What I appreciated most was the fact that the professors encouraged the students to question and critically think about the current mental health system as it is now.
Ilaria Romanelli
Alumna Clinical Psychology
As I knew early on that I want to become a psychotherapist it was important for me to choose a programme with many clinical courses. The courses addiction, personality disorders, severe mental illness, and the practicals at EUR immediately drew my attention – and they did not disappoint! The courses were interesting and provided a good overview of psychology in a clinical context. The practicals, CBT, and couples therapy offered good insight on how to carry out therapy sessions. It was a lot of fun to apply all the theories and methods that we learned throughout our studies in person. What I appreciated most was the fact that the professors encouraged the students to question and critically think about the current mental health system as it is now. Critically reflecting on everything I learned at the very end of my studies was refreshing and put everything I learned into another perspective.
Furthermore, EUR and the professors provided extracurricular activities that students could attend. For example, over the course of a few months, movie nights took place. The movies addressed various therapeutic methods such as the SASB model of Interpersonal Relationships, the Eclectic Approach, Psychoanalysis, and of course Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The screenings and the discussions afterward were really interesting and helped me decide which therapeutic method I want to specialise in. During the second semester, I took part in a writing project for “Frontiers for Young Minds” which is a journal for and reviewed by kids. Different groups of students wrote a core concept paper on various aspects of clinical psychology e.g., Pathological Personalities, Eating Disorders, and Coping Mechanisms. The brainstorming and writing sessions at campus gave me insight into the process of writing and publishing a paper. Although it was very challenging to explain complex psychological concepts to children the project was a lot of fun and a welcome change from writing the thesis.
Overall, during my master's at EUR I did not have the feeling of only being a “number” in the system - which can happen very fast at large universities. Especially during my thesis project and research internship, I felt well taken care of. My thesis supervisor was always supportive and quick to help whenever I had questions or difficulties.
In a few months, I will start my training to become a psychotherapist in Germany and I think that EUR prepared me well for this last step. Although I cannot wait to start the next chapter in my life, I will miss being a student in Rotterdam.