A typical day of a school psychologist | Interview with a school psychologist: Dr. Charles Barrett

Dr. Charles Barrett, PhD, NCSP, is a school psychologist in LCPS in Northern Virginia.
Buy his book: www.amazon.com/Always-About-C...
Buy a shirt: charlesbarrett.org/store
Watch my other School Psychology videos: • School Psychology
Follow me on Instagram: / schoolpsychtiffany
School psychology resources:
NASP
www.nasponline.org/
NIMH
www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
APA
www.apa.org/ed/graduate/speci...
Hi, my name's Tiffany and I'm a second year school psychology student at George Mason University. I hope it wasn't too obvious that this was my first video interview EVER. Feel free to drop a comment or question below. Thanks for watching :)

[@Brickington23]

Man…this would be an excellent career choice for me! I dropped out of High School due to depression and failing so many classes and I’ve recently realized what a mistake that was. If I were to become a school guidance counselor or psychologist I could relate to a lot of struggling students on a very personal level due to having similar experiences, it would be awesome to have a chance to help students and correct their paths while they still have a chance to succeed!

[@TheRbk27]

I was literally trying to find videos from school psychologist earlier but they’re all so outdated, & then this appears in my sub box 👍🏽👏🏽. Deff will be buying his book.

[@TiffanyLee]

Thanks for your support! Charles is amazing and his book is an easy read 10/10 recommend

[@tracytotman2027]

I've taught in D.C. public charter schools and Dr. Bennet literally is speaking the truth about how school psychologists can have a great impact on the lives of students in school communities. Thank you so much for this content, Tiffany!

[@TiffanyLee]

thanks so much for watching! 🧡

[@JaniceAnn]

This was great! When entering this field , no one really helps put a practical day of a school psychologist into prospective. Love this content

[@TiffanyLee]

Thank you!!

[@nicshannon21]

Man this is crazy! I’ve spoken to Charles a few times. Great guy!! So cool that this happened!

[@TiffanyLee]

Nic Shannon thanks for your support!! Crazy that you know Charles!

[@worm.lullaby]

i completely agree with needing to enjoy working with children! i've been very interested in school psychology & i work as a part-time swim teacher while in college. most of my shifts include me talking with my students & parents before, during, & after each class. i also curate lesson plans & accomodations with my directors & other staff members so we can all be on a similar path. i love how much progress they make from week to week & i couldn't be more sure about wanting to be a school psychologist now. i also used to meet with the one in my high school weekly & the amount of support she gave me was invaluable to how my life is now. i can't wait to finish my undergraduate & push myself when i get into my specialization!!

[@RoaringMind]

Thank you so much for this interview, as well as the entire channel, Tiffany. You have no idea how much you have helped me figure out my path! 💜

[@TiffanyLee]

Thank YOU for watching! Good luck with the process :)

[@alejandrahenderson7091]

Thanks, Tiffany for sharing this interview!!

[@caitlynsoules4698]

Thank you for sharing this! This interview was wonderful. Charles had so much helpful insight to contribute. I'm about to go buy his book right now. Keep the videos coming!!

[@jessicakasten7101]

Awesome video! Lots of great information that really helped me get a better understanding of what school psychologists are. Thank you!

[@goldakelliryan]

Wow! Thank you for doing this! I'm looking into the field and this was great to watch! I'm also from NY like Dr. Barrett!

[@myjuel357]

Thank you for this interview Dr. Barrett. I am a graduate school psychology student and struggle to find perspectives of psychologist which are similar to mine. I appreciate your viewpoint and contribution to the field.

[@l.a.w.79]

Awesome!!!! Hey Charles! You didn’t mention the musician part! Your trajectory into School Psy sounds so similar to my experience. The marriage of psychology and education (love the way you said that).

[@marissasueplas]

This interview was great, thank you! It makes me feel like my path isn't so crazy and could be a great perspective for me later on. I have an associates in psychology, and will graduate this May with my bachelors in elementary and middle school education. I plan to teach for a few years and then get my masters in school psychology.

