This is probably the busiest discussion space on the internet for people who want to become clinical psychologists in the UK. Contributors include:

• undergraduates who want to find out more about the profession
• graduates looking for tips on getting onto doctorate training
• trainees developing their practice and offering advice
• qualified practitioners advertising for work and offering advice
• people in other professions looking to change career

There are many people who have been posting here for months, even years. Some people post every day, some just now and then. Many, many more people don't post at all, but probably read a lot - this is known as lurking.

Lurking is fine, it's not a term of abuse - in fact, it's good practice to observe at first, to get an idea of how the forum operates. But we're keen to help lurkers and new visitors feel comfortable should they want to post. Some might feel unsure about revealing a lack of experience. To those people we say, we all had to start somewhere! You'll find people here are pretty patient and considerate anyway.

Don't feel left out if other people seem to know each other - they have probably just been posting longer and are more familiar with each other. There is no secret clique. In time you might be just as friendly. Psyclick is a community that anyone is welcome to join, regardless of experience, training or knowledge.

Other folk might feel that their experiences or points of view are very different from most posters, but please don't let that put you off. Clinical psychology (including the training system) is far from perfect - but it is open to criticism. If we all agreed on all topics, or if only those in agreement voiced their opinion, the discussions here would be the poorer for it.

Most of us get thoroughly fed up, frustrated and disillusioned with clinical psychology at some point. When others are getting somewhere with it, or really enjoying their work, it can be inspiring. But if you're a bit stuck, it can also be annoying and isolating. So feel free to vent your spleen on the forum (within reason!), have a moan, or ask for ideas - you'll find people are pretty supportive, and may well have had similar experiences.

So, if you'd like to post, please take a few minutes to read the guidance below. It will help keep the psyclick forum the helpful and friendly place it has become. After that, why not register and join in!

How do I do X, Y or, for that matter, Z?

That may be a FAQ. Like many internet forums, psyclick's forum runs on phpBB software. If you're not familiar with this, please read the FAQ on how to use it. It will also tell you how to set up things like avatars (the picture below your username) and signatures (the text displayed automatically at the end of your posts). Using the forum is fairly intuitive, so don't be afraid to try things out.

Seek and ye shall find

Please use the search function before posting to the forum. The forum has been running for some time now, amassing 11000+ posts, so the chances are that someone has already touched on the topic you'd like to raise, and received some useful replies.

Use the right forum

Try to make posts in the relevant forum - read the forum descriptions before posting. Posts that are clearly in the wrong forum may be moved by the moderators, but it helps to get it right first time. Please don't post duplicate posts in other sections. For non-psychology related conversation, please use the 'Miscellaneous' forum.

Good titles help

Please use an appropriate, descriptive title when posting a new topic. This really helps other users locate posts that may be of interest to them - not easy when we have dozens of posts a day. Examples of bad titles include; "Help me!" or "Advice please". Examples of good titles include; "Help with research assistant interview" or "Share your views on Leeds course".

A word on the topic

Please stay on topic - it really helps other users when they’re trying to find information on a particular subject. Don't derail threads because you don’t agree with their content - either voice your disagreement reasonably, find a different thread, or start one of your own. Also, if you change topic but stay in the same thread, people will miss your new topic - again, best to start a new thread.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Please be respectful of other users - no need for flaming, i.e. posting messages that are deliberately hostile and insulting. Avoid name-calling, making personal attacks on others or groups of people. Hopefully this goes without saying, but posting pornographic or generally offensive text, images, links, etc. will not be tolerated.

Capital offence

PLEASE DON'T SHOUT. SOME PEOPLE FIND IT ANNOYING AND HARD TO READ.

Lovely spam, wonderful spam

Not really - please don't spam the forum, including via links in your sig. In the context of this forum, spam means advertising for profit, or posting only for the sake of linking to a site for the purposes of increasing traffic (or search engine ranking). If you are not sure if your post constitutes spamming, please consult Ben or Russ (the forum moderators).

Beware the trolls

A troll is either a person who posts to a forum with the aim of enticing other users into angry or fruitless responses, or a message sent with such content. Whilst we don't want this forum to succumb to groupthink, please don't be a troll here. And if you think someone is a troll, please don't feed him/her - i.e., don't take the bait! Contact a moderator instead and outline your concern.

Introduce yourself (right on!)

It would be great if you would introduce yourself in the introduce yourself forum, but it's up to you. You can do it at any time.

In private as in public

The above forum rules and responsibilities (where applicable) also apply to private messaging. Please respect this facility.

What to do if you see something amiss

If you notice something contravening an article of this policy document, please contact Ben or Russ (the forum moderators). Please don't respond to such topics yourself. You can contact Ben by PM or contact Russ by PM. If you can't login (or aren't registered), you can contact Ben via the contact page.

Moderation in all things

The moderators reserve the right to edit, move or remove any post at any time if it violates this guidance. However, they will only do so as a last resort. Authors will first be asked to edit any potentially infringing posts, and moderators will consult each other before intervening.

Who are these mysterious people?

Ben set up the site and forum, and keeps the technical side ticking along. Russ kindly volunteered to help out when a few dodgy posts started appearing.

Looking for psychological help?

As a forum for psychologists and those aspiring towards clinical psychology, some people might come across this site and think of asking for help with their personal problems. However, this forum is really not the appropriate place for that.

If you think you could use the help of a counsellor or psychologist, your GP practice is a good port of call. If you are not registered with a GP, try your local surgery or contact NHS Direct for advice. If your need is more urgent, The Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, including via email. They also have a list of other sources of support.

Who's in the audience?

Remember that anyone can read this forum. Consider carefully any personal information you put in posts. Take sensible precautions if you share information or arrange to meet anyone you talk to online.

Views belong to their posters

The views expressed belong to their respective posters, and don't necessarily reflect the views of the site admin (Ben). Yes, it's obvious but there, I've said it.