Components of Intern Training
Orientation
The first two to three weeks of August are largely devoted to orientation. During this time interns settle into their offices, meet staff and familiarize themselves with the campus, with the community, and with particulars of their training program. A procedural orientation for psychology interns and counseling psychology practicum students is held prior to the start of fall classes. The goal is for trainees to become familiar with the manual that outlines what is expected of them. It also provides instruction in policies and procedures, courses of action for grievance or due process concerns, and performance evaluation procedures. Continuing orientation is conducted by individual clinical supervisors or by the Training Director as the new trainee staff settles into the work of the center. The supervisor(s) of each training component spend time in the early fall orienting new trainees to the specific tasks and skills required for their area of the program.
Supervision of Individual Therapy (individual format with primary supervisor)
Close, regular supervision is regarded as central to the internship experience. Interns are assigned a primary supervisor for the entire year. Interns receive supervision from this supervisor at least two hours per week. The functions of the primary supervisor include monitoring client welfare, enhancing intern clinical skills, promoting the interns' professional growth, and evaluating intern progress in these areas. A document entitled "Rights and Responsibilities in Clinical Supervision" is included in the training manual and outlines expectations for the supervisee and the supervisor in all supervisory relationships at CAPS.
Supervision of Individual Therapy (individual format with secondary supervisor)
Interns select a secondary clinical supervisor each semester from whom they receive one hour of supervision per week. The focus is on one client; the secondary supervisor has legal and ethical responsibility for that client.
Supervision of Group Therapy (individual format)
Interns co-lead a group with a senior staff member who provides supervision for the interns' group work. Supervision of this work is scheduled for 30 to 60 minutes during which group theory, group dynamics, the intern's role, the relationship of the co-leaders, and the progress of group members are reviewed. While interns usually stay with the group and leader for the entire year, in the second semester interns may lead a group on their own or with another intern while continuing to receive supervision from a senior staff member. The supervisor reviews and co-signs all group notes.
Case Consultation Seminar
*One week each month the interns, training director, and permanent staff who are primary supervisors for practicum students will meet during this time to consult regarding their practicum supervisees.
Supervision-of-Supervision (group format)
Interns spend one hour per week supervising a practicum student on one of their cases, and are required to video record (via webcam) the supervision sessions. Interns meet with the Training Director for 2 ½ hours each week for group supervision-of-supervision. Initially, a context of models of supervision and possible supervisor roles may be provided through discussions and readings. However, the emphasis is on experiential learning and on group discussion generated by viewing interns' video-recordings of their supervision sessions. It is expected that general issues and/or topics will emerge from the specifics of each session viewed including the developmental nature of supervision, the various tasks of supervision, the concept of parallel process, boundaries, countertransference, and ethical and legal considerations. Interns are expected to preview their recordings and to come prepared with questions, problems or issues to discuss with the group. Both the intern and the senior staff supervisor review the practicum students’ case notes and they are signed by the Training Director. The group format allows interns an opportunity to give feedback to others about their work and is an important aspect of the learning process. Supervision of a practicum student and the supervision-of-supervision sessions are conducted for one academic year, August through May. Interns participate with senior staff in performance evaluation meetings of practicum students at the end of each semester.
This is the one time each week when the interns are scheduled to meet with the Training Director. Up to thirty minutes of this meeting is used to conduct other business as needed (e.g., questions about policies or procedures, or discussion of professional development or ethical issues).
Outreach and Consultation Seminar/Supervision (combined individual and group format)
The Outreach Coordinator organizes the didactics and provides supervision of outreach and consultation activities. Three-hour meetings are scheduled for the first two months and then one-hour meetings are scheduled monthly. The Coordinator meets with the interns as a group and may meet with them individually as needed to discuss specific outreach activities.
Assessment and Evaluation Seminar/Supervision (combined individual and group format)
Interns meet weekly throughout the training year for a 2-hour seminar with the Assessment Coordinator. Initially the seminar focuses on introducing and reviewing measures of assessment, discussing specifics of interpretation, and exploring the concept of Therapeutic Assessment. Following the initial introduction of assessments the content of the seminar is driven largely by administration, scoring, interpretation, and writing needs of each interns’ assigned assessment cases. The primary goal of assessment seminar is to improve intern’s skills and confidence in using psychological assessment to guide treatment interventions and recommendations. Interns receive supervision on providing feedback to clients and providing feedback in a collaborative manner with members of a multidisciplinary team. By the end of the training year, interns will be expected to administer and score assessment batteries independently with minimal supervisory needs for interpretation and writing. Supervision occurs in a group format with the Assessment Coordinator with individual supervision provided as needed.
Clinical, Multicultural, Professional Issues Seminar
This seminar meets weekly for two hours throughout the year. The seminar is taught by senior staff members and by professionals from the campus and community who have expertise in particular areas. General categories addressed include clinical, multicultural and professional issues. Specific topics within these categories may vary from year to year as chosen by the Training Director and guided by feedback from interns and other staff members.
Clinical: Past topics have included Clinical Interviewing; Personality Disorders; Bipolar Disorder; Psychotropic Medication; Mindfulness; and Sexual Disorders.
Multicultural: Past topics have included: Spirituality/Religion; Disability Issues; Race; Working with Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Clients; Transgender Clients; and SES/Class.
Professional: Past topics have included: Boundary Issues in Therapy; Ethical Issues in Supervision; Tips and Strategies for the Job Search; Transition to Professional Role/Entering a New System; and Licensure.
Intern Meeting
One hour each week is scheduled for the interns to meet with each other. There is no set agenda for this meeting. The time could be used to consult about clinical material or issues, to process their internship experience, or to discuss any concerns or needs they may have. Many semesters the group conducts this meeting over breakfast or lunch. Periodically the training director may ask (or be asked by the group) to attend one of these meetings.
Case Presentation
Interns do two formal case presentations over the course of the year and receive written feedback from staff and trainees who attend.
Additional Opportunities
The CAPS training staff tries to accommodate special areas of interns' interest with opportunities to receive additional experience in those areas. Clinically, if an intern wants additional experience with certain presenting issues, such as eating disorders or ADHD, that request is communicated to the primary supervisor and an effort will be made to provide the intern with more exposure and supervision in that area. Previous interns, for example, have developed opportunities to co-teach a course and to participate in select projects with agency administrators.