versus forging your own way: social life, finances, discipline, productivity, and the realities of building a career in content creation. if you’re questioning the traditional path and want inspiration (and practical tips) for doing things differently, this conversation is for you.

learn cinematic filmmaking on your iphone here:

https://www.iphonecinematics.xyz/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaffDXSTmE9X3z5QfveLs3S1K6IP8ER3m8hQQ2btOFH2YbFf7dWu4sEIKciO9Q_aem_-UbNTeLq7sNmDBp8dXSBdw

igor's socials:

- youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iphone_igor/featured

- tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iphone_igor?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

- instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iphone_igor/

timestamps:

00:00 intro

00:23 meet igor: the self-educated entrepreneur

02:00 igor's journey: from school to business

05:08 the appeal and challenges of entrepreneurship

06:53 balancing work and content creation

10:31 navigating social pressures and university decisions

12:39 is university necessary in 2025?

14:07 the cost of university education

15:13 life skills learned at university

16:46 alternatives to university for career success

19:39 the power of content creation

21:53 building a personal brand

26:17 advice for anyone thinking to skip uni

27:51 final thoughts

hey everyone! in this video, i talk about a game-changing framework called 'motivational interviewing' that can help your clients (or anyone really!) make real, lasting changes. i'll cover why aspiring psychologists should learn about it, what it actually is, its psychological roots, how it works in practice, the four stages of the process, and the essential skills you need to master it. this method has completely transformed how i support people, and i hope it can do the same for you. join me on this journey to becoming a more effective and empathetic communicator & psychologist.

resources:

- 'the evolution of motivational interviewing' (Miller, 2023): https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465822000431

- easy-to-read MI guide: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-motivational-interviewing-22378

timestamps:

00:00 intro: the challenge of change00:35 discovering motivational interviewing (mi)01:15 the power of mi02:30 why aspiring psychologists should learn this04:03 what is mi?04:34 psychological principles behind the technique06:38 applying mi in practice07:46 the four stages of mi12:07 core skills for effective conversations16:37 common traps to avoid19:45 concluding thoughts and next steps

just finished your psychology degree and not sure what to do next? in this video, i share my honest experience of feeling completely lost after graduating. if you're overwhelmed, panic applying, or questioning your path, you're not alone. i'll walk you through mindset shifts, practical steps, and simple ways to move forward with more clarity and calm.

timestamps:00:00 intro: feeling stuck after graduation00:26 my personal story01:50 mindset shift 1: you are not behind02:33 mindset shift 2: rest is productive03:21 practical step 1: exploring your options06:05 questions to narrow down your options08:35 practical step 2: brain dump 09:44 practical step 3: prioritising your next step12:37 bonus step: creating a grounding routine15:16 managing social media and comparison16:59 action before confidence

struggling with your assistant psychologist applications? i’m maja, a psychology grad who applied to over 40 assistant psychologist roles - and finally landed interviews. in this video, i share the 3 strategies that made the biggest difference: choosing the right roles, tailoring your employment section, and writing a strong supporting statement. i’ll also share real examples and tips to help you apply faster and stay motivated through rejections. let’s get you that AP interview!

timestamps:

00:00 - intro and personal journey

01:14 - essential prerequisites for AP roles

02:22 - tip 1: choosing applications wisely

03:57 - tip 2: crafting the employment section

05:17 - tip 3: writing the supporting statement

09:32 - bonus tips

12:47 - final words

hi everyone, it’s maja back with another episode! if you’ve ever felt uncertain about working with people experiencing psychosis, this one’s for you. i’ve supported adults with psychosis for almost two years and understand the challenges. today, i’m sharing the top five lessons i’ve learned: boundaries are key, validate hallucinations and delusions, your calm presence matters, approach self neglect and self-harm with empathy and curiosity, and see the person beyond the symptoms. tune in to feel more confident and learn how you can truly support those with psychosis!

timestamps:

