8 Ways a Psychologist Can Change Someone’s Life
Psychologists help change the way we see ourselves, cope with challenges, and build healthier lives. Their work often builds on small changes that lead to lasting change. For many psychologists, witnessing those shifts firsthand is one of the most meaningful and rewarding parts of the job.
On this page, you’ll hear directly from psychologists about moments that stand out in their work. Explore their stories to see what that impact looks like, whether it’s a path you can see yourself in, and how graduate psychology programs can help you get there.
Why People Are Drawn to Psychology and Counseling
Many people are drawn to psychology and counseling because of their own experiences, an interest in people and relationships, or a drive to help people through personal challenges. For some, the work also relates to their own healing process. These motivations can shape how they approach their work and connect with others.
These interests often influence the direction people take in the field, shaping the populations they work with and the type of support they provide. Many choose to work directly with individuals and families in roles like clinical psychology, school counseling, or marriage and family therapy.
Moments Psychologists Never Forget: Real Stories from the Field
Psychology and counseling offer many ways to make an impact, from working directly with clients to supporting broader systems of care. The following perspectives are from real psychologists who are currently working in the field.
Editor’s Note: Some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity.
1. Helping Someone Let Go of Darkness
“I will always remember this client…they had been keeping a bullet. Saving it. For the moment they had planned would be their last. They didn’t want it anymore. They just didn’t know how to let it go.
“We considered options together. During one session we took a walk near water. At the edge, they stood quietly for a moment—then dropped it in. It made almost no sound. But something in their posture shifted as the surface settled, as if something within the client released. Healing rarely announces itself. Sometimes it looks like a body of water and one small, yet significant choice.”
Meghan Marcum, chief psychologist at AMFM Healthcare
2. Helping Clients Find Their Own Power
“The part of this profession I find myself returning to again and again is that we don’t change people’s lives. We create conditions where people are able to recognize and learn to believe that they can change their own. The strength was always theirs. Our role, when we are doing our best work, is just to help them find their way back to it.”
Lisa Thomson, registered psychologist, LMFT at Core Psychology
3. Getting the Right Diagnosis to Guide Treatment
“Testing (comprehensive psychological evaluation) revealed that Jane (a client) was very intelligent, but had undiagnosed autism, which can be commonly missed in girls until the social demands increase. Talking to Jane about her neurodivergent features and helping her to understand that there was nothing wrong with her was transformational at a critical time in her life as an adolescent trying to find herself.”
Erica Kalkut, national psychological and neuropsychological testing director at LifeStance
4. Helping Someone Finally Feel Their Grief
“She (a client) had undergone eight months of talk therapy before we worked together. While she said it helped her, she still felt that the grief was sitting in her chest untouched…But 40 minutes later, she began to cry in a way she told me afterward she hadn’t been able to do since the funeral. Not sad crying. More like a release.
“…What makes this story different from others that I’ve helped is that she had already tried the conventional route…Asking her to paint bypassed the part of her brain that had learned to describe the loss without actually feeling it, and that is the specific thing that changed her life. Not the painting itself. The fact that her nervous system finally got permission to grieve.”
Eleni Nicolaou, Ph.D., clinical psychology, art therapist, and creative wellness expert at Davincified
5. Helping Clients Use Their Strengths
“One of the most surprising changes I’ve helped facilitate was for someone who wanted to become a ‘different’ person’ and not autistic…Over time, we explored how much of that goal was driven by external expectations rather than their own values. Instead of pushing them toward extroversion, we focused on leveraging her natural strengths: deep focus, thoughtful communication, and preference for one-on-one interactions. Months later, she didn’t become more outgoing, but she became more effective.”
Rachel Loftin, Psychologist, chief clinical officer at Prosper Health
6. Helping More People Through Better Systems
“My ‘client’ is my organization, and the clinical culture and processes are the interventions I use to help our patients every day. By working in a leadership position in a health system and designing and implementing new programs, the impact of each action can be multiplied. We aren’t just treating one person at a time; we’re building an operational ecosystem that empowers hundreds of clinicians to impact lives. A breakthrough in session changes one life; building the right clinical system helps ensure tens of thousands get the opportunity to have that same breakthrough.”
Peter Vernig, VP of Mental Health Services at Recovery Centers of America
7. Teaching Skills That Change Families
“My students and I were leading a free Spanish parenting group in a community health setting. One of the parents shared that their parenting was not only shaping how she related to her child but also changing the family. They found the children were using positive praise with each other and with her. They had modeled a new way of being in the family, and their partners were asking to join the group too.”
Jasmin Llamas, Associate Professor in the School of Education and Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University
8. Helping Clients Understand Themselves
“One of the most powerful moments in therapy is when someone realizes they are not broken. They are just using the wrong tools for the situation. When people learn to recognize and name what they feel, they begin to regain a sense of control over their internal world. The impact of therapy rarely stops with the individual. When one person becomes more regulated and emotionally aware, it often transforms the entire system around them…The real impact of this work is not just symptom relief. It is helping people build a life that feels more connected, intentional, and meaningful.”
Ken Martz, Psy.D., licensed psychologist, professor at Purdue Global
Taking the Next Step Toward a Psychology or Counseling Career
Psychology and counseling are growing fields. If you’re interested in entering the field, start by exploring psychology degree options and licensure requirements in your state. From there, exploring specific pathways, such as marriage and family counseling, mental health counseling, or specialized areas like school psychology, can help you better understand where your interests might fit. Most psychologist roles require a doctoral degree and several years of supervised experience, while counselors typically need a master’s degree and clinical training. Understanding each path and its requirements early can help you choose the one that fits your goals.
