Tristan da Silva

Hello all, I’m Tristan! I am currently participating in the Dutch Masters 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 the city that’s hard working, which stems from the losses it suffered during the World War II: the city was bombed. However, after the war Rotterdam rebuild itself and successfully revived as one of the (if not the most) important cities in Rotterdam. 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 experienced the courses as quite attractive. The course coordinators try to broaden your view and try to get interesting people to share their perspectives during the lectures. I don’t know whether I was just lucky but during the courses there was an entire lecture dedicated to the practical application of the content of the course. For example, during the addiction block an addict 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 working with people with severe personality and dissociative disorders. These lectures are supportive in nature and not mandatory, but I believe they provided me with valuable insights nonetheless. The clinical track practicals were insightful. The practical that was most useful to me 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 Masters 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 to grow as a professional. I’m considering going abroad yet staying in The Netherlands wouldn't be bad either, especially with all the COVID-19 restrictions. When I finish my thesis I’ll take some time off to consider things properly.