Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Manual
Clinical Psychology
Department:
Clinical Case
Seminar/Practicum
Supervised Field Experience
2014-2015
Compiled and written by:
Helen Marlo, Ph.D.
Adam Rodrguez, Psy.D.
Clinical Psychology and Art Therapy
Faculty, Students, and Staff
NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR UNIVERSITY
Clinical Psychology Department
1500 Ralston Avenue
Belmont, CA 94002-1908
Table of Contents
SECTION 1 Clinical Training: Information and Policies
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................
Clinical Psychology Degree Programs .....................................................................................
Terminology .............................................................................................................................
FAQ: Clinical Practicum /Seminar and Supervised Field Experience......................................
Clinical Psychology Seminar/Practicum Overview ..................................................................
NDNU Clinical Psychology Practicum/Seminar Course Descriptions .....................................
Clinical Practicum/Case Seminar and Supervised Field Experience General Guidelines .......
Personal Therapy .......................................................................................................................
1
2
2
3
10
12
15
17
SECTION 2 Information and Forms for Practicum and Supervised Field Experience
18
20
21
22
23
26
27
28
29
30
32
34
35
40
42
43
44
53
55
57
58
59
60
61
63
64
69
70
72
76
79
84
Section One:
Clinical Training-Information and
Policies:
Clinical Case
Practicum/Seminar
Supervised Field
Experience
Introduction
Welcome to the Clinical Psychology Department (CPD) and Masters of
Science in Clinical Psychology Program at NDNU. Whether you are in the
MSCP; MFT; or MFT/LPCC program, we are devoted to providing you
comprehensive clinical training that educates you in the art and science of
clinical practice. The 5 Cs of the CPD include Community, Culture,
Character, Clinical Training, and Core Values. Clinical training is, therefore,
central to our Mission and we are devoted to providing an outstanding clinical
training experience. We are eager to help you discover your own identity,
voice, and presence as a mental health professional. We strive to support you
throughout all of the phases of your clinical development.
Congratulations if you are beginning Clinical Case Seminar and Clinical Case
Practicum! You have reached a milestone in your professional development.
The following manual has been compiled to support you in the emotionally
and intellectually challenging process of Clinical Case Seminar; Clinical Case
Practicum; and Supervised Field Experience. This manual reflects the changes
instituted to the practicum/seminar experience with the new, 2014 academic
program--as of 2014, all students (MSCP; MFT; MFT/LPCC) are now
required to take two semesters of practicum/case seminar. Please check with
your practicum/seminar professor or the DCT if you are not enrolled in the
new program and have additional questions. Most students find that being in
the field and doing real clinical work, particularly when their exposure to the
profession has been through academic or classroom experiences, is a
profoundly moving, life changing, and transformative experience. We wish to
provide you with as much information as possible to support you on this path.
The Director of Clinical Training, Dr. Adam Rodrguez, oversees the clinical
training experiences, including Clinical Case Practicum/Seminar, and
Supervised Field Experience. Dr. Helen Marlo is also part of the Clinical
Training Team, and will be supporting Dr. Rodrguez in his efforts to provide
a rich training experience for you at NDNU.
Terminology
APAAmerican Psychological Association
BBS.Board of Behavioral Sciences
BOPBoard of Psychology
CPDClinical Psychology Department
DCT.Director of Clinical Training
CTT.Clinical Training Team
LPCC..Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
MFT....Marriage and Family Therapist
MSCP.Master of Science in Clinical Psychology
PCCPracticing Clinical Counselor
SFE.Supervised Field Experience
Clinical Training Team, Dr. Rodrguez guides students in securing appropriate sites,
completing all necessary paperwork, and in reviewing all practicum/supervised field
experience placements. He oversees the Practicum Fair, reviews existing sites, and
develops connections with additional training sites to support and continually expand the
Clinical Training experiences for NDNU students. In addition, the Clinical Training
Team and Dr. Rodrguez inform students about opportunities for increasing their clinical
education and experience including through panel discussions, and speakers.
I am in the previous MSCP Program and only need one semester of practicum and
seminarwhat are my options?
One option is finding a site that will provide training from Sept. through Dec. However,
finding a site that will agree to this arrangement can be challenging. If you cannot find a
site that will agree to this arrangement, you may agree to serve at the agency from Sept.
through May 15. However, you only have to register for Practicum and attend Seminar
for the Fall semester only. You may continue to serve at the agency as a trainee by
enrolling in Supervised Field Experience. You do not have to attend Seminar class during
the Spring semester. Many students do this and find it is worthwhile for them in building
professional connections and in developing their skills and knowledge.
Under the new, 2014 curriculum, students complete two semesters of practicum and
seminar.
How do I pick a Practicum site?
Reflect carefully on your interests. Try to remain open to learning, discovering, and
experiencing. Sometimes we can be very surprised by the people and clinical experiences
we enjoy.
Meeting your future supervisor can be helpful. It is important to feel you can work with
this person and appreciate their style so consider the fit between the site, the supervisor
and you. However, part of this process is developing emotionally, learning flexibility, and
cultivating emotional tolerance so be careful with quick judgments. There are no perfect
sites including the site you thought was perfect for you!
required, so that you may fulfill your practicum hour requirements and attend your
respective case seminar class.
What paperwork must I complete?
Please review this Section and Section two. Please see page 19 for a checklist of required
paperwork.
Do I need to provide medical clearance, proof of immunization, and fingerprinting to
NDNU in order to participate in Practicum/Seminar or Supervised Field Experience?
No. This is not a University requirement so the MSCP does not require this for
participation in our clinical training program including for Practicum/Seminar or
Supervised Field Experience. However, individual practicum sites may require this for
your participation at their site. Please check with your site supervisor. NDNU is not
responsible for any cost you may incur due to site requirements.
What must I do at the end of Practicum so I may receive my Intern Number from the
BBS?
