Counseling Center

Predoctoral Internship in Professional Psychology

Philosophy and Objectives

At the Counseling Center, we are committed to a tripartite function: remedial, developmental and preventive programming. Center policy recognizes the need for direct service programs to meet the counseling needs of students, as well as outreach, consultation, training, and media programs designed to enhance the learning and social environment and work toward eliminating dysfunctional elements in the campus community system. We believe that these functions are components necessary for the maintenance of a total quality center.

The placement of an intern at the Center has dual objectives. Most important from the point of view of the intern is the opportunity to receive additional supervision and training by qualified senior staff members, as well as the opportunity to further refine existing ideas and skills. Benefits also accrue to the Center, as the amount of service offered and the development of new and innovative programs is enhanced through the infusion of new ideas by adding highly qualified and trained personnel to the staff. Intern expertise is acknowledged and the application of their skills is encouraged.

We wish to have the intern develop and refine the effective delivery of their service skills, to present a total picture of the operation of a university counseling center, and to expand the nature and scope of our existing services by incorporating intern expertise into on-going programs.

Structurally, the internship is designed to provide a comprehensive, organized sequence of training experiences for individuals at the end of their formal educational preparation as professional psychologists. The Counseling Center is committed to offering high quality training, the backbone of which is intense supervision reflective of both the goals and objectives of the Center and each individual intern. It is understood that growth occurs in the context of close, effective supervision coupled with trainee freedom to experiment and develop a sense of independence and competence. Supervision may include exploration of personal growth issues as they are related to supervisees’ professional development and performance.

Core experiences are provided that serve to facilitate the enhancement, acquisition, and integration of skills into the trainees' repertoire in remedial, developmental, and preventive areas. Upon leaving the internship, it is expected that the intern will be ready to assume responsibility for functioning as an autonomous, independent professional psychologist.

Objectives of Internship

(a) To provide a training experience that will prepare the intern to meet the service demands of the role of professional psychologist as well as to meet the licensure/certification requirements for psychology.

(b) To further develop existing skills and teach a variety of new ones. We encourage the intern to specialize in a particular area of interest in addition to gathering expertise in a broad range of professional activities. The intern will receive training and supervision beyond the practicum level in counseling and therapy. Developmental and preventive programming and related skills are also addressed, and appropriate supervision is provided.

(c) To provide a training experience which will facilitate the intern's understanding of and appreciation for diversity. Diversity and multicultural issues are addressed within every activity of the internship program.

(d) To provide a training environment in which the intern can conduct research activities and integrate scientific findings and the scientific method into the practice of psychology. Interns can develop and conduct a research study of their own choosing and/or become involved in developing, operating, and evaluating ongoing programs within the Center. In addition, the Center provides support for dissertation research.