BECOMING A CLINICAL FORENSIC THERAPIST: MY EXPERIENCES WORKING AT A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL AND COUNTY JAIL

This story is a narration of my thoughts as I navigate my way through my first job as a mental health counselor in a psychiatric hospital. This work resulted in my decision to further my formal education and pursue a master's degree in Counseling Psychology. In turn, I landed an unplanned position as a clinical therapist at a county jail. I will share some of the highly impactful experiences I encountered at the jail. Ultimately this drove me to earn a second master's degree in Forensic Psychology in order to better prepare me to work with the criminal populations.