How to Become a Clinical Psychologist | Caitlin Easter

Caitlin Easter is a clinical psychologist whose career has taken her across child development, mental health, care and protection, corrections and sport psychology.Growing up in Cambridge, New Zealand, Caitlin was far more focused on sport than becoming a psychologist. A talented netballer and swimmer, she became Cambridge High School’s inaugural Sports Captain before receiving the prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship to study at the University of Waikato.Initially drawn to the idea of sport psychology, Caitlin went on to complete postgraduate training in clinical psychology alongside a master’s focused on sport psychology. She shares what the pathway really involves - from undergraduate study and the highly competitive clinical psychology selection process to supervised client work, internships, oral examinations and becoming a registered psychologist.Caitlin also takes us inside the profession itself. She discusses working in prisons as a psychometrician, assessing children for developmental conditions including autism and ADHD, working alongside multidisciplinary healthcare teams, and navigating the emotional responsibility that comes with helping vulnerable people.We also explore the importance of supervision, self-reflection and boundaries; what makes someone suited to clinical psychology; how psychologists protect themselves from burnout; and why there is no single place a career in psychology has to lead.For students considering psychology, Caitlin’s story is an important reminder that you do not need to have your entire career mapped out at school. Her advice is simple: seek out different experiences, talk to people already doing the work, stay curious about what interests you - and give yourself permission to change direction along the way.