Students who are applying to the BBS for an MFT intern number should follow these
instructions. This process cannot be completed until all degree requirements have been
met.
1). Contact the BBS and obtain your required forms: All the LMFT and LPCC
application packets, as well as several other important documents, publications and forms,
are accessible online, on the BBS website http://www.bbs.ca.gov/ under the
"FORMS/PUBS" tab. (http://www.bbs.ca.gov/forms.shtml)
1. LMFT materials are found under "IMF / MFT Related"
2. LPCC materials are found unter "PCCI / LPCC Related"
You are strongly encouraged to visit the BBS website, and become familiar with its
contents. The BBS website will be a necessary and valuable resource for your entire
future career as a licensed mental health professional.
Board of Behavioral Sciences
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite S-200,
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (916) 574-7830; Fax: (916) 574-8625
www.bbs.ca.gov
2). Order an OFFICIAL NDNU transcript (make certain your degree is posted!) from the
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Registrars office. You may pick up a Transcript Request Form from the Registrars
Office, or you may go online to: www.ndnu.edu (Quick Links / Registrar).
3). Prior to completing Practicum, see the Clinical Psychology Department
Administrative Assistant, in the Ralston Annex, 650-508-3557, to get a Program
Certification Form. The Administrative Assistant has Forms A & B. The Administrative
Assistant will need your full name, social security number, and the term of your
enrollment to the program (i.e. Fall 2010). Please provide a current mailing address where
your form may be sent. Once your degree has posted, your completed form will be mailed
to the mailing address provided. This envelope will include: a copy for your records and
the original in a sealed and officially stamped envelope.
4). All other BBS requirements need to be done by you (i.e. application, photograph,
fingerprints, etc.). Submit all of your application materials in one envelope. Keep copies
of everything!
For MFT:
1300 hours may be collected before the degree is awarded. The 1300 pre-graduate hours
consist of a maximum of 750 direct-client and supervision hours, 300 hours of
psychotherapy, and up to 500 hours of workshops, case advocacy, paperwork, seminars,
or conferences.
1700 hours must then be collected post-degree for MFT hours.
Within 90 days after graduation, all MFT interns must apply to the BBS to become
Registered Interns and accumulate hours.
For LPCC:
3,000 hours must be collected post-degree to count toward licensure gathered over a
period no less than 104 weeks.
At least 1,750 hours of direct counseling, and at least 150 hours in a hospital/community
mental health setting.
No more than a combined total of 1,250 hours in direct supervision and client-centered
advocacy. No more that 250 hours of testing/clinical reporting, and no more than 250
hours from workshops/trainings.
Within 90 days after graduation, all LPCC students must apply to the BBS to become
Registered Intern to accumulate hours.
Hours accumulated as an MFT intern can count towards LPCC hours as long as one is a
registered as an MFT and PCC intern.
Current MFT practicum trainee hours require 1-hour of individual supervision or 2 hours of
group supervision for every 5 hours of client contact, and 1-hour of individual supervision or 2
hours of group supervision for every 10 hours of client contact, post-graduate intern hours.
Current PCC internship hours require 1-hour of individual supervision or 2 hours of group
supervision for every 10 hours of client contact.
After graduating, you must obtain a BBS MFT number to become an MFT Intern. Similarly,
you must register as an intern through the BBS to obtain a PCC registration number.
**LPCC students cannot accumulate hours before graduation. Similarly, practicum hours will
not count toward the 3,000 hours necessary to apply for an LPCC licensure.
11
A. Under the supervision of the NDNU professor and the practicum supervisor, develop a plan of work and
training during the practicum.
B. Comply with University and agency policies of practicum placement.
C. Maintain communication with University and agency supervisors.
D. Turn in all required paperwork in a timely manner to the Ralston Annex.
E. To attend and participate in the weekly, NDNU seminar course and with site placement supervisors.
F. To abide by all ethical codes and conduct oneself professionally.
Responsibilities of the University Practicum/Seminar Instructor:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Coordinate the internship placement and serve as the liaison between the agency and the University
To mediate between the University and the agency.
To meet weekly with practicum students, for the purpose of developing clinical skills.
To provide assistance and instruction in diagnosis, intervention, and treatment in practicum.
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15
Professional Liability Insurance: This is required for all MFT/LPCC and MSCP students completing
Practicum or Supervised Field Experience. For proof of insurance, contact CPH & Associates at 1(800) 8751911 and see the attached application form. Proof of insurance is required before beginning practicum.
All practicum/trainee placements must be approved IN ADVANCE (By April 25 preceding Fall term
enrollment in Practicum/Clinical Case Seminar) or by April 25th prior to each Field Supervision term. This
approval is required in order to assure appropriate placements in approved work settings offering maximum
training and supervision.
Students must submit original signed copies of all documentation; it is your responsibility to work directly with
the DCT to ensure we have all required documentation in place. Please note that students are responsible for
submitting copies of their hours and field supervisor evaluations to the department at the end of each month;
students keep original copies and are responsible for such not the department.
Approved work settings include governmental agencies or entities, non-profit or charitable corporations,
licensed health facilities, and/ or schools, colleges, or universities. MSCP/MFT/LPCC students can develop
opportunities at sites provided the site can meet our academic requirements.
Practicum or Field Experience supervisors must hold a current, valid California license as a Marriage and
Family Therapist, Clinical Social Worker, Psychologist, or Physician certified in Psychiatry by the American
Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and have been so licensed for at least 2 years prior to commencing the
supervision. The supervisor's license must not be under suspension or probation by the licensing board. The
supervisor must be employed by the agency, and participate in the activities of the agency.
BBS supervision requirements are:
1 hr. of individual or 2 hrs. of group (maximum of 8 supervisees) per week, per 5 client hrs.
