Internship Structure

Approximately 25%* of the intern’s time is spent in formal learning activities:

Orientation period:

Intensive orientation and pre-service training to introduce interns to the Center’s staff, its operations, and to the larger campus context. It is also a time when interns are given general training and formulate their training goals.

Intern Training Seminar:

Weekly seminars and presentations that are developmentally, clinically, and professionally relevant to the intern training needs (e.g., laws and ethics, eating disorders, job search and licensure issues, etc.).

Intern Training Modules Series:

providing in-depth training in a particular area. The topics for Module Series may include: psychological assessment, outreach and consultation, the practical application of theory to clinical work, multiculturalism and social justice, and supervision.

In-service Staff Continuing Education Training:

The Center provides periodic professional development programs for the entire staff on a variety of relevant topics.

Intern Group Supervision:

Interns meet with the TD weekly to discuss clinical cases, group dynamics, and to participate in facilitated peer supervision. This time may also be used to discuss training issues, intern development, and intern self-care.

Individual Supervision:

During orientation interns meet each prospective supervisor. Taking into account the intern’s preferences, the TD assigns each intern to three individual supervisors. Each intern meets at least one hour per week with two individual supervisors.

Case Conference team meeting:

Each intern is assigned to one of four Case Conference Teams. Case Conference Teams meet weekly toprovide supervision to trainee’s cases, discuss disposition planning, individual case assigments and referrals. Teams also use a portion of their time for case consultation.

Group Processing With Staff Co-leader:

Every intern is required to co-lead at least one group with a staff member; the co-leaders arrange time for group debriefing, supervision and planning.

Individual Assessment Supervision:

Each intern is required to complete one integrative psychological assessment report and will receive group and individual assessment supervision from the Psychological Assessment Coordinator. 

Relationship Co-therapy and Supervision:

Interns may decide to conduct relationship therapy with a staff co-therapist. Following treatment, the co-facilitators meet to debrief and plan.

Supervision of Supervision of a Peer Educator, COACH, or LGBTQ Mentor:

Interns are assigned to one of three Counseling Center Peer Programs, taking into account the intern’s preferences. The intern will receive “sup of sup” by that Peer Program’s Staff Coordinator.

Psychological Testing Case presentation:

Interns are required to present their full psychological testing case to staff.

Self-review of Client Taping:

Interns are required to digitally record all of their sessions, including initial assessment appointments, individual therapy sessions, and crisis care sessions. These are both self-reviewed and presented to individual supervisors.

Professional Development:

All staff are encouraged to engage in professional development. For interns, this is inclusive of select conferences, job interviews, dissertation defense whereby all professional development must ultimately be approved by the TD.

Intern Evaluation:

On-going feedback and the formal evaluation process are considered integral parts of the intern’s training. Formal evaluations occur at least twice a year.

* Please note that the use of these percentages is for approximation only. They are intended to give prospective interns a basic sense of the typical breakdown of intern activities.

Approximately 50%* of the intern’s time is spent in providing direct service delivery:

Initial appointments:

Each intern completes two weekly initial appointments.

Individual therapy:

Each intern maintains a caseload of approximately 7-10 hours of individual client contact per week during fall quarter and 10-13 hours afterward.

Relationship therapy:

Optional and a training opportunity for interns to pair up with a staff member and provide conjoint therapy.

Group therapy:

Interns are required to co-lead at least 1 group.

Crisis Care and crisis response:

Each intern is assigned to a weekly Crisis Care shift. The intern is closely supervised by their assigned supervisor or by the assigned back-up therapist.

Psychological testing:

Each intern is required to complete one integrative psychological assessment report which is integrated into to the intern’s learning experience in the rotating module of Psychological Assessment.

Consultation and outreach services:

As reflected in our Center’s mission, we believe in providing prevention oriented outreach services. Utilizing a psycho-educational model, we train our interns in consultation, workshop design and delivery, and training.

Training and supervision of peers:

Each intern is assigned to one of our three Peer Programs with consideration of intern preferences. Within their assigned peer program, interns then provide training and assist Coordinators with the administration of the Peer Program. Interns provide some supervision for that program’s team of peers (Peer Educators, COACHES, or LGBTQ Mentors). Interns receive supervision of their supervision. 

* Please note that the use of these percentages is for approximation only. They are intended to give prospective interns a basic sense of the typical breakdown of intern activities.

Approximately 25%* of the intern’s time is spent administratively:

Staff meeting:

Interns are an integral part of the staff and are required to attend weekly staff meetings.

Committee work:

Interns are assigned to one of three primary committees, taking into account the interns’ preferences:

1. Training
2. Clinical Services
3. Outreach and Consultation

The Center has other optional committees that interns may also join.

Intern self-support group:

Optional and highly recommended and supported for interns to initiate a weekly intern-driven support group.

Clinical administration:

Includes case notes, initial assessment and crisis care notes, and case management.

Other administration:

Professionally-related emails, phone calls, letters, etc.

* Please note that the use of these percentages is for approximation only. They are intended to give prospective interns a basic sense of the typical breakdown of intern activities.