The course coordinators try to broaden your view and try to get interesting people to share their perspectives during the lectures.
Tristan da Silva
Alumnus Clinical Psychology
Hello all, I’m Tristan! I am currently participating in the Dutch Master's programme of Clinical Psychology. Rotterdam has a certain allure for me; it’s a city that prides itself on not just losing yourself in theory but looking for ways to apply this knowledge in real life. The Dutch view Rotterdam as a hard-working city, which stems from its losses during World War II: the city was bombed. However, after the war, Rotterdam rebuilt itself and successfully revived as one of the (if not the most) important cities in the Netherlands. The story of Rotterdam has always intrigued me and is one of the reasons why I decided to continue my studies here. Taking a stroll around town, being surrounded by historical context, and imagining how things played out in the past is one of my favourite pastimes.
Regarding the Clinical Psychology programme, I found the courses quite attractive. The course coordinators broaden your view and get interesting people to share their perspectives during the lectures. I don’t know whether I was just lucky, but during the courses, an entire lecture was dedicated to the practical application of the course content. For example, during the addiction block, a person with an addiction got to share his past and his experience with rehab and its limitations. During the personality disorder block, somebody came to tell us what it’s like to work with people with severe personality and dissociative disorders. These lectures are supportive in nature and not mandatory, but they provided me with valuable insights nonetheless. The clinical track practicals were insightful. The most useful practical was the CBT course since it clearly provides you with some “instruments” to use in the field. During my practical internship, I found out that CBT can offer a lot of support and stability during face-to-face sessions with clients. The little CBT toolkit definitely proved itself useful. All in all, I’d recommend people join this programme if they are attracted to the courses offered!
My plans for the future? The Master's programme has offered me a lot of material, but I feel like it is time to apply some of it. Unsurprisingly, I'd like to start working as a psychologist, help out my clients, and grow as a professional. I'm considering going abroad, yet staying in the Netherlands wouldn't be bad either. When I finish my thesis, I'll take some time off to consider things properly.