Clinical Forensic Psychology and Victimology

Plus, the skills course helped me feel more prepared to work with forensic clients. We had a professional actor play an offender, and we got feedback from him and our classmates.
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I wrote my thesis at a forensic psychiatric clinic and did my internship in addiction care. These experiences taught me a lot and here I had my first actual client contact with forensic clients. It was a bit intimidating at first, but I felt more confident because of the knowledge gained from the master's programme and the support from my internship supervision group.

Now that I've graduated, I'm starting as a psychologist in the forensic branch of addiction care. I'm really excited about it and have very positive memories of the past year.

Additionally, the involvement of an actor to push us out of our comfort zones and make us realize what it may take to be a forensic psychologist was incredibly valuable.

I was allowed to come up with my own topic for my thesis, which slowly developed into a long-lasting and intense qualitative research of public opinions on pedophilia with a large dataset in which I categorized people's sentiments. I believe that I had a unique chance to conduct research with something I was genuinely interested in, something that I want to work on in the future and with something that meant that my motivation was continuously high, while also working in a framework that challenged me.

To my surprise, I was inspired to do a PhD. After this intense educational year, I want to follow this very path and hope to conduct research on the topic of sexual offences committed against children that focuses on prevention of people at risk, non-offenders or to prevent further offending. Later on in my career, though, I hope to combine my research efforts with therapy.

The programme allows students to structure their year according to their preferences, so I chose to start with my thesis in November.

For my master's thesis, I conducted research at GGZ Drenthe, in the Forensic Psychiatric Clinic (FPK) Assen. In this clinic, a token economy system is used, rewarding patients for desirable behaviors like taking a walk or getting up on time. This research provided me with valuable insight into the workings of a forensic psychiatric clinic and practical experience in the field.

The master's programme accommodates about 30 students, fostering a close-knit community. Together, we take all the skills courses that prepare us for professional practice, creating a valuable learning environment.

Currently, I work as a sociotherapist at the F.P.C. van Mesdag Clinic, a forensic psychiatric clinic where patients receive treatment following the commission of an offence. I work at an intake department where various psychiatric disorders are present, allowing me to learn and observe a wide range of mental conditions. Starting in September, I will also be completing my internship hours in the diagnostics department of the same clinic. Upon completion, I hope to start working as an assistant case manager at the Mesdag Clinic.