00:00 intro and episode overview

01:24 shift 1: the importance of boundaries

03:43 shift 2: handling hallucinations and delusions

05:08 shift 3: the power of a calm presence

07:00 shift 4: addressing self-neglect and self-harm

08:54 shift 5: seeing the person beneath the symptoms

10:30 summary of top tips

11:08 final thoughts

if you’re aiming for a career in psychology, this episode will help you take your reflections to the next level. i’m sharing six practical tools to help you reflect like a psychologist - so you can move beyond surface-level answers and show genuine insight. whether you’re preparing for assistant psychologist roles, applying for the dclinpsy, or simply want to improve how you think about your experiences, this episode breaks down how to link real-life situations to psychological theory, recognise your own biases, and reflect with depth and clarity. these are the strategies i wish i had when i first started. if you want to stand out in interviews and speak with confidence about your skills, this is for you.

timestamps:

00:26 - intro

00:51 - why you need to be reflective

01:38 - i want you to think like psychologist

02:10 - defining reflective practice

03:24 - start writing

05:03 - the Gibbs reflective model + example

09:37 - the 'so what' model

10:45 - strategy 1: go beyond description

12:14 - strategy 2: show awareness of own reactions and biases

13:43 - strategy 3: link experiences to psychological models

14:54 - strategy 4: consider multiple perspectives

16:02 - strategy 5: identify learning and future development

17:31 - strategy 6: being honest about complexity

19:08 - example of applying all six reflective practice strategies

23:52 - conclusion and call to action

want to know how to get real clinical experience in psychology? in this episode, i share my journey from support worker to speech and language therapy assistant, breaking down the roles that truly make a difference when applying for clinical psychology training. you'll learn about key clinical settings, where to apply and what the hiring panel actually looks for.

plus, in this episode’s what’s new in psychology segment, we explore the neurodiversity-affirming movement—what it means, why it matters, and how it’s shaping clinical practice.

a must-listen for psychology students and aspiring clinical psychologists navigating their next steps.

0:00 - intro

2:00 - my career journey

2:45 - making the most of uni

3:38 - first clinical experience (support work)

5:00 - volunteering abroad

6:20 - speech and language therapy assistant

6:55 - NHS experience

8:10 - volunteer work

8:45 - support worker

9:27 - healthcare assistant

10:00 - teaching assistant (& SEN)

10:26 - speech and language therapy assistant

11:05 - occupational therapy assistant

11:36 - helpline/crisis line worker

12:30 - research assistant

13:21 - clinical populations and settings

16:08 - job search websites

19:05 - pwp and cap roles

21:53 - neurodiversity affirming movement explained

25:25 - practical tips for supporting neurodivergent individuals

30:20 - final thoughts

in this episode, i unpack what it really takes to write a first-class psychology essay. you'll learn how to build a strong line of argument, craft clear paragraphs, critically engage with research, and avoid common pitfalls. i also share time-saving tips - like how to pull gold from study discussion sections, leverage ai to spark ideas, and speed up citations. if you're a psychology student looking to boost your essay marks, this episode is packed with everything you need.

links mentioned:

google scholar - https://scholar.google.com/

chatgpt - https://chatgpt.com/

scribbr - https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/

timestamps:

00:00 intro

00:32 understanding essay challenges

01:44 key elements for a first-class essay

03:11 mastering essay structure

07:25 achieving clarity in writing

11:58 critical thinking and evidence

18:03 diversifying your critiques

22:06 bonus hacks for efficiency

27:57 conclusion and final tips

on the podcast this week, i'm getting really personal about facing difficult rejection myself, especially while applying for assistant psychologist roles. let's dive into why it hits so hard – from scrolling through others' highlight reels and missing academic validation, to how it batters our self-worth and sparks feelings of hopelessness. i'll share how i started shifting my perspective, giving myself credit for effort, and recognising how other life stressors might be amplifying the pain. importantly, you'll discover how to focus on what's truly within your control, like refining applications and using feedback, and letting go of what isn't, introducing the powerful idea that rejection is actually redirection. i'll end with practical tools that genuinely helped me cope.

key takeaways:

thinking about your path to becoming a clinical psychologist in the uk? in this week's episode, i'm giving you a step-by-step guide to becoming a clinical psychologist in the uk. we touch on the qualifications you'll need, the crucial experience to gain, and how long this path typically takes.if you're looking to understand the path more clearly, this episode is packed with the key information and practical advice you need to get started!

what's new in psychology: intolerance of uncertainty causally affects indecisiveness (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40066910/ )

other links:

ucas: https://www.ucas.com/explore/subjects/psychology?rtl=

clearing house: https://www.clearing-house.org.uk/