Travel, Identity & Becoming a Psychologist: Why the World Is Your Best Teacher

In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore how travelling can genuinely make you a better psychologist by building empathy, perspective, flexibility and emotional intelligence in ways that classrooms cannot. I speak with Ben, an aspiring psychologist currently travelling in Chile, about backpacking across Canada and South America, using Workaway to combine voluntary work with travel, and taking on a remote research role while on the road. We discuss letting go of rigid timelines to qualification, managing internal pressure, funding trips on a shoestring, the role of privilege and safety nets, and how uncomfortable journeys can become powerful stories and sources of resilience. I also share my own experiences of extended travel after my undergraduate degree, shorter UK breaks during clinical training, and how nature, awe and time away from traditional routes can support aspiring and qualified psychologists to live in line with their values and return to their careers more grounded and reflective.

Highlights

• 00:00 – Why travelling can shape you as a psychologist as much as formal training
• 00:51 – I introduce Ben, an aspiring psychologist currently travelling in Chile
• 01:34 – We discuss releasing the pressure to qualify quickly and follow rigid timelines
• 02:31 – Ben on career expectations, presence and learning to slow down
• 05:27 – Finding relevant psychology experience while travelling, including Workaway
• 08:02 – My own six-month trip around the world and how I funded it
• 10:35 – Coming home with £20 and jumping straight into work and training
• 13:02 – Standout travel memories and how uncomfortable journeys build resilience
• 17:19 – Sleeper trains, ferries and why challenging travel experiences matter
• 18:13 – Travel doesn’t need to be expensive or international to be meaningful
• 22:00 – We reflect on privilege, safety nets and the ability to take time out
• 24:18 – How family support, grief and life experiences shape perspective
• 26:01 – Travel as exposure therapy and confidence building
• 29:20 – Nature, awe and using time away to support mental health
• 33:22 – Leaving space for uncertainty and choosing your own career timeline

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