Managing anxiety

[ClinPsych21]

Hello my fellow applicants,

How are you guys managing the crippling anxiety when you see people in your program are starting to hear back? I had my first experience yesterday, when someone posted about a preliminary interview at my top choice. My rational mind knows it may be too early to jump to any conclusions, but I am sure y'all know it feels. So, what are your coping strategies to avoid the overwhelming fear of rejection?

Waiting out is truly easier said than done!

[PsyDuck90]

Developing strong coping skills now will serve you well in the future, especially when you start your program. Between meeting program milestones like comps and dissertation defense and applying for internship and possibly practicum placements, there are a lot of anxiety-inducing processes when going for a clinical psych PhD/PsyD. Diaphragmatic breathing, distraction, positive reframing, and so on are useful skills to start practicing now. 

[kingduck]

Alright psychologists, lets say people start posting results, and i haven't got any. Instead of thinking I am stupid or unqualified, what is a more healthy thing to do?

[MCH_Hopeful_2021]

I haven't had this scenario arise just yet (although of course it will) but I will say that what has helped me cope thus far is counting all of my blessings (especially during a global pandemic!) and really digging into the worst case scenario and facing it head-on. Say I don't get in, what's the worst that will happen to me? Will it kill, maim, or otherwise ruin me in some irreparable way? Nope. Haha. Worst case is that I get into Nowhere U., work a public health gig, and re-apply towards the end of the year. I think when we look realistically at the worst possible outcome, we'll realize that in a world where people are lining up at food banks, where kids are terrified to go to school, and millions face evictions (in the US), our problems and our worries aren't so bad. ? We got this!