Pre-Doctoral Internship
Thank you for your interest in the UNC Counseling Center internship program! This full-time, 2000-hour Pre-Doctoral internship program in professional psychology offered by the University of Northern Colorado Counseling Center is designed to provide a broad-based professional training experience in the range of activities carried out by psychologists in a university counseling center.
Our Model & Philosophy of Training
Our philosophy of training incorporates a generalist, developmental apprenticeship perspective with mentorship and experiential learning. We believe in using developmental models of training, such that training is sequential, cumulative and graded in complexity. We are committed to diversity and multicultural awareness in all aspects of our training program. We are dedicated to offering an internship and counseling center that encourages and conveys respect, concern, and understanding for individuals of all backgrounds.
We aim to train interns as skilled generalists equipped to work in a variety of post-internship employment settings. To accomplish this, we provide a range of didactic and experiential training activities that psychologists in a university counseling center setting or other mental health settings are likely to encounter, including: individual, couples, and group psychotherapy, clinical intake assessment, crisis intervention, outreach and consultation, and provision of supervision.
Our staff recognizes the importance of clinical practice that is informed by scholarly inquiry. Theoretical and research literature is integrated with experiential components of training. Administrative and policy decisions at our center are informed by scholarly review of both empirical and theoretical literature, as well as our center's ongoing examination of service utilization, client demographics, and client satisfaction. Results of ongoing satisfaction surveys may also inform areas in need of attention for clinical staff and trainees.
Mentorship in our training program is indicated by a genuine commitment to both individual and group supervision. Interns are considered developing professionals and are encouraged to work closely with senior staff members, who provide mentoring and serve as professional role models for our trainees. Overall, we seek to create an atmosphere of respect and trust where interns and professional staff support their own and others' growth, both personally and professionally. Staff members model ethical and professional clinical approaches and they participate in teaching through supervision, consultation, and seminars devoted to the professional development of interns. Staff members utilize a variety of theoretical orientations in their clinical work, including cognitive, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, mindfulness-based, feminist, systems, existential, and solution-focused. Regardless of the primary orientations of each staff member, all staff believe the therapeutic relationship is the key contributor to therapy process and progress. Therefore, interns have the opportunity to gain exposure to a variety of therapeutic approaches and styles, while still refining their ability to attend to relational dynamics and use the therapeutic relationship as a primary tool or change mechanism.
We recognize that each intern brings a variety of skills, experience, and training needs to the internship and that some flexibility to tailor the training program according to the strengths, needs, and interests of each intern is necessary for optimal growth. This is accomplished in numerous ways, including providing opportunities for intern input in the planning of various center and training activities and allowing interns the opportunity to select a special interest area. Potential special interest areas could include (but are not limited to) eating disorders, trauma/sexual assault, religion/spirituality, learning differences, men's issues, substance abuse, mindfulness, supervision, etc. Our internship program attends to diversity/multicultural issues throughout various training activities including didactic training, supervision, and actual clinical experiences with a diverse client population. The staff of The Counseling Center is committed to the awareness and affirmation of diversity in all our clinical and non-clinical endeavors. Multicultural awareness and sensitivity pervade all training and service at our center.
We see the internship year as a transition period in which interns will be shifting from a trainee identity to developing/honing their clinical and professional identities. We seek to assist in this developmental process by providing interns opportunities to stretch, take risks, try out different interventions and therapy approaches, and begin to discover their own individual styles and approaches that are consistent with their sense of self, values, strengths, and interests, with greater sensitivity and respect for the multicultural world in which we exist.
Description of Internship Activities
This is a full-time 2000-hour internship, which requires 500 hours of direct clinical service. Interns are expected to work 40-42 hours per week (busier schedules in the peak times of Fall and Spring will be off-set by slower client traffic time during holiday breaks and summer). Direct service includes individual, group, and couple's psychotherapy; intake assessment; crisis intervention; outreach to students, faculty, and staff; and direct individual supervision of a doctoral-level practicum student. Please see the below description of activities and sample Intern Activities Time Allotment for a breakdown of all clinical and non-clinical internship activities (*please note that the hourly requirements represent an average and may shift slightly).
