Eat Your Way through D.C.!

Washington D.C., one of the paramount locations for advocacy and legislation, is also home to amazing eateries, coffee shops, and cocktail bars. This post will cover some of the area’s tastiest eateries for foodies, people on a budget, and those who want to splurge a bit.  Now, for breakfast the APAGS Convention Committee has you covered with our Food for Thought breakfasts from 7:30-8am Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (August 3-6). The breakfasts will feature distinguished psychologists: Dr. Alette Coble-Temple, Dr. Kevin Cokley, and Dr. Deborah Tolman. Make sure to arrive early as the APAGS suite fills up quickly!

DC eatsNow, onto the eats…

Hoping to get a nice meal, on a budget? D.C., has several options priced at $10 or less per person. First, A Baked Joint  offers several options for soup, sandwiches, and salads priced at $10 or less. Ph: (202) 408-6985

Next, Wiseguy Pizza serves up solid 18” Pizzas available for carry out for under $10 a person. You can order online or by phone. Ph: (202) 408-7800

Not in the mood for pizza, but don’t want to break the bank? Then check out Beef ‘N Bread which dishes up tasty roasted beef, corned beef, turkey, or veggies sandwiches at $9 or less. Ph: (202) 393-0406

One last thing before we move into the more expensive spots. Each location mentioned above is less than1 mile from the Convention Center.

Continue reading →

APA Convention: 4 Tips to Help You Prepare for Networking

SquareBy Valamere Mikler, APAGS Convention Committee

The APA Convention brings together hundreds of established psychologists, professionals and students to make meaningful connections, learn and grow. As you prepare for the upcoming convention, now is the time to start preparing.

Since the convention is fast approaching, take the opportunity to identify your goals and set an agenda to get the most out of your experience. Here are a few tips to help you connect and grow your network at the APA Convention, or any other professional setting for that matter:

  • Pump up your social media profile. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated with a professional headshot picture. Having your profile with the most-up-to-date information will ensure you can best promote your experience and accomplishments. Use Twitter or Facebook to follow and meet the speakers and workshop presenters before you attend. Also, as you meet people at the convention, you can tag them and make positive comments about workshops, discussions and the convention itself.
  • Update your CV or resume. Take advantage of sprucing up your CV or resume with current professional experience and research. The convention offers a space for you to distribute your CV or resume during the Career Fair hub, within the Exhibit hall. During this interactive experience, you will be able to engage potential employers and seek professional development opportunities.
  • Create business cards. Having business cards with your contact information may prove to be beneficial. Although, some people may prefer to enter information into their mobile devices, you should plan to have a business card available. Make sure to keep the design simple and professional with the essentials of your name, email address, phone number, and the name of your school and/or position. Sharing your business card will make a lasting impression.
  • Practice your “elevator pitch”. As you meet others while networking, you will be asked questions such as: who are you? what do you do? why are you attending the APA Convention? So, rehearsing your answers ahead of time will help you to prepare your thoughts. Going a step further, practice introducing yourself to people in the mirror. Be friendly and limit your introduction to a brief 30 seconds. Since presenters and others may be time-limited, there won’t be much of a chance to chat.

Attending the APA Convention is essential to staying in touch with current industry trends, networking, and getting face-to-face interaction that social media can’t replace. Therefore, if you are going to spend the money to attend, plan in advance to ensure you’ll get the most out of your time at the event.

See you there!

convention-header_tcm7-174386

 

 

 

Editor’s Note: Check out these previous posts about attending the 2017 APA Convention.

 

7 Tips to Help Create a Positive Mental Attitude

PositivityOur thoughts and emotions play a large role in determining the state of our mental attitude and although we don’t always realize it, repetitive words and actions affect our behavior by seeping into our subconscious and becoming second nature. This applies especially to negative thoughts that easily take over our thought patterns and put us into a permanent state of pessimism.

The intentional decision to create a positive mental attitude can make a huge difference in your everyday routine with concrete and constructive results that will reflect in a happier, more optimistic state of mind.

Below are 7 tips to help create a positive mental attitude:

Continue reading →

Dear Me, Future Psychologist. Yours truly, Dr. John C. Norcross

It’s time for the next installment of Dear me, future psychologist, a gradPSYCH Blog exclusive in which a prominent psychologist writes a letter to his/her 16-year-old self. We hope you enjoy these letters and glean some invaluable wisdom and guidance as you decide whether to enter graduate school in psychology, as you navigate the challenges of graduate school, and as you make decisions about your career and life.

norcross1This letter is from John C. Norcross, PhD, ABPP, an internationally recognized authority on clinical psychology and psychotherapy. Dr. Norcross is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Scranton, Clinical Professor at The Commonwealth Medical College, and a board-certified clinical psychologist. He has published more than 400 scholarly publications and 20 books, including the 5-volume APA Handbook of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy Relationships that Work, Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical & Counseling Psychology, and Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis, now in its 8th edition.  He served as president of several APA divisions and international organizations, receiving multiple professional awards, such as APA’s Distinguished Career Contributions to Education & Training Award, Pennsylvania Professor of the Year from the Carnegie Foundation, and election to the National Academies of Practice.  For more info, please visit Dr. Norcross’s website.

DEAR-ME

 

 

FROM THE DESK OF JOHN C. NORCROSS:

Continue reading →

Getting to APA Convention: 2017 Edition

SquareWoohoo! You’re attending the 2017 APA Convention in Washington, DC. But before the fun can begin, you have to figure out how to get to Convention and where to stay once you arrive. Thankfully, the APA website has lots of helpful info and this post will help point you in the right direction (there’s also some travel humor for you, BTW).

How do I get there?

Continue reading →