For MFT and MFT/LPCC practicum placements, a minimum of 250 hours is required for each of the 2
semesters needed for graduation. MFT and MFT/LPCC students must sequence both Practicum and Case
Seminar, beginning with the Fall semester and complete all requirements in the Spring semester. The 250
hours of clinical work per semester includes hours of face to face psychotherapy (individual, couple, and
group), supervision, and training. A minimum of 150-200 hours per semester must be clinical contact hours
per BBS requirements. Requirements for MSCP students in the 2014, 37-unit program are the same.
Additional clinical hours can be accrued by enrolling in CPY 6992. Students may not substitute hours from
Field Supervision to fulfill required Practicum hours in the spring or summer.
Students may NOT take more than TWO semesters of Practicum/Case Seminar (6 units). The practicum
may be extended by enrolling in CPY 6992 Supervised Field Experience. Note that you must complete all
Practicum supervision hours by the May 15 deadline of your Spring graduation date. Students whose site
requires supervised training beyond May 15 and who are not May graduates must enroll in CPY 6992.
Practicum placements must include individual, family, or group therapy and may include milieu or inpatient
work. Trainee must be seeing clients consistently in on-going therapy sessions.
Students are responsible for understanding trainee specifications and following the BBS regulations and
NDNU course sequencing requirements, and are responsible for finding the appropriate placement. A
form indicating placement verification must be signed & submitted to the department PRIOR to
registration for practicum (i.e. in Spring semester for Fall semester enrollment).
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PERSONAL THERAPY
Personal psychotherapy is highly recommended during practicum/case seminar.
Personal psychotherapy (100 hours maximum, to be counted threefold by BBS, thus 300 hours) can count
towards your maximum of 1300 hours while in the Clinical Psychology Master's program here at NDNU, and
the BBS state-mandated 3000 hours of clinical experience.
The mission of NDNU Counseling Services Department, directed by Karin Sponholz, Ph.D., is:
" to promote and enhance the psychological health, well being, personal growth and success of students."
"Counseling Services at NDNU continues to strive to provide quality and timely service to all NDNU students.
Counseling is available to NDNU students, at no cost, on a first-come, first-served basis. If a particular
therapist is requested, and he or she has no openings at that time, they will either suggest another counselor who
is available, or put that person's name on a waiting list until there is an available appointment time.
Additionally, for graduate students (Clinical Psychology, Art Therapy/Psychology) when there has been a larger
number of people on our wait list, we have provided psychotherapy groups, as an alternative, co-led by a
licensed staff therapist."
BBS does NOT require that your hours be signed off by the licensed therapist you see. You fill out your hours
and submit the name and license number of the therapist. There is a form available at the www.bbs.ca.gov site
that you may download. So, all you will need is the name and license number of the licensed therapist you see
(here or outside NDNU) in order for the hours to count towards BBS-required hours.
Counseling Services will do their best to accommodate any potential requests on your behalf to see a licensed
therapist, they work on an emergency, first come, first served basis. As such, they have notified us that, in the
event that you would like to (or prefer to) see a licensed therapist in their center, and one is not available, you
can be placed on a waiting list and await further contact from them.
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Section Two:
Information and forms
for practicum and
Supervised Field
Experience
18
ALWAYS
KEEP YOUR
ORIGINAL
MAKE COPIES
OF EVERYTHING
TURN IN COPIES
OF YOUR FORMS
TO THE DEPT
19
Due by April 25
Due by Aug. 1
Due by April 25
20
PRIOR TO GRADUATION
Begin Process of Registering with the BBS to get your BBS Intern Number
Complete Program Certification Form/Packet
This packet can be printed from the BBS website at http://www.bbs.ca.gov
21
22
The Trainee:
Practicum Placements will be limited to masters candidates who have completed no less than 12 semester units in the NDNU
qualifying Clinical Psychology Degree Program, as defined by section 4980.03 of the Business and Professional Code.
The Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee (student) will participate as required by the training program at the fieldwork site, and
will provide appropriate marriage, family and child psychological services to clients. As required by law, the trainee will maintain
a log of all hours of experience and will obtain a Supervisors Responsibility Statement signed by the licensed supervisor at
the commencement of supervision. The trainee should retain the original copies of her/his weekly hours logs after they are
signed by her/his supervisor. A copy of those weekly hours logs should be submitted to the MSCP/MFT/LPCC Administrative
Coordinator at the end of the first week of each month. Students are responsible for keeping originals and submitting copies
of all required documentation for fieldwork, including signed weekly logs of hours by supervisors.
The student will follow the University calendar with respect to holidays, except by prior arrangement between the supervisor and the
practicum supervisor.
clients. The fieldwork site will provide the trainee at least 150 hours of client contact during an academic year or at least 250 hours per
semester if the trainee is registered in Case Seminar/Practicum, and an average of at least one hour of individual, or two hours of
group supervision, for every five hours of client contact.
The signature of the representative of the fieldwork site verifies that the type of setting is: (Circle one)
1.
2.
3.
Licensed Health facility (as defined in section 12250, 1250.2 and 1250.3 of Health and Safety Code)
4.
Government Agency
Check one:
_____The Trainee will receive a stipend of no more than $500.00 per month.
_____The Trainee will be paid a salary.
_____The Trainee will accumulate hours of experience at this fieldwork site as a volunteer and will not receive pay.
The Supervisor, _________________________________ shall sign and abide by the Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of
the MFT License as described in Section 1833.1 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR): shall describe in writing the methods
by which supervision will be provided; shall provide regular progress reports and final semester evaluations of the students
performance at the site to the qualifying degree program; and shall abide by the ethical standards for supervisors per the American
Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, Board of Behavioral Sciences, the California Association of Marriage and Family
Therapists, and the American Psychological Association.
The licensed site supervisor will provide ethical supervision of the trainees services. The licensed site supervisor will provide to the
trainee a copy of written procedures to be used in supervision by completing the following.
Supervision
Training
Indirect Services
Supervision of the counseling or psychotherapy provided to the trainee will be provided by the following
(Check all that apply):
_______ Student Verbal Report
_______ Direct Observation
_______ Process Notes
_______ Written Case Report
_______ Other - (Indicate methods) ____________________________________
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Additional Issues:
a. Termination
The expectation of all parties is that the trainee will complete the term of this agreement.