[@alesucrerios]

thank you for this video! it's an amazing interview

[@TiffanyLee]

thank you so much for watching! Charles is a huge inspiration!

[@alexiswageman9016]

Hi! I start my EdS program in a few weeks. It's been easy to get down at times because it seems like many people who post online about their experiences of being a school psych tend to post about what they dislike about the field. I keep seeing posts about lack of support from districts, high caseloads, etc. I started to get nervous about my choice after seeing all of these things. (I mean who wouldn't!!) This interview is REALLY what I needed right now to bring me some peace of mind and remind me of why I chose to pursue my specialist degree. It's always about the children! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this. Thank you so much for conducting the interview, and thank you to Dr. Barrett for giving us some insight! I'm ordering his book and I can't wait to read it!

[@TiffanyLee]

Alexis Elizabeth yay!! This is so heartwarming to hear! I have a discount code that he’s offering my viewers that ends on 8/31! It’s TLEE15 and it works for either one of his books. I would love hear about your journey in the future and hope you have a great semester 😊

[@angelandriono]

Thank you for sharing, Tiffany! This video really enlighted me. It's so rare to find a relevant video about school psychology with a great quality, I'm so glad to find your channel! 🤩🤩 Can't wait to see your next interview video 💖

[@TiffanyLee]

thank you so much! i'm working on my next interview project :D

[@victoriacheco9197]

thank you so much for this video ! this was so beneficial as Im starting my school psych program this fall. Dr. Charles very insightful thx for the tips !!!

[@TiffanyLee]

Victoria Checo good luck!

[@aimee1998x]

Thank you so much for this video!!

[@TiffanyLee]

thank you for watching!

[@twigglybun4802]

thank you for sharing this

[@chrisdulaney7744]

I see how he is a skillful teacher, this video is very insightful and super enjoyable. Thanks for the video!

[@TiffanyLee]

Thanks so much for watching! Dr. Barrett is a wonderful psych and mentor for children, students, and faculty. We're lucky to have him!

[@silvi415]

Thank you for making this video :]

[@sharong7973]

Great interview

[@fabiolagutierrez5573]

I used to watch your videos when I was thinking about applying to a school psych program and now I’m watching this video as part of an assignment for my first class in my program 😊 :,)

[@TiffanyLee]

this is so heartwarming!! i'm so humbled. i've gotten a lot of similar messages lately which made me rewatch this video. even with the TERRIBLE audio and interview skills (lol), Dr. Barrett's stories and wise words have inspired me again this semester☺️

[@makaylawhitehurst6564]

Listened to Dr. Barrett talk at UVA earlier this year, he was so great then and again in this video! I'm considering applying to some School Psych (specialist) programs in the next couple years, so I've really appreciated your videos. Thank you!

[@TiffanyLee]

Dr. Barrett is so inspirational and has a great perspective when it comes to the field. I'm so glad to hear that you've met him before, and that you're considering SP in the future! We definitely need more practitioners in the field

[@victortoledo5139]

Great Video grabbing the book today also. Thanks a lot !!!!

[@TiffanyLee]

it's great! hope you enjoy it

[@peterexperience]

Good interview!

[@XDWendyXP]

Have to add on to the comments and say big thank you for this video! Very informative!

[@TiffanyLee]

Thank you! Dr. Barrett is awesome :)

[@Nancy-yb8fv]

I really appreciate this video! It's extremely helpful to someone interested in the field. Keep it up! I'd love to hear from other school psychologists. Thank you for providing us this with this great content! :)

[@Nancy-yb8fv]

Oof! Almost forgot to ask if you recommend any books, texts, or films for someone interested in school psych? I'll definitely check out Charles' book! Thanks again.

[@TiffanyLee]

Hi Nancy! Thank you so much! school psychology for the 21st century is a GREAT textbook if you want a broad overview of the field. I would also check out the NASP website for additional resources. Hope this helps!

