Psychology Week: Interview with Karen Petrosyan

March 12, 2013

- You are a student in the Psychology Department.  Do you regret your choice? Why did you choose AUCA, and why did you enroll as a psychology major?

- My story is quite complicated. The thing is that, when I was preparing to apply to a university, I never even raised the question of whether or not I should apply to any other university. If I was to study at a university, then it had to be the best one, and that means AUCA. The problem was that my parents really wanted to see me working in the sphere of business, but I didn’t agree with them. It was even more difficult, due to a lack of confidence in my goal, to defend my point of view, which even to me seemed very unreasonable at the time. However, I am very grateful to my cousin (who, by the way, works as an emergency psychologist at the Ministry of the Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation) who told me to apply to the  Department of Psychology, and, if I did not see myself in this area, to transfer to another department. To be honest, a month later I realized that if somebody wanted to remove me from the department,  it would happen only if I were unconscious and forcefully dragged out. Moreover, to this day I do not regret choosing to study psychology at AUCA. I remember how delighted my sister was after she learned that Dr. A. Brudniy was teaching in AUCA’s Psychology Department. She defended her thesis paper in front of him. I still remember those very kind eyes of  E. S. Molchanova that completely eradicated the anxiety that was caused by the first days in an unknown and frightening place.

- Tell us a little about your department. What new things did you learn there? What did it give to you?

In all seriousness, I have learned as much as I expected, plus much more. I see myself, others, and the world in quite a different way than before. Psychology is a really amazing science that requires strong involvement in the process, and even self-sacrifice, to some degree. Also, I would like to note that this science is far from mind reading, as many people think, and that the neurolinguistic programming helps with girls [smile]. 

- Psychology itself is pretty multidisciplinary. Tell me, which sphere of psychology would you like to specialize in? Why?

These days I clearly see myself as a psychologist- counselor. A while ago, some friends of mine, who are involved in psychology, saw some potential in me and advised me to go to a clinic.  (I probably have such potential, but I cannot judge myself). In any event, I probably just didn’t feel that I would be interested in working with mental health disorders.  I would only be exhausted if I did that. Oh, and oddly enough, healthy people manage to surprise me more often than people with schizophrenia. 

- What are the career prospects for students of psychology?

There are a lot of prospects for those studying psychology, especially if I were to refer to the fact that every year several students from our department get accepted to very prestigious universities or start working in his/her specialty. In my opinion, this is not because of the Psychology Department itself, but because all students of any department at AUCA have huge prospects. It's not about what you’re studying, but rather to what extent you feel comfortable in a particular area. They say that there are many psychologists, but that the chances to succeed are minimal. I will ask a counter question – how many lawyers or programmers are there? A lot! But if you put the right goals in front of yourself, and if you know what you're doing, then you will find your own place in this world. It is the case with any profession.

- Tell us about your favorite class in the department. What is interesting about it?

- Probably the first class that comes to mind is Psychological Counseling. Dana Golin is a fantastic professor who not only has all the necessary theoretical knowledge, but an impressive amount of experience, which she gained while working in one of the best clinics of New York.  I just flew to her class every time! Perhaps the decision to become an advisory psychologist came to me after taking her class. Clinical Psychology, taught by Elena Sergeyeevna, was also an unforgettable course, the topic made that much better by the magnificent teacher. Finally, I should mentioned the course on the Psychology of the Individual which is taught by Makhinur Asanovna. I remember her well because in my sophomore year we were all young and green, and the whole group could’ve put on a diaper before taking this class. The professor used positive punishment and negative reinforcement very often. I still do not remember a situation in which she ever praised anyone for anything, although the material was firmly hammered into our heads [smile].

- What types of internships do students of the department have to pass?

- We definitely have no problem with the internships in our department, but getting a freebie internship will not work here. I would immediately advise students to check which internship is the closest to their interests. This is the best way to discover whether you want to pursue your chosen field. Some (like me) pass their first internship in Republican Mental Health Center, some go to HR offices, and some work with children with disabilities. Personally, I got my last internship at the Sezim crisis center and I’m happy I had the opportunity to work there. Believe me, if you do not understand why you came there during the first week, then you will never understand, so you better try to figure what you want to do and weigh your options. 

- What good advice would you give to students who want to study in the Psychology Department?

- Extract the essence of all of the advice that you get, but do not blindly follow it. That is, if you really want to study in our department, then you must act. Life is yours and you shouldn’t spend it in the lamentations and accusations of friends or parents that gave you wrong advice—it is just pathetic and disgusting. Be prepared for the fact that it is going to be  difficult: emotionally, mentally and physically. And please, if among your motives you have a desire to manipulate others, to learn how to understand yourself or to solve your own problems, then just go and visit the NLP training or visit a personal psychology consultant. The result is the same, but the costs of money, time and effort is far less.

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