Dr. Gerald Drose was born and raised in Charleston, SC in a tight-knit family. His father coached him in sports throughout his life and his mother worked as a playground director. Though he had a very active and playful childhood, he recalls that he was a little lost in his early adulthood. In this podcast interview, he explains how he found himself in a graduate program in clinical psychology and how his experiences inspired him to write his first novel “Bird Gotta Land: The Education of a Young Psychologist” which is loosely based on his time in graduate school. As a licensed psychologist with over 32 years of experience, Dr. Drose offers advice to those interested in the field of psychology and to those who want to start their own practice. He met his wife, Dina Zeckhausen, in grad school and explains why they founded Powers Ferry Psychological Associates. He discusses how they have grown from one location with 3 therapists to 4 locations with over 30 clinicians mainly through hard work, organic growth, and by providing a variety of assessment, psychotherapy, and special services. Dr. Drose highlights the importance of being fully present and alive in all of your life experiences and with clients. He states “…so you know psychotherapy is about landing, or becoming mindful…” and “…when you kind of feel like you understand, even if it’s a myth that you understand but you tell yourself you understand, you become mindful, you become more centered.” He also reminds us that there is an incredible need for psychotherapy and that this need “has grown exponentially” in recent years. Therefore, if you are interested in the field of psychology, get started now to help meet the need for more psychotherapists. Though Dr. Drose shares parts of his personal and professional journey to becoming a practicing psychologist in this podcast, we learn more about his experiences in his book through powerful and complex character development. We learn about the protagonist, Stephen, a graduate student in clinical psychology as well as the story lines surrounding his father, his young son, and his budding relationship with his girlfriend. The reader also gets drawn in to learn about his professors, classmates, and landlords. As an added bonus, we learn more about the game of softball and the color of his Karmann Ghia convertible. Those embarking on a graduate degree in psychology, going through psychotherapy, or simply on their own journey of self-awareness and personal growth will benefit from reading “Bird Gotta Land.” Connect with Dr. Gerald Drose: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with the Show: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter https://vimeo.com/637141210 Interests and Specializations Dr. Gerald S. Drose is a licensed psychologist who works with individuals and couples. He has published research on sex therapy and written a bi-weekly column on love, sex, and marriage. He has extensive training and experience in couples and sex-therapy and specializes in marital and premarital issues as well as relationship issues including anxiety, depression, divorce, family conflict, sexual addiction, and couples therapy. He uses multiple therapy techniques and approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Hypnotherapy, Sex Therapy, Individual Therapy, and Couples Therapy. Education Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Psychology (1981); University of South Carolina.Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Clinical-Community Psychology (1988); University of South Carolina. Other Sources and Links of Interest Dr. Gerald Drose at PsychologyTodayDr. Gerald Drose at Amazon"Bird Gotta Land" at Amazon Podcast Transcription 00:00:12 BradleyWelcome to the Master’s in Psychology podcast where psychology students can learn from psychologists, educators and practitioners to better understand what they do, how they got there, and hear the advice they have for those interested in getting a graduate degree in psychology.