[@shaybaeevolve119]

This was sooo good❤

[@AceComics]

Excellent interview! Dr. Barrett's pretty amazing! Thanks for sharing this

[@TiffanyLee]

he is! I love what he stands for and how he is so involved in his schools and the field.

[@emilyramos6656]

I absolutely enjoyed watching this video. I thank you so much for posting this. I am an undergrad who is on her last semester! I am thinking about going into school psychology and tomorrow I scheduled an informational interview with a school psychologist! I had a bunch of questions I created but these questions were so simple but very informative and I would love to hear what the school psych I am going to interview will say!

[@Hannah-sv6yr]

Hi, thank you for making this video! I'm a freshman in college trying to figure out if this is what I really want to do, and this helped a lot.

[@TiffanyLee]

you still have a lot of time! good luck :-)

[@onelove1468]

Hey there! Omg ya’ll are in Loudon! No way!! I’m here in Arlington ! Thanks for the vid😄😁

[@TiffanyLee]

NOVA has great school districts!!

[@dannetsinai7983]

I always knew I wanted to graduate in the Psychology field, I’m currently on my second year of undergrad. I started working in the education field for a non profit organization and have fallen in love with education. So School Psychology is more than perfect. I’m so terrified of student debt and I want to take a gap year after undergrad to teach aboard but now I’m starting to think that going straight to grad school and getting this experience could be my choice right after undergrad!

[@TiffanyLee]

Some of my classmates came straight from undergrad and they are doing fine! I think the only drawback for them is less experience working and more student debt. I think taking a year to teach abroad is so cool, and it'll give you a different set of skills that can come in handy later. Either way, I wish you good luck!

[@pratibha1976]

Informative, just good people.

[@TiffanyLee]

thank you for watching! we're lucky to have Dr. Barrett in the field!

[@gabbyninham5871]

Love your videos! I am finishing up my undergrad in psychology and plan on applying for my universities School Psych program in 2020 so your videos have been very informative! Can you share any additional tips on internships, jobs, etc. for psych undergrads like myself? Thank you!

[@TiffanyLee]

that is a great video idea! I've mentioned ABA in other videos but it's a great place to get your feet wet if you want more experience working working with autism/children/behavior therapy. You can also look for research opportunities on campus or work at clinics doing admin work!

[@fayr7184]

I’m so shocked at how similar my story is to Charles. I literally went to school in queens as well. I had a professor who told me about Raymond too. Im currently majoring in communication sciences but I definitely feel like it’s not for me.

[@queengabby5564]

Hey I just sub I always wanted to be a school psychologist ! Great interview !!!

[@monaiwilliams5741]

I really love this video. Thanks so much for it. I am working to be a school psych!

[@TiffanyLee]

Thank you so much for watching! Dr. Barrett is a wonderful psychologist and mentor.

[@monaiwilliams5741]

Tiffany Lee you both are truly inspiring

[@briannahd9234]

Love your video

[@TiffanyLee]

Thank you!!

[@christianamackoul6265]

Hi Tiffany, love you're channel it has been super helpful for me since I am trying to figure out iif being a school psychologist is the best fit for me. I am also in Northern VA and looking at the GMU program. What school are you studying school psychology at?

[@TiffanyLee]

I'm currently at GMU! It's a great program with a lot of hands-on training :-)

[@ameliaditolvo9853]

Hi Tiffany!! I was asked to watch your video for a psychology seminar I am in and I just had to reach out to you ... I’m an education major with a minor/concentration in psychology at St. John’s University in Queens .. right where your professor went to school! I listened to his story and it was almost too parallel ... I worked at a summer camp in South Jersey summer after my freshman year and it changed my life. I knew I had to work with kids after that! I feel passionately about helping children/adolescents and I was wondering if you could put me in contact with your professor to ask him more about his journey to school psychology!!

[@TiffanyLee]

Hi Amelia~ how coincidental that your story is so similar to Dr. Barrett's! You can reach him through his website charlesbarrett.org/contact or through his social media since he has a decent presence online (twitter, fb, ig). He is such a wonderful and passionate person and resource in this field!

[@allisonsickels6604]

This was such a helpful video! I am preparing to apply to graduate schools this coming Fall! I was wondering if you could share some insight into the types of questions you were asked during your graduate school interview? Thank you!!

[@TiffanyLee]

Allison Sickels I’m sure questions may be different depending on the program but I think they mainly want to make sure the program is a good fit for you and vice versa. They asked questions about my previous experiences related to the field and why that specific school. Being passionate and honest can take you a long way!

[@katherine3397]

THANK YOU FOR THIS! I am currently in my last year of a psychology undergraduate program and I still SO confused on what to do. I've thought about pursuing school psychology but have never even met a school psychologist! I am thinking of taking a gap year to gain some more work experience with children (before I commit to a program for the next 2 years) Am I completely insane to think this? Do you have any advice or past experiences?

[@TiffanyLee]

i think a gap year is the best thing to do if you're not sure. make sure to rake in a variety of experiences to see what you like. working in the schools and doing ABA really helped solidify my decision.

[@amrin1906]

Can I get job with a masters degree in psychology? Or do I have to pursue PhD must??

[@benheim5055]

Hey Tiffany! New to your channel! As a high schooler what extracurriculars would you suggest to pursue pyschology and show colleges my interest other than taking pysch classes?

[@TiffanyLee]

Ben Heim hey! Psychology is a pretty broad degree so I’m not sure if they look for specific extra curriculars for admission. It’s definitely important to have a variety of activities and stick to them throughout high school. If you’re interested in school psychology specifically, I would start by finding a job or volunteer experience working with kids- tutoring, babysitting, summer camps, etc. hope this helps!

[@SJJsolomonSJJ]

Ok Tiff, I’m currently Active Army here in Hawaii and I will be starting school online with liberty university this coming spring. I will be majoring in Special Education and from watching your videos I am now sure that I love to take the School Psychology route. What schools do you know of that offers online Masters in School Psychology Specialist? Thanks in advance and keep up the great videos.

[@TiffanyLee]

You should check out this page www.online-psychology-degrees.org/faq/will-an-online-psychology-degree-allow-one-to-work-as-a-school-psychologist/ I would just make sure it's NASP approved so you don't have to worry about accreditation later. School psychs work with special education teachers often but their roles are definitely different. Hope this helps and good luck!

[@nubiac303]

I don't know if you're still looking since this was 7 months ago but I recommend Fort Hayes program for school psychology! It's accredited and they allow you to do your practicum where you are, I believe!

[@fairgarth1862]

Is a school psychologist focus primarily behavioral or academic? I realize they are not mutually exclusive, however I am very interested in helping kids who are falling behind academically but feel intimidated working with kids that exibit violent or agressive behavior. Would you say school psychology would be a good field for me?

[@TiffanyLee]

Hello! This is a great question! As a school psychologist, I think you need to be the behavior expert in the school. HOWEVER, I don't think you'll necessarily be in the trenches dealing with all of the behavior. You may consult with teachers about different interventions to help increase or decrease behavior and maybe help with a crisis situation but it will probably be the sped teachers who focus on the behavior in the classroom. I also think that fixing behavior also fixes academics and sometimes even the other way around. We are taught different methods of consultation including behavioral and academic. Although we do have these tools, I don't feel qualified to consult with TEACHERS about academics when they are the experts in teaching. I hope this makes sense! If you want to become more comfortable with kids with behaviors or want to learn more about behavioral therapy, I highly suggest giving ABA a shot! Good companies will train you and make sure you stay safe while helping clients.

[@kellyescobedo9861]

I love your channel! What made you want to get into this field?