Termination of this agreement with cause shall be in accordance with the academic policies of the qualifying degree program or the
employment or volunteer policies of the supervised fieldwork setting. Any party may terminate this agreement without cause by
giving all other parties 30 days notice of the intention to terminate. Termination of this agreement on the part of the trainee or
supervisor is separate from termination of his or her employment at the supervised fieldwork setting. Termination of the trainee
or supervisors employment or this agreement must take into account the clinical necessity of an appropriate termination or transfer
of psychotherapeutic clients. In any case, it is assumed that if there is an early termination of this agreement on the part of the
trainee, the supervised fieldwork setting or the supervisor that such a decision must include consultation with the qualifying
degree program.
b. Changes in the Agreement
This agreement may be amended at any time but any amendment must be in writing and signed by each party. This agreement
contains the entire understanding of the parties regarding their rights and duties. Any alleged oral representation or modification
concerning this agreement shall be of no force or effect unless contained in a subsequent written modification signed by all parties.
c. Indemnification
The supervised fieldwork setting assumes all risk and liability for, and indemnities, protects, holds harmless and hereby releases
the qualifying degree program and each and every one of its officers, against, faculty and employees of, from and against all
liability, losses, injuries, damages, claims, suits, fees, including attorneys fees, costs or judgments which may arise from the
students performance of services while at the supervised fieldwork setting. The assumption of risk, liability and indemnification
under this paragraph shall survive the termination of this contract.
____________________________________________
Trainee
Date
____________________________________________
Licensed Site Supervisor
Date
Date
25
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
SUPERVISORS:
NAME
_____________________
HIGHEST
DEGREE
__________________
LICENSE(S)
______________
THEORETICAL
ORIENTATION
SPECIALIZATION
______________________
_____________________
__________________
______________
______________________
_____________________
__________________
______________
______________________
Description of Agency (be specific regarding population served, treatment modality, and training intern receives)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Responsibilities and function of student trainee/interns:
individual therapy
additional trainings
case management/referrals
family therapy
case consultation
coordination of services
couple therapy
crisis intervention
patient education
group therapy
intake/admissions
other: ______________________
individual supervision
assessments
other: ______________________
group supervision
report writing
other: ______________________
staff meetings
treatment planning
Specific times interns need to be present: (i.e. staff meetings, case conferences, etc.) ________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
26
)______________ Wk(
)_______________
27
Spring
Summer I
Summer II
Student:
Field Placement:
Name:
Agency:
Address:
Address:
City:
City:
State/Zip:
State/Zip:
Cell:
Phone:
Phone(s):
Email:
Supervisor:
Supervisor:
Name:
Name:
Phone:
Phone:
Email:
Email:
28
Student Information:
NAME: __________________________________
ADDRESS (Please include complete mailing address):
____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
PHONE: ___________________________________________
EMAIL: ___________________________________________
Placement Information:
AGENCY NAME: ___________________________________
WEBSITE: _________________________________________
ADDRESS (Please include complete mailing address):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
PHONE: ___________________________________________
TYPES OF CLIENTS/PATIENTS: ______________________________
Supervisor Information:
SUPERVISOR: ____________________________________
EMAIL: __________________________________________
LICENSE TYPE: MFT ____ LCSW ____ Licensed Psychologist ____
Board Certified Psychiatrist ____
Other___________________
PHONE (if different): _______________________________
If you have a second placement, use a second form and attach it to this one.
29
30
31
CAMFT Members
Business Phone #:
Residence Phone #:
Fax #:
Email Address:
ZIP:
Yes
Primary Occupation:
Marriage & Family Therapist
LCSW
MFT Intern under supervision
Check ONE Method for Receipt of Policy Confirmation:
E-Mail
Fax
Mail - Confirmation will be sent by one method ONLY. If you check multiple options, we will send using the first method
checked.
Yes
No
2.
Have you ever been refused coverage for professional liability or malpractice insurance or has your malpractice or
professional liability insurance ever been canceled or declined for renewal (non-renewed)?
Yes
No
3.
Has any claim or suit ever been brought against you for alleged malpractice or professional liability, or are you aware of
any incident or existing circumstances that might reasonably lead to a claim or suit?
4.
Yes
No
Yes
No
5.
Have you ever had your license, certification or registration suspended, revoked, or placed on probation by a licensing
board, board of examiners, or any other governmental entity that regulates your profession? Have you ever received a
citation or paid a fine as a result of a board proceeding? Have you ever surrendered, either voluntarily or otherwise, your
license, certification, or registration?
Yes
No
6.
Have you ever been accused of sexual misconduct or any professional impropriety?
7.
Have any complaints ever been filed against you with a peer review committee or an ethics committee of a professional
association, hospital, health care facility, or any other governmental or private entity?
Yes
No
Yes
No
8.
Do you know of any reason why you cannot comply with the legal, ethical, or professional standards set by law, by
regulation, by a peer review committee or by an applicable code of ethics in any jurisdiction where you provide services?
Yes
No
If the answer to any of the above questions #2-8 is yes, then please provide a detailed explanation on a separate sheet.
32
2. To be eligible for the Newly Licensed Discount, you must have been licensed or state-certified for the first time within the last 24 months.
NOTE: You do not qualify for this discount if you hold a similar license in another state.
1st year discount (within 12 months) 50% off premium. To calculate, multiply premium from chart by .50 and subtract the result from
subtotal.
2nd year discount (within 24 months) 25% off premium. To calculate, multiply premium from chart by .25 and subtract the result
from subtotal.