1. Direct Service Components
Clinical Services
Interns devote a minimum of 20 hours per week on average to clinical activities (direct client contact). These include the following:
a. Individual/Couples Therapy: Interns devote a minimum of 14 hours per week to providing psychotherapy services to individual clients and couples.
b. Group Therapy: Interns co-lead, with a senior staff member, at least one therapy group each semester [2 hours per week]. Most groups are process-focused and some are theme oriented. Structured groups with a skill-building focus may also be offered.
c. Intake Assessment: Interns are responsible for providing at least 2-3 intake assessments each week. Interns may be asked to provide additional intake slots during high peak times during the semester or if their caseloads do not meet minimum requirements.
d. Daytime Emergency Coverage (“OCD”; On-Call of the Day): In addition to scheduled intakes, each intern is responsible for providing emergency coverage for walk-in clients. Each intern will be on OCD for a 4-hour shift each week. During this time, the intern must be available and on-premises, with one specific emergency slot set aside for students who are in crisis. The OCD coverage time does not count toward the intern’s direct clinical hours unless the intern actually responds to a call or crisis.
e. After Hours Emergency Coverage: To provide the hours required for a 2000-hour internship and to contribute to the safety and functioning of the university, interns will complete after-hours emergency service on a rotation basis. Each intern will be on-call for a one-week period of time, twice per semester. During this time, they will carry the Center's emergency cell phone with them. The on-call time does not count toward the intern’s direct clinical hours unless the intern actually responds to a call or crisis. During fall semester, the intern's primary supervisor will provide back-up emergency coverage.
f. Supervision of Practicum Students: Each intern will engage in a clinical supervision experience of a doctoral-level practicum student. Three hours per week will be allotted to this experience (1.5 hours of face-to-face supervision with trainee and 1.5 hours of supervision prep time to review notes and tapes). We will make every attempt to provide interns with supervision experience during both the fall and spring semesters, though this cannot always be guaranteed due to practicum student availability. Opportunities for supervising a practicum student over the summer may also be available.
g. Outreach and Prevention Programs: Outreach and Prevention programs are an important part of Counseling Center services. Early outreach and prevention can often enable students to deal with concerns before they develop into more serious problems. Moreover, outreach and consultation services are necessary to meet the needs of those groups of students who do not actively ask for help by approaching a counseling center or other mental health agency. Research supports the use of alternative services to effectively address the needs of culturally diverse and non-traditional students. Interns participate in a variety of outreach activities, such as presentations,
university-wide fairs, and consultation projects. An average of 2 hours per week of outreach and consultation is allotted in the weekly schedule during fall and spring; 2.5 hours is allotted during the summer. Some weeks will not include any outreach activities, while other weeks might require several hours of outreach. We require a minimum of 12 outreach activities over the course of the internship. These activities can include (but are not limited to): Alcohol/Depression/ Eating Disorder screenings, presenting a workshop at the Journey Conference (a 1-day empowerment/self-esteem conference for high-school girls), participation in The Mental Health Summit, presenting at Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and other trainings/presentations as requested by various campus agencies over the course of the year. Interns also develop year-long consultation or liaison relationships with a campus cultural center (i.e., The Marcus Garvey Cultural Center, Asian-Pacific American Student Services Center, Cesar Chavez Cultural Center, Native American Student Services Center, GLBTA Office, etc.), and will be matched up with a Residence Hall Director over the course of the year. Occasional evening and weekend outreach will be required.
h. Assessment: Though the Counseling Center does not offer formal assessment opportunities (i.e., Learning Disability assessments or full psych batteries), interns are expected to integrate use of appropriate self-report and objective personality assessment tools into their clinical work. Interns will gain familiarity with various self-report assessment tools, including the Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, Eating Attitudes Test, etc. Interns will also be expected to administer at least one objective personality measure (i.e., MMPI, MCMI, or PAI) with one of their clients during the course of the internship year. Interns will receive at least 2 trainings per semester on assessment as part of the Professional Development seminar.
