Training Model and Goals
The internship year is a time for professional integration. We provide training opportunities designed to promote the development of highly ethical, culturally sensitive, and clinically competent pre-doctoral interns. Upon completion of our program interns should be well prepared to step-into entry level psychologist positions. To support this goal, we provide a safe learning environment that encourages interaction, risk taking, honest self-appraisal, collaboration, and team work.
Training Model
The Internship Program ascribes to a Practitioner-Scholar Training Model which views training as an interactive, dynamic process that involves: self-reflection, integrating past experiences with new learning, meaningful engagement with professional role models, embracing challenges, and solidifying a professional identity.
The Model integrates research and theory with practical, experiential learning. Interns are provided opportunities to practice skills associated with counseling center psychology work including clinical, liaison, supervision, training, outreach and consultation. Interns’ work is closely supervised and supported by seasoned professionals who bring years of practical experience.
A respect for human diversity undergirds every aspect of functioning. To promote cultural competence, interns participate in a variety of activities and are encouraged to assess the impact of individual and cultural differences and worldview on human experiences. Differences and learning about one’s self are to be embraced and recognized as a lifelong process. SCS strives to establish a non-judging, safe place to explore the impact of worldview on clinical work. As interns view their work through a culturally-educated lens, the staff helps them to thoughtfully apply these understandings to professional practice.
The Model recognizes that science and practice have a relationship of mutual influence; each informing the other. With this perspective in mind, interns are encouraged to apply scholarly inquiry and critical thinking to all facets of their work: clinical, outreach, consultation, supervision, training, and administrative; to stay abreast of current trends; and applying pertinent findings to their therapeutic work. Seminars involve reactions to scholarly readings and discussion of cases.
The Program adopts a developmental perspective in several respects. To foster interns’ growth, interns are provided a combination of support, challenge and constructive feedback. Recognizing that every intern brings unique talents, experiences, and interests, the program will adjust to meet their unique development needs throughout the internship. Staff takes this into account and adapts their guidance to meet interns’ learning needs. Expectations for intern performance change according to their progression through the internship: more stringent standards are demanded of final-stage interns than beginning-stage interns. Further, over the course of the year, interns advance towards greater levels of autonomy, readying them for professional practice.
By the completion of the internship, interns should be well-prepared to assume an entry-level psychology position.
Training Goals, Objectives and Competencies
The overarching goal of our program is to provide high quality training of sufficient breadth and depth to adequately prepare our interns for an entry-level psychology position within a university counseling center. In additional to the clinical training, as future colleagues in the profession of psychology, interns are expected to conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner, internalize the values of the psychology profession, to develop a professional identity as a psychologist, and to engage in on-going self-reflective practices.
This section details our broad training goals, the objectives we have for interns relative to those goals, and the competencies that we expect interns to acquire in order to meet our goals and objectives.
Goal 1: Professionalism
Produce psychologists who internalize psychological values and conduct themselves in a professional manner
Objective 1: Produce ethically competent psychologists
- Understand and adhere to ethical, legal, and professional guidelines
- Integrate ethical principles into all aspects of work
- Identify, accurately analyze, and take steps to address ethical and legal dilemmas that arise in the course of their professional work
- Consult with supervisors in an active and timely manner about ethical and legal issues related to practice
Objective 2: Produce psychologists who relate effectively with others, in the course of carrying out professional work
- Demonstrate good interpersonal skills in professional relationships with clients/students, parents, staff, trainees, and other professionals
- Communicate effectively with clients/students, parents, staff, trainees, and other professionals
- Work collaboratively with mental health and health professionals from other disciplines
Objective 3: Produce psychologists who possess administrative and management skills
- Understand Counseling Center as a mental health organization operating within the university system
- Contribute to administrative functioning of Counseling Center
- Develop and enhance leadership skills
Objective 4: Produce psychologists who engage in reflective practice
- Develop and deepen self-reflection and self-awareness skills
- Engage in accurate self-assessment and integrate it into practice
- Understand the importance of self-care in maintaining professional fitness
Objective 5: Produce psychologists who exhibit professional behavior in the course of carrying out professional work
- Show integrity in all aspects of professional functioning
- Exhibit good professional deportment
- Manage private life so that personal issues do not interfere with the fulfillment of professional obligations
- Consistently uphold professional obligations
- Show concern for the welfare of others
- Develop and consolidate a professional identity
Objective 6: Produce psychologists who are able to integrate science and practice
- Approach professional work with scientific-mindedness and scholarly inquiry
- Apply scientific understandings to clinical work
GOAL 2: Clinical
Produce psychologists who provide clinically competent treatment
Objective 1: Produce psychologists who provide clinical interventions using multiple modalities
- Demonstrate skill in providing short-term and long-term individual psychotherapy
- Demonstrate skill in providing group psychotherapy
- Demonstrate skill in providing couple’s therapy (when applicable)
- Demonstrate skill in providing crisis intervention
Objective 2: Produce psychologists who manage cases effectively
- Manage client referrals effectively
- Provide responsible case management
- Provide timely documentation
Objective 3: Produce psychologists who utilize supervision and consultation effectively
- Use supervision to improve clinical work
- Consult and collaborate with other mental health professionals to enhance client care
GOAL 3: Diversity and Advocacy
Produce culturally competent psychologists who serve as advocates for others
Objective 1: Produce psychologists who understand the impact of individual and cultural differences on all aspects of human functioning
- Articulate an understanding of individual and cultural differences among people (including but not limited to culture, sexual-affectional orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, social class, religion, language, and ability status)
- Display appreciation and respect for others different from self
- Apply cultural understandings to all aspects of professional work
- Recognize that interactions between people are influenced by culture and world view
- Reflect upon own cultural identity
Objective 2: Produce psychologists who advocate for social justice
- Understand that privilege impacts relationships and individual functioning
- Actively support efforts to enhance social justice
- Support and empower clients who feel oppressed or disadvantaged
GOAL 4: Education
Produce psychologists who competently provide educative services to others
Objective 1: Provide campus-based outreach to the university community
- Collaborate with campus organizations, offices, and departments on shared projects and activities
- Provide workshops and presentations for the campus community
Objective 2: Provide campus-based mental health consultation and intervention services
- Provide mental health consultation to parents, students, and campus professionals
Objective 3: Provide professional training
- Provide supervision in the context of professional relationships
- Teach information based on psychological principles and strategies
GOAL 5: Assessment
Produce psychologists who competently incorporate assessment into their professional work
Objective 1: Produce psychologists who competently employ clinical assessment:
- Conduct competent intakes
- Consistently employ case conceptualization skills
- Provide accurate clinical diagnoses
Objective 2: Produce psychologists who utilize psychodiagnostic assessment
- Conduct psychological/psychoeducational evaluation