Option 1
Option 2
$1 Million Occurrence
$3 Million Aggregate
Supplemental
0%
All Others
$2 Million Occurrence
$4 Million Aggregate
Supplemental
$115
$117
$135
$180
$184
$211
$320
$326
$374
$90
$97
$111
Optional Coverage:
Option 3
$1 Million Occurrence
$5 Million Aggregate
Supplemental
+$10.00
TOTAL:
Signature:
Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company is rated A+ by A.M. Best and Co. and is a leader in providing quality professional liability coverage to
the mental health fields.
33
34
Year: ________
Agency:________________________
Not Applicable
Excellent
Above
Expectations
Meets
Expectations
Below
Expectations
Unacceptable
A. WORK HABITS
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Comments:
Comments:
35
1 of 5
Year: ________
Agency:________________________
Meets
Expectations
Above
Expectations
Excellent
Not Applicable
Below
Expectations
2
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
b. _________________________________________________
NA
c.__________________________________________________
NA
d.__________________________________________________
NA
e.__________________________________________________
NA
NA
NA
NA
4. Sets flexible and appropriate long & short-term goals with the client... 1
NA
NA
Unacceptable
C. ASSESSMENT SKILLS
List each test used by the agency to assess the population served
Rate the students performance in administering/interpreting these tests.
a. _________________________________________________
Comments:
D. INTERVENTION SKILLS
36
Agency:________________________
Excellent
Not Applicable
Above
Expectations
Meets
Expectations
Below
Expectations
Unacceptable
NA
NA
NA
NA
3) Adults..... 1
NA
4) Elderly.......
NA
NA
NA
3) Adults..... 1
NA
4) Elderly 1
NA
NA
2)
Crisis Intervention.... 1
NA
3)
Intake.... 1
NA
5)
Consultation.. 1
NA
6)
Community Intervention.. 1
NA
D. INTERVENTION SKILLS
8. Evaluate the general intervention skills of the student in working with the
following client populations and/or treatment modalities.
Individual Therapy with:
1) Children......
2) Adolescents.....
Family Therapy:
1) Couples Therapy...
Comments:
37
Agency:________________________
Excellent
Not Applicable
Above
Expectations
Meets
Expectations
Below
Expectations
Unacceptable
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
E. USE OF SUPERVISION
Comments:
F. PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
Comments:
38
Year: ________
Agency:________________________
G. ATTENDANCE
Since our students receive credit units for field placement, we need your verification that this student has met
his/her obligation to work in your agency the required hours agreed upon in the Field Placement
Contract. Please check the appropriate box below.
The student has worked his/her contracted hours. (Minimum: 250 hours)
The student has missed certain hours but has made them up satisfactorily in the following manner:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
The student has worked more than 250 hours in the following manner:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
The student has not worked his/her contracted 250 hours.
The student has worked 250 hours from term beginning and extended through.
H.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
You are encouraged to add any comments you have regarding this students performance. Please attach
additional pages if necessary. You may comment in more detail on one or more areas of the evaluation
above and/or suggest academic or practicum experiences you judge necessary for this student at this time.
Please be as explicit as possible.
Signature: ________________________________
License # _________________________________
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40
7) This site is recommended for student interns who are interested in:
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42
Section Three:
BBS Information
MFT/LPCC
Licensure
43
submits an application for intern registration within 90 days of being granted a degree (regardless of how long it
takes to process the application), the hours of experience gained post-degree will count as long as lawfully
employed and not employed in a private practice.
Intern/Post Degree Experience
Applicants who are post-degree who did not apply for intern registration within 90 days of their degrees being
granted will not be able to accrue any hours post degree until the intern registration numbers are actually
granted. One should anticipate that application processing could take 60 days or in some cases even longer if
there are unanswered questions, fingerprinting difficulties, or other problems.
First-Time Examination Candidates
The Exam Eligibility application is where you submit all hours of experience for the Boards review to qualify
for the license. Currently, MFT exam applicants should allow a minimum of five months for processing.
Written Examinations
Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Educational Psychologists, and Licensed Marriage and
Family Therapists take written examinations that are administered continuously. When you are notified by the
BBS of eligibility to take the written examination, you will need to schedule yourself with the entity with which
the Department of Consumer Affairs has contracted to administer the examinations.
Re-Examinees
Candidates who do not pass either the regular written exam or the clinical vignette written exam will need to
sign-up to be re-examined. Candidates being re-examined will be required to pay an additional examination fee
in a timely manner. Re-examinations are required to be at least 180 days following the candidates most recent
examination date. Re-examinees must wait until the next examination cycle to retake a failed examination in
order to take a new form of the examination. This waiting period also provides ample time to study and
further prepare for retaking the examination.
Clinical Vignette Examination First Time Candidates
Candidates are considered eligible for the clinical vignette examination after passing the written examination.
Like the regular written examination, candidates schedule themselves to take the exams.
Taking Exams When Offered is Important
CautionGenerally speaking, a person who does not take an examination or re-examination within one year of
eligibility of examination will have his/her application abandoned, which will require reapplication.
If you must re-apply, you may possibly lose hours of experience that may be too old to be countable at the time
of re-application.
RecommendationTake exams whenever they are available to you even if you do not feel 100 percent
prepared. There is no limit to the number of times one can take an exam.
Information for Trainees, Interns, and Applicants
A trainee is a person who is in his/her graduate degree program to qualify for the license and has completed
12 semester or 18 quarter units of study.
An intern is a person who has been granted his/her degree to qualify for the license, has applied for and been
granted his/her intern registration number from the BBS.
A post degree applicant is either a person who has been granted his/her degree and applies for intern
registration within 90 days of being granted that degree or has applied for the license and/or is in the process of
being examined to qualify for the license.
Guidelines on Hours of Experience
Following are requirements for collecting hours of experience for licensure as an MFT in the State of
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California. These requirements are paraphrased from the licensing law and regulations governing the marriage
and family therapist profession. These requirements include changes effective January 1, 2010.
A minimum of 3,000 hours of experience is required. Such experience may be gained in no less than 104 weeks,
which spans the period from being a trainee through being a registered intern.
Trainee Experience
Not more than 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact may be obtained prior to the granting of
the qualifying degree. [This limitation on hours does not include professional enrichment activities such as
workshops and personal psychotherapy received.] Trainees are unlicensed persons enrolled in qualifying
master or doctoral degree programs who have completed no less than 12 semester units or 18-quarter units of
coursework.
As a trainee, one can gain a maximum of 750 hours of counseling and direct supervisor contact, a maximum of
300 hours of psychotherapy [100 actual hours x 3 = 300] and a maximum of 250 hours of workshops, training
sessions, seminars or conferences, as well as a maximum of 250 hours in administering and evaluating
psychological tests of counselees; writing clinical notes; writing progress notes or process notes for a total 1,300
hours. A minimum of 1,700 hours must be gained subsequent to the granting of the master or doctoral degree.
Trainees are not required to have completed 12 semester or 18-quarter units of study to receive personal
psychotherapy for countable hours. These are the only hours that do not require supervision. Keep in mind,
however, that such experience will only count if the psychotherapist is a licensed professional, but such licensee
needs only a current and valid license and does not need to be two years licensed. The psychotherapist provides
verification for these hours that do not require supervision. There is no BBS-specific form to record these hours.
Maximum Hours Per Week For Interns and Trainees
No more than forty (40) hours of experience may be credited for any seven consecutive days. These 40 hours
are inclusive of all categories of experience (e.g., supervision, workshops, client contact hours, etc.).
Minimum Hours for Couples, Families, and Children
Not less than five hundred (500) total hours of experience shall have been gained in diagnosing and treating
couples, families, and children. These hours may be in any combination, e.g., all children or a mix of couples,
families, and children. The first 150 hours of treating couples and families are double-counted.
Psychological Testing, Process/Progress Notes
Not more than two hundred fifty (250) hours of experience will be credited for administering and evaluating
psychological tests of counselees, writing clinical reports, writing progress notes, or writing process notes.
These hours are optional.
Group Counseling or Therapy
No more than five hundred (500) hours of experience will be credited for providing group therapy or group
counseling. Group counseling hours are optional. When counseling groups of children, you may record the
hours under children.
Telemedicine
Not more than three hundred seventy-five (375) hours of experience may be counted toward providing
psychotherapy, crisis, or other counseling services via telemedicine (Telephone and/or Internet therapy).
These hours are optional.
Hours of SupervisionIndividual and Group
During each week in which experience is claimed and for each work setting in which experience is gained, an
applicant shall have at least one (1) hour of direct supervisor contact or two (2) hours of direct supervisor
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contact in a group of not more than eight (8) persons receiving supervision. The intern/trainee shall have at least
two hours of group supervision in every week in which group supervision is claimed.
Group supervision is optional. Group supervision may be acceptable when gaining, for example, an hour on
Monday and an hour on Wednesday, as long as the hours are both in the same seven-day period making up the
week. Supervision hours are actual sixty-minute hours, not 45 to 50 minute therapy hours.
Each hour of group supervision counts as an hour of experience. If less than two hours of group supervision are
provided within the week, the supervision hours will not count and ones hours of experience may be
jeopardized.
The intern/trainee shall receive at least one (1) hour of direct supervisor contact per week for a minimum of
fifty-two (52) weeks. These weeks need not be consecutive. Individual supervision means one supervisor and
one person being supervised.
Note: In other words, there must be 52 separate weeks within which at least one hour of individual, face-to-face
supervision has been provided.
Direct supervisor contact means face-to-face supervision, which also includes contact via two-way, real-time
video conferencing for interns who work in a non-profit, governmental, or educational institution.
Maximum Countable Supervision per Week
Not more than five (5) hours of supervision, whether individual or group, shall be credited during any single
week. Keep in mind, however, that it may be necessary to gain and record more than five hours of supervision
in a week to be able to credit all hours of experience gained.
Ratios for Interns, Trainees, and Applicants
Trainees shall receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every five hours of client
contact in each setting. While there must be supervision within each week, these ratios need not be accounted
for within each week, they are calculated based upon the average gained over the entire period of time one
works in a given work setting. Interns shall receive at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for the first ten
hours of client contact in each setting and one additional hour for any hours over ten in a work setting.
When the hours have been approved by the BBS (following the application to take the regular written
examination), it is no longer necessary to meet the ratios of experience to supervision. However, at least one
hour of individual supervision or two hours of group supervision continues to be required for each work setting
until licensed.
Supervision/Professional Enrichment Activities
Not more than a total of 1,250 hours of experience for related professional enrichment activities would be
counted. Such activities include:
Not more than 250 hours of workshops, training sessions, seminars, and conferences while under
supervision and as approved by supervisor. Two hundred fifty hours is the maximum while as an intern,
a trainee, or both. These hours are optional.
Not more than 250 hours of experience in administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing
clinical reports, or writing process or progress notes. These hours are optional.
Actual hours of supervision.
Actual hours of client centered advocacy. These hours are optional.
Not more than 300 hours (when 100 hours are triple-counted) of personal psychotherapy received from a
California licensed mental health professional. These hours do not require supervision. One may not get
psychotherapy from ones supervisor. Psychotherapy hours include group, marital or conjoint, family, or
individual psychotherapy received. The two-year license requirement applicable to supervisors is not
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applicable to this experience. These hours are optional. There is no BBS form for these hours.
Applicants will log these hours on the Exam Eligibility application. Have the mental health professional
provide a letter or statement verifying hours.
Example: 175 hours of workshops, 650 hours of supervision, 125 hours of client centered advocacy, and
300 hours of personal psychotherapy equals 1,250 hours, which is the maximum of all the above combined.
These hours could be in a multitude of configurations up to 1,250 hours.
Practicum Hours of Experience
Hours of experience gained during the practicum, as required within the educational program, may be counted
as hours of experience (i.e., hours of experience gained doing therapy, as opposed to classroom instruction).
Further, up to 500 clinical hours of practicum experience is exempt from the six-year-rule (see page 61). Even
though all practicum hours may be countable as hours of experience, only 500 hours may be older than six
years. Hours gained during practicum, like all other hours of experience, must be accounted for on the BBS
Weekly Summery of Hours Forms.
The new practicum requirement will increase the practicum experience from a minimum of 150 hours to 225
hours of experience, of which 75 hours may be in client-centered advocacy.
Weekly Summary of Hours
Each trainee and intern shall maintain a weekly summary of all hours of experience gained toward licensure.
The weekly summary shall be signed by the supervisor on a weekly basis. An applicant shall retain all such logs
until such time as the applicant is licensed by the Board. The Board shall have the right to require an applicant
to submit all or such portions of the weekly summary as it deems necessary to verify hours of experience.
(These logs are generally not submitted to the Board with the application for licensure.) Interns and trainees
should begin new forms on January 1, 2010.
Note: Make sure your supervisor signs the logs each week. These documents provide verification that you
actually gained experience during the periods indicated. Additionally, we would recommend that you retain
these documents indefinitely. You never know when you might need them.
Experience Verification
Each Trainee and Intern shall submit to the BBS a completed and signed Experience Verification form with
his/her exam eligibility application. The supervisor must complete and sign the form. Any changes should be
initialed by the supervisor and the Board may verify such changes. A separate form should be used for each
supervisor verifying hours of supervised experience and for each employment setting. A separate form should
be used for pre-degree and post degree hours.
Six Year Rule
All 3,000 hours of experience, with the exception of the practicum hours described above, must have been
gained in the six years immediately preceding the date the application for examination is filed. Thus, the
maximum amount of time for which hours may be credited, with the exception of up to 500 qualifying
practicum hours, is six years (This is affectionately known as the six-year rule.). This six year rule,
provides that all experience shall be gained within the six years immediately preceding the date the application
for licensure was filed, except that up to 500 hours of clinical experience gained in the supervised practicum
shall be exempt from this six-year requirement. Another way to view the six-year rule is if you want to count
the first hour you have gained and that hour is not an hour gained in practicum, you would have to apply for
licensure/examination within six years of that first hour. For example, if you applied for licensure on January 1,
2020, all hours except for the 500 protected practicum hours would need to be completed between January 1,
2014 and December 31, 2019.
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Supervision Reminders
Current Valid License
Make sure your supervisor holds a current, valid license, which is not under suspension or probation by a
licensing board. Sometimes licensees neglect to notify the BBS, or other licensing board, of a move
consequently, they may neglect to renew their licenses in a timely manner. Also, be certain that the supervisor
has been California licensed for two years prior to commencing supervision. The following licensed
professionals may be supervisors: physicians certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and
Neurology, psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists. Verify on the licensing
boards website that the supervisors license is current, valid, and not under suspension or probation. Be sure to
check again at the time of the supervisors next renewal to make sure that the license is subsequently renewed.
A supervisors failure to renew his or her license will result in a loss of hours to the supervisee.
Note: The only exception to the two-year license requirement is supervisors who provide supervision only to
trainees at an academic institution that offers a qualifying degree program, where the supervisor has been
licensed in California and in any other state, for a total of at least two years prior to commencing any
supervision.
appropriately executed letter of agreement exists. This letter of agreement (the original) must be filed by the
applicant with his/her application to take the examinations for licensure. A Sample
Letter of Agreement for Offsite Supervision can be found at the end of this article (page 61). This letter of
agreement should be typed onto the letterhead of the employer as it is the employer who is permitting the
offsite supervision, or permitting the supervisee to get supervision not provided by the employer.
Who May Not Supervise
Interns and trainees are not to gain any experience under the supervision of a spouse, relative, or domestic
partner. Any experience obtained under the supervision of a supervisor with whom the applicant has had or
currently has a personal or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervisor
shall not be credited toward the required hours of supervised experience. Additionally, interns and trainees
cannot receive supervision from anyone who has ever been their therapist.
Individual Supervision
Individual supervision means one supervisor and one person being supervised. As regulation specifies,
supervision is to be one-on-one, individual, and face-to-face. One hour of individual supervision means sixty
minutes of supervision.
Group Supervision
Group supervision means a group of not more than eight persons are being supervised by one supervisor.
Again, the supervision, according to regulation, is to be face-to-face. Two supervisors for a group of sixteen
supervisees would not be acceptable. Two hours of group supervision means one hundred twenty minutes of
supervision. Each hour of supervision may occur on different days as long as it occurs within the same week in
which the hours are being claimed.
Exception to Face-to-Face Supervision
An exception to face-to-face supervision exists for interns working in a government entity, a school, college, or
university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable, and such intern may gain supervision by twoway, real-time videoconferencing.
Other Supervision Guidance
Supervisees may have some weeks where they receive solely individual supervision and some weeks where
they receive solely group supervision.
Separate supervision is required for each work setting in which one is gaining hours of experience. For
example, intern in setting one gains three hours of experience and is therefore required to have one hour of
individual or two hours of group supervision in that setting, and in setting two sees five clients and is also
required to have one hour of individual or two hours of group supervision for this setting.
For hours of experience to count within a given week, supervision must occur within the same week that the
hours are gained. However, for trainees the ratios are not necessarily required to be achieved within the same
week the hours of experience are gained.
A supervisor may supervise an unlimited number of interns and trainees in any appropriate work setting other
than private practice, but is limited to supervising two MFT interns when those interns are employed in private
practice. Supervisors are limited to supervising groups of no more than eight persons under supervision.
A supervisor shall give at least one weeks written notice to an intern or trainee of the supervisors intent not to
sign for any further hours of experience for such person. A supervisor who has not provided such notice would
be obligated to sign for hours of experience obtained in good faith where such supervisor actually provided the
required supervision and the supervisee actually gained experience.
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The supervisor is required to have practiced psychotherapy or provided direct supervision for at least two years
within the five-year period immediately preceding any supervision.
The supervisor is required to address with the intern or trainee the manner in which emergencies will be
handled. The supervisor is required to obtain from the supervisee, the name, address, and telephone number of
the prior supervisor and employer. The intent is that the supervisor will address with the prior supervisor and
employer issues and concerns that will benefit the supervision of the intern or trainee. The supervisor is required
to verify that the site is appropriate for gaining hours of experience.
Miscellaneous Reminders
Employment/Volunteer/Independent Contractor
Interns, trainees, and applicants may only perform services as employees (IRS Form W-2) or as volunteers, and
not as independent contractors (IRS Form 1099). Interns, trainees, and applicants who have been hired and paid
on an independent contractor basis will have their hours denied. The BBS views independent contractor status
as self-employment, which is the reason such hours are denied. One may only be self-employed following
licensure. If employed, an applicant for the license shall provide the Board with copies of the corresponding W2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed when applying for the license. If volunteering, an applicant
shall provide the BBS with a letter from his or her employers verifying the interns employment as a volunteer
when applying for the license.
Trainees, interns, and applicants who provide volunteered services or other services, and receive no more than a
total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred
for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than private practice, shall be considered employees and
not independent contractors. The Board may audit applicants who receive reimbursement for expenses, and
applicants have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses
actually incurred.
Disclosure
Interns, trainees, and applicants are required to inform clients, prior to performing professional services that
they are unlicensed and working under the supervision of licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed
clinical social workers, licensed psychologists, or licensed physicians certified in psychiatry by the American
Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Remuneration from Patients/Clients
Interns, trainees, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be
paid by their employers.
Where Services May Be Provided
Trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employers regularly
conduct business, which may include performing services at other locations, so long as the services are
performed under the direction and control of their employers and supervisors and in compliance with the laws
and regulations pertaining to supervision. For example, an intern working in private practice may see a patient
in the hospital. Or, a trainee may see a patient who is homebound, on behalf of the agency that employs
him/her, in the home of the patient.
Private Practice
Interns must be registered at the time employment in a private practice begins. Interns must be in their initial
six-year intern registration period while gaining any hours of experience in private practice.
Supervision in Private Practice by Someone Other Than Employer
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The supervising licensee in a private practice shall either be employed by and practice at the same site as the
interns employer, or shall be an owner or shareholder in the private practice.
Mary Riemersma, CAE, is CAMFTs former Executive Director of 26 years. She is consulting with the new
Executive Director through a period of transition.
From masters Degree to Licensure
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Section Four:
Preparing for
Practicum
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Preface
The information contained within is meant to act as a guide and reference. Of course, each individual
application is going to look different. Use the information and examples provided to help you explore possible
ways of drafting your own application; however, do not rely too heavily on any specific example. Your
application is an opportunity to allow your unique voice to come through, in a professional manner. Replicating
an example in too strict a fashion removes that voice.
The examples are not supposed to represent exactly what your letters or CV should look like. Rather, they are
wide and comprehensive to attempt to cover the diverse areas that various students' experiences are going to
cover. Your application, of course, will look different, but you may find an example of an area that you have
experience in contained in the examples.
Know the agency that you're applying to. Utilize the information in the Practicum Directory, as well as content
that may be available from the agency's webpage. While the basic format and structure of your cover letter can
remain the same for applications to multiple agencies, it is essential that the letter's content directly address the
agency that you are applying to. Understand the agency's objectives and goals, the vicissitudes of their training
program, and what responsibilities you would be asked to take on.
As the years progress, you'll continue to refine and revise your cover letters and CV. These are documents that
you will utilize for many years to come.
Finally, proofread your documents multiple times. I highly recommend reading the content aloud, as it provides
an opportunity to hear errors that you might otherwise have missed. Then, have someone that you trust look
over your letters and CV. Consider how the material would appear to a Training Director that is sifting through
dozens of applications. Make your materials stand out, but through content, not necessarily format. Remember
that professionalism is incredibly important, as this work represents your professional identity.
Warm regards,
Your Clinical Training Team
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MakePracticumCount
Practicumisaboutgrowingasatherapistandpreppingforinternship.Hereshowtomaximizethe
experience.
ByJamieChamberlin
gradPSYCHStaff
Ifgraduateschoolwasaplay,courseworkandtherapyroleplayingwouldbethedressrehearsal,andpracticumwould
beopeningnight,saidUniversityofGeorgiapsychologistLindaCampbell,PhD,atanAPAGSsponsored2006APAAnnual
Conventionsessionongettingthemostoutofpracticum.
"I tell my students exactly that, right off the bat, so that they put in perspective that practicum isn't...practicing
anymore....It'stherealthing,"Campbellnoted."Studentsarehelpingpeoplechangetheirlivesforever.It'sahumbling
experience,anhonorandaresponsibility."
Steppingoutontothatprofessionalstageisalsoakeytimeforstudentstofleshouttheirprofessionalgoals,develop
their fundamental counseling skills and sort out what techniques and theoretical orientations work best for them,
Campbell and her fellow panelists noted. They offered these tips on getting the practicum experiences you want and
preppingforinternship:
Researchpossibleexperiences.Whenseekingpracticumsites,asklotsofquestionsaboutthetypeoftrainingand
supervisionyou'llget."Beaconsumerofyourowntraining,"advisedCampbell.Knowhowsitesdiffer:Yourpsychology
department'sclinicexiststotrainyou,whileanexternalsite'spurposeistoservethecommunityandofferatraining
experiencealongtheway,saidCampbell.So,ifyou'reshoppingforanexperienceatanexternalsite,youmayneedto
beparticularlyproactiveaboutnegotiatingtrainingthatsuitsyourprofessionalgoals.
Anticipatechange.Whatasitewasofferinglastyearwhenapeertrainedtheremayhavechangedduetoalossