Extensive work with disturbed people can make heavy emotional demands. It can be frustrating to have a client relapse or to have a carefully designed and executed study fail to support your ideas about behavior. Yet the gratification of advancing knowledge about behavior or helping others help themselves is not only satisfying but even exhilarating. A psychologist has different training than either a psychiatrist or a counselor. Psychiatry requires a medical degree with a specialization in psychiatry.
Counselors concentrate on developing counseling and therapeutic skills in their advanced training.
In contrast, a clinical psychologist must obtain a Ph.D. or Psy. D. in order to develop research skills as well as counseling and therapeutic skills. Clinical, consulting, and forensic psychology often require several years of supervised experience beyond the Ph.D. Many states, including New Mexico, require both a Ph.D. and supervised work experience before you can be certified to practice independently as a psychologist. Almost all jobs require at least a master's, and a large majority require a Ph.D. degree. College teaching requires a Ph.D., as does most research.