Meet The Author: The Mind Behind Panda Psych
Hello!
Original Posting: November 18, 2024; Updated: March 3, 2026
My name is Rachel Clousing, and I am the creator of Panda Psych. I am a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Psychology program at National University, specializing in Research and Teaching. My goal is to become a researcher, science communicator, and professor. The inspiration behind the name is my love for pandas and psychology.
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed mental health professional or psychologist. Any information is intended for educational purposes, and it is strongly encouraged to seek professional help if needed. If you require emergency assistance, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org/chat to reach a crisis counselor for support. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only.
My Journey in Psychology
My educational journey in psychology hasn’t been linear. In high school, I contemplated being a therapist, specifically an art therapist. Unsure of where and what I wanted to major in, I pursued my basics at McLennan Community College (MCC) in Waco, TX, where I received my Associate of Arts in General Academics in May 2016. I was 6 months pregnant with my son when I graduated, so I paused my journey for the time being.
In January 2017, I decided to re-enroll at MCC as a non-degree-seeking student to attend art classes, though I later switched to their Medical Billing and Coding program in the fall of 2017. During the next 2 years, I balanced single motherhood, working part-time, attending school, and having some sort of social life. I’m not going to lie, it was rough those first few years. Thankfully, with the support around me, I was able to persevere. However, I never completed my medical billing and coding certificate.
Then, in the summer of 2019, my family moved to Tulsa, OK, where I took an online anatomy course through MCC for the fall semester. Then I transferred to Tulsa Community College for the spring to pursue an Associate of Arts in Psychology. I graduated from the program in December 2020.
I enrolled at Northeastern State University (NSU) in the Bachelor of Science in Psychology program in January 2021, thinking I would eventually pursue a career as a licensed therapist. However, when I took my first statistics class, I became interested in conducting research. This was further supported in my experimental psychology course. I began to think more about being part of the academic side of psychology.
During my final semester, I joined my campus Psychology club, where I served as Public Relations Officer for the Broken Arrow campus. I enjoyed collaborating with other officers and members who were interested in building an academic community. The time served was short, but I’m happy to have served the time I did. I graduated in May 2023.
In August 2023, I started working as a student records coordinator at a local software development school in the registrar department. Most of my work focused on data migration, data quality, tracking, and assisting the lead registrar, but I also worked on data projects in other departments. The position was temporary and had an end date in March 2024. Although I would work for them again from October 2024 to August 2025.
Around January 2024, I began looking into different options for pursuing my master's degree that would also fit well with my schedule and location. While I was interested in attending a university with in-person classes, I needed the flexibility of remote work and not commuting.
During my search, I discovered National University and began exploring the website. In March 2024, I decided to enroll in the General Psychology program at National University, expecting to learn how to engage with academic literature more efficiently and effectively, further develop my research and writing skills, and find community among like-minded scholars. I wasn’t exactly clear about what I wanted to do, but it became clearer as time went on.
I switched my specialization in the spring of 2025 to Research and Teaching because it better aligned with my goals. It was a new program that had not been available when I first enrolled. I became more involved by being Student Advisory Council and becoming the communications officer for a brief time. I graduated in January 2026.
Some topics of interest are, but not limited to:
Conspiracy Theories
Cognitive Biases
Religion & Spirituality
Deconstruction & Deidentification of Faith
Research Methods, Standards, and Ethics
History of Psychology
Influential Psychologists
Positive Psychology
Humanism/Secularism
Why This Blog Exists
I started this blog to share information with others, hone my writing skills, develop an online presence, and explore my interests. I hope to share what will be helpful to students, professionals, content creators, and everyone in between.
I initially considered starting this blog during my undergraduate history of psychology course in the fall of 2022, when I learned about psychologist Edwin G. Boring’s video course on Boston’s educational TV channel WGBH (Goodwin, 2011). He became a pioneer in providing video courses on psychology and various phenomena. This was a light bulb moment for me, and ever since, I have thought about starting this blog and creating video content. In 2024, I decided to start taking the idea seriously.
My history of psychology course inspired me to start a monthly series in which I share a list of psychology-, mental health-, or awareness-related holidays that people can use to learn something new, generate ideas for content creation, and spread awareness. Plus, I love creating lists.
The idea came to me when I saw that October 22 is Fechner Day, honoring Gustav Theodor Fechner, a German philosopher, physicist, and experimental psychologist. He is known as the founder of psychophysics, which enables the measurement of the mind. Learning about this day made me wonder what other days were related to psychology or mental health.
I hope that, with the creation of Panda Psych, I can continue to strengthen my skills as a science communicator, writer, and educator in the fields of psychology and the social sciences, and have a space to be creative and curious.
Let’s Connect
Thank you so much for reading an introduction to myself. I hope to connect with you in the comments and on YouTube, Instagram, and BlueSky. Please like, follow, and/or subscribe on the socials to stay updated and in touch.
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References
Goodwin, C. J. (2011). A history of modern Psychology. Wiley.