2. Non-direct Training Activities (Supervision, Seminars, Special Interest Areas)
a. Individual Supervision: Interns will receive a minimum of 2 hours per week of individual supervision. The intern's primary supervisor will provide supervision for psychotherapy/counseling, agency issues, and professional development. The supervisor will review client recordings and have knowledge of all clients being seen by the intern. In addition, the primary supervisor will assist the intern with supervision of practicum students. The supervisor will also serve as advocate and consultant for other Center-related activities and can assist the intern in decisions relating to professional development. Supervisors will provide written feedback at mid-semester and end of semester evaluation meetings. Interns typically have a different supervisor each semester. The Training Director assigns the supervisor pairings on the basis of the intern’s training needs and the available resources within the Center. Intern input is welcome and encouraged.
b. Professional Development Seminar: Interns will address issues of professional growth and development, clinical and multicultural issues, and entry into professional psychology in this seminar. Presentations by senior staff members, campus & community professionals, and interns cover a wide range of topics based on the intern group’s needs and interests. Interns are welcome to make suggestions regarding topics they would like to see addressed in this seminar. Sample topics have included: Ethical and Legal Issues; Empirically supported treatments; Working with veterans; PTSD and trauma; Mindfulness approaches; Eating Disorders; Couples Therapy; Substance Abuse; Domestic Violence; Experiential Therapies; Job Preparation; Preparation for Licensure, etc. This seminar meets weekly for 1.5 hours throughout the course of the internship year. Interns will be expected to present on an empirically supported treatment once per semester during this seminar.
c. Group Seminar: This seminar supplements interns’ experiential learning (i.e., direct service and weekly debriefings with co-leader) by providing additional information and opportunities for reflection and dialogue. The seminar’s initial focus is on the Counseling Center’s group philosophy and procedures, Yalom’s interpersonal process theory, co-leader relationships, stages of group development, and group process dynamics and interventions. Subsequently, the seminar provides an opportunity for case conference-type reflection and dialogue, viewing of video recordings, brainstorming of alternative interventions, and for enhancing knowledge about group stages and processes. The Group Seminar meets weekly for 1.5 hours throughout the year.
d. Supervision of Supervision Seminar: This seminar trains interns in effective clinical supervision. The seminar will balance knowledge with experience in order to develop the basic philosophy, skills, and confidence necessary for creating a productive supervisory relationship. The seminar incorporates didactic information, modeling, role playing, and review of supervision sessions between interns and practicum students. Topical issues may include the following: ethical and legal issues in the conduct of supervision; theories of supervision; developmental stages; multicultural counselor training; and the parallel processes involved in being a clinician, supervisor, and supervisee. The seminar will also focus on balancing the various roles of an effective supervisor, such as, teacher, informal counselor, consultant, monitor, and evaluator. This seminar meets weekly for 1.5 hours during the fall and spring semesters, and during the summer (if interns are providing summer supervision).
e. Diversity Seminar: This seminar meets for 1.5 hours every other week throughout the year. The seminar provides a combination of didactic training about multicultural issues; process of personal identity, biases, and values; and case conference discussion of diverse clients. This seminar includes topics such as: Spirituality in Therapy; Men’s issues; GLBT issues; Learning Differences; First Generation College Students; Sizism; Hidden Identities, Disabilities; viewing of several films pertaining to diversity; meetings with the various Cultural Centers on campus; and multicultural discussions and potlucks. Interns are expected to participate actively and stretch themselves in this seminar. Interns will have the opportunity to build various aspects of the seminar in order to tailor their learning experience.
f. Intern Process Group: This seminar meets for 1.5 hours every other week (alternating with the diversity seminar) and is led by a clinician who is not affiliated with the Counseling Center or University. This group is an opportunity for interns to have the space to process personal and professional issues that arise during the course of the internship. It is expected that interns will use this process time to seek support and feedback, work through conflicts, and discuss issues related to professional development. The content of what is discussed in this group is kept confidential unless requested otherwise by the interns.
g. Case Conference: Case conference is designed to give interns additional
opportunities to dialogue about their clinical work. Informal case conference takes place during the weekly clinical staff meeting and in Multicultural Seminar. One formal case presentation will also be required each semester, and will be presented to all clinical staff in the Clinical Meeting.