[@TiffanyLee]

Kelly Escobedo I graduated with a psych degree and came across the field while working with children. It was the perfect blend of psychology and education in practice and I love it so far

[@salmaduskey6627]

I had a quick question! Hope you don’t mind, but do school psychologist work a lot with mental health issues that students struggle with as well? Or is it primarily assessing students & helping them out academically based on those results ?

[@TiffanyLee]

It definitely depends on the district but I see schools moving towards mental health and prevention on top of assessments and eligibility. The counties in Northern Virginia are definitely pushing for mental health and well being initiatives especially for middle and high schools.

[@salmaduskey6627]

Tiffany Lee that’s very interesting! Thank you for the reply !

[@breshnaazad1940]

Loudon county VA? Am I able to reach out to you for questions? I’m currently trying to figure out if this is the career path that is right for me. I’m transitioning as well

[@TiffanyLee]

Hey Breshna! Feel free to message me or Dr. Barrett on Instagram 😊 @schoolpsychtiffany & @charlesabarrett

[@sweetdaemon]

I have a few questions😁 1) Is it weird to not like children but still want to make them do the right decision and still want to be there when they need it? 2) do you really need to have really good grades at High School? I stress a lot and I don’t know if I’m willing to overwork to get good grades because I know that’s not good for my health (it happened earlier). 3) what’s the “usual” score to get into a college? Do they only value your grades or do they also look at your “personality” 4) Is a bachelor degree enough ? I’m a really impatient person😬 5) this is a dumb question but, how much does the “new” school psychologist get paid? 6) how is your relationship with the teachers? 7) Have you ever felt that it was difficult to solve a child’s problem? Do you face this challenge all the time? It is sometimes hard to give good advices? 8) Can you be A school psychologist and a normal teacher at the same time? If so do you attend to a pedagogy or a psychology college? 9) Are there any “part time jobs” that can help you boost your chance of being a school psychologist? If so, which! 10) if you have a bachelor degree and work as a school psychologist AND you want to quit. What other jobs is it possible to get with your degree? I bet I have some more but I’ll here😅😅

[@TiffanyLee]

These are some really great questions!!! I would love to answer some of them in a video, but I also think I can give you better answers over the phone. Feel free to email me at [e-mail] to connect!

[@brendonyocum2510]

I did awful in high school. High school and college are completely different learning environments. Honestly, just makes sure you graduate and take college seriously. I would suggest finding a studying strategy that works for you. That is all that high school is good for in my opinion. Unless you want to try and earn some for scholarships.

[@sweetdaemon]

Brendon Yocum wow Thanks for the advice!! 😮

[@Latinax]

This is great, I'm stuck between school social work and school psychology...is there any advice?

[@TiffanyLee]

although both fields may give counseling, social workers help students and families to interact with the community and write reports about social birth histories. Psychologists, on the other hand, administer psychological testing and write reports about the evaluation. I would love to interview a social worker for my channel!

[@Latinax]

@@TiffanyLee excellent thanks. I guess working in the school administration eventually sounds pretty nice too..and I feel like I see more school admin that used to be a school psychologist rather than social workers turned admin. I'm not sure if that means that social workers don't move in that profession (school admin) as easily, or what the reason is.

[@TiffanyLee]

c c I’m not sure about other districts but northern Virginia requires administrators to have a teaching license or background so both social workers and psychs may have to go back to school

[@rubyxoxojavier4878]

So I’m just a little curious how much does a school psychologist get paid? Because Im still trying to figure out what I want to do I love working with children and I would enjoy being in a school to help high school students idk because I’m also interested in being a medical social worker I just want to know if you need to have a high gpa and also good math and science skills

[@TiffanyLee]

Your pay really depends on where you work. I think the range is from 50k to 115k with a median of 70k, so it is quite a big range. I think it's really important to figure out whether you enjoy working with children since that will be the main purpose of your job: to help students succeed in life and school. I would suggest finding an opportunity to work with children to see if it is a good fit for you. As for math and science skills, you don't necessarily need to be an expert but it's important for you to be intuitive and think critically. Staying on top of current research and being able to understand the statistics/implications can be very helpful!

