A Passion for Psychology

Being a good psychologist requires a professional calling. Clinical psychologist DR SANVEEN KANG is living proof. Here she tells us about how her lifelong passion for hearing people's stories and improving their mental health led her to open her clinic Psych Connect.

- GEORGINA HOCKLEY

Tell us about yourself and your journey to becoming a psychologist.

I realised my interest in understanding human behaviour at the age of 14 when I read Sidney Sheldon’s book Tell Me Your Dreams. As cliched as it sounds, I was drawn to learning more about why people are the way they are, and curious to hear their stories. I was fascinated to read about people’s lives, their struggles and above all their triumphs. People asked me, “Isn’t it depressing to read about people’s hardships?” My response was a resounding no – it’s intriguing to learn about the human spirit, how people endure tough times, and what they need to get through.

Initially, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to become. I knew I wanted to work with people and not in a desk job. I knew it had to do with listening to their stories and that it had to be around mental health. At that time, I thought I’d decide between being a psychologist and psychiatrist. So I went off to university and double majored in psychology and premed. I remember my college advisor telling me that “most pre-med students do a science as a second major as opposed to psychology as it looks better, but psychology is different I guess.”

During the four years, I did everything I could to get into medical school. I completed the pre-med curriculum and volunteered at the university medical clinic in the NICU and ambulatory services. On my last stint I had a choice between the morgue and the psych unit.

Needless to say, you can imagine what I chose. And boy, did this experience change my life. I saw first-hand the workings of a psychiatrist and a psychologist.