h. Special Interest Areas: There are a number of areas of competence that are commonly needed by psychologists working in university counseling centers. To deepen the training experience of the interns in a way that will help them achieve additional competence and meet their personal training goals, a "Special Interest" component has been included in the internship training program. Some of the areas previously identified for these training experiences have included drug and alcohol counseling, learning differences, eating disorders, men’s issues, supervision, mindfulness, religion/spirituality, or grief and loss. Interns may also design special programs, typically with a service component, that uniquely meet their training needs. Interns are allocated one hour per week during the fall and spring semesters to pursue these special interest training experiences. Two hours per week are allotted for a special interest area during the summer session.
i. Professional Development / Dissertation Time: During the fall and spring semesters, interns may use 2 hours per week to work on projects and activities that will enhance their professional development or facilitate progress on their dissertations. Interns may use 3 hours of professional development time over the summer semester. In the past, interns have used these hours for such activities as dissertation or other research projects, professional reading, or additional training experiences. It should be noted that in times of very high client traffic, interns may be asked to see clients during their dissertation times. Interns will have significant time to devote to dissertation and professional development over the holiday breaks and summer semester to make up for missed dissertation time during the academic semesters.
j. Clinical Staff Meeting: All clinical staff meet for two hours per week to discuss agency business, to staff current and incoming clients, and to discuss clinical issues. Case disposition of clients seen on intake will occur during this meeting. This clinical meeting is an excellent opportunity for group supervision and for exchange of ideas between all senior staff and trainees. Interns will present a formal case presentation each semester in the Clinical Meeting.
3. Administrative Time
a. Case Management/Paperwork: Interns are allotted 5.5 hours each week to write clinical notes and intake reports, make client phone calls, respond to emails, and tend to other administrative tasks. Paperwork time may be scheduled in blocks or spread out equally over the course of the week.
Intern Stipend and Benefits
Interns are currently paid $21,000 for full‑time work, from the first Wednesday of August (August 3, 2011) to the last Tuesday of the subsequent July (July 31, 2011). As a university employee, interns receive additional benefits, including health insurance, vacation time, and sick leave. Professional development time is also provided (up to 4 days per year) for attending conferences, job search interviews and/or dissertation committee meetings, contingent upon the approval of the Training Director. Interns also receive 2 hours per week of dissertation release time.
Interns are entitled to the full range of medical and insurance plans available to all exempt staff working on campus. This includes major medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance.
Interns receive a staff I.D. card which allows them to use the UNC library and check out materials for an extended length of time. Interns are also permitted to purchase a Faculty parking sticker, which allows for parking adjacent to Cassidy Hall. Free, on-street parking is available near the Center.
The Center provides interns with private, fully furnished offices with a window. Each office is equipped with a computer with word processing, electronic mail capabilities, and the Titanium scheduling package. Web cams are installed in each trainee office to allow for digital recordings of client sessions.
To apply:
Please note that we now only accept applications through the APPIC online system. Please follow directions for uploading your application via the APPIC website (http://appic.org), and then click on AAPI ONLINE. Please upload your APPI, all graduate transcripts, and 3 letters of reference (2 of which are from current or past clinical supervisors). Please do not send hard copies of your application or any supplemental materials. We look forward to receiving your application!
Application must be uploaded by November 15, 2010
Interview Notification Date: December 15, 2010
Telephone interviews (one-hour long with 2-3 senior staff members and 1 intern) will be conducted during the first two weeks of January, 2011
We welcome your inquiries and applications. Please direct your questions to Dr. Meredith Cohn Shefferman at Meredith.Shefferman@unco.edu or 970-351-2496.
We also welcome in-person visits (these are optional and do not influence our selection decisions). If you would like to arrange a visit to our center, please contact Dr. Cohn Shefferman.
Please see the following links for examples of previous seminar schedules and training activities.
Fall 2010 Professional Development Seminar Schedule
Spring 2010 Professional Development Schedule
Summer 2010 Professional Development Seminar Schedule
To learn more about the Greeley community and the UNC campus, please reference the following links.
http://www.greeleycvb.com/ - Greeley Colorado Chamber of Commerce
www.unco.edu - University of Northern Colorado Web Site
"This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant."