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Hi everyone, and welcome to my blog. My name is Kirsten Wiley, and I am currently a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Walden University. My goal throughout the program is to gain a superior understanding of human behavior and how to apply it to support individuals in meaningful ways. Clinical psychology plays a significant role in helping individuals gain a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. My academic and professional interests focus on understanding human behavior, mental disorders, and psychological development, and how they relate to individuals’ overall well-being. Outside of my doctoral studies, I have experience working in educational settings as a substitute teacher, which has given me a unique perspective on how psychological principles manifest in diverse everyday contexts. This role has provided me with a valuable opportunity to observe individual and group behaviors and interactions. Being in the classroom has helped me see firsthand how development, environment, and social interactions influence behavior and learning. These experiences have strengthened my interest in understanding people, their experiences, and the environments that shape and influence them. Throughout this blog, I wish to share ideas and insights relating to clinical disorders, specifically Major Depressive Disorder. My goal across my blog posts is to explain the development, maintenance, and treatment of Major Depressive Disorder through a phenomenological perspective, a psychoanalytic approach, a trait approach, a biological approach, a behaviorist theory, a cognitive/social-cognitive theory, and multicultural and developmental factors. I hope to present information in a way that is both informative and accessible to a wide audience, including my instructor, classmates, academics in clinical psychology, professionals, and individuals interested in learning more about psychology. Through this blog, I aim to encourage thoughtful discussion and share ideas and insights that help make psychology more understanding, meaningful, and relevant in everyday life.