[@rubyxoxojavier4878]

Tiffany Lee okay perfect thanks for letting me know! And yes I do enjoy working with children and helping them out would be amazing as well. I will just have to study a lot for I can be sure I understand everything.

[@aguilasfan96]

Currently looking for graduate programs in school psychology, I am seeing reports of graduate schools offering school psychology programs at the M.A level, but I've noticed that many of them offer it at the Ph.D. level. My question to anyone who answers this; can an individual be a school psychologist with an M.A or are there limitations?

[@TiffanyLee]

Hey! This depends on your state regulations but generally, you need at least a specialist degree (or equivalent) to practice in the US. This typically equates to two years (5 semesters) of courses and one year of internship. I have a master's plus advanced graduate studies certification

[@hoangyenluong82]

Hay quá

[@nikkil.49]

We went to the same school 🎉🎉 St.JOHN'S UNIVERSITY ❤❤❤

[@crystalramos5681]

I have a question and I hope you can answer me but is it possible to be a school psychologist and an English teacher ?

[@TiffanyLee]

Hey Crystal! You'll need different training for each career. If you are licensed to be both, then you can choose either one but you won't be able to do both simultaneously in a school. I know some teachers who have become school psychologists and they bring a unique perspective and helpful experience to the job. An option may be to teach English after school if you're a school psych during the day or provide school psych services (if your state allows it) outside of school hours if you're teaching during the day.

[@crystalramos5681]

Tiffany Lee ohhhh ok ! So you’re basically saying that I’m allowed to do it but in separate times ? Also what you do is basically a counselor ?

[@TiffanyLee]

since it's a full time position, you'll have to choose one or the other. psychs are a little different from school counselors, although there are duties that could overlap. you should check out my recent video on school psychs vs counselors vs social workers :D

[@savannasilva2917]

At what point of your college career did you begin ABA ?

[@savannasilva2917]

I am an undergraduate and I would love to get any kind of experience. But would I meet the qualifications?

[@TiffanyLee]

I started right after graduating undergrad! I've worked with college students so I think you can definitely give ABA a try. They prefer people who study psychology and have experience working with children but they typically offer training after being hired. I recommend looking for a company that will provide RBT training on the job. Hope this helps!

[@karisa7121]

Can you do this with a master's degree?

[@djasso12]

While looking into ABA therapy masters programs, I landed on this. Although I feel quite set on the ABA route, this has got me curious!

[@TiffanyLee]

You should look into the field! I did ABA before starting my school psychology program.

[@djasso12]

@@TiffanyLee the thing I'm stressed about is that there are so many masters programs out there, it's like how do I even pick? My only qualification is that it be affordable. ASU has a program for 12 000 which isnt bad at all! SDSU has a school psych masters program with ABA courses. So not only will it allow me to do school psych but prep me for the BCBA exam. So if I get bored with one I can jump into another it seems. Lol. It's so stressful to make these decisions because grad school costs money. Want to make sure I wont change my mind years later haha

[@djasso12]

Can I ask. How come you chose school psych over ABA. What was the deal breaker that turned you away from aba?

[@TiffanyLee]

i took a few courses when i was interested in pursuing a BCaBA... but i personally didn't believe that behavior was my path because i wanted to help children in multiple capacities. I also enjoy working in public schools and having a consistent, daytime schedule, which is something i couldn't have in ABA

[@BrandonPCOM]

😂😂😂 @ being sure you like children. That is beyond essential lol. It’s sad you have to say this but it is true.

[@TiffanyLee]

BrandonPCOM I really wish it was obvious for all teachers and school personnel but it’s just not the reality 😩😩

[@BrandonPCOM]

Tiffany Lee unfortunately I learned this during my internship this year

[@brettmueller9369]

why don't we teach yoga in schools it's the original mental health tool?

[@anhluong8790]

Hay quá