Alumni Showcase: Dr. David Simourd
Dr. Simourd graduated with a Ph.D. in Psychology in 1992!
“I can speak very highly about Carleton and the Psychology Department because my experiences from obtaining both a BA and Ph.D. simply changed my life. I am in the late stages of a wonderful career as a Psychologist. I operate my own private practice, and have done so for many years. Before that I worked as a psychologist in a prison and a mental health hospital. I learned a great deal at Carleton but the main theme is to be a scientist-practitioner and to have a curious mind. The courses and connections with professors at Carleton taught me the importance of thinking and pursuing knowledge. I published my first scientific article when I was in the final year of my Ph.D. and have steadily been involved in using science to guide my clinical work. I have been active in developing and evaluating various assessment and treatment approaches in the forensic psychology area. I have also published articles throughout my career, which I have done out of interest rather than need because I’m a field level clinician and not an academic. To my surprise but with great personal pride, in 2019 I was elected as Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association. None of that would have happened without Carleton. The words of advice I would offer to students is to not worry about the so-called ‘status’ of Carleton but focus on the opportunities and experiences that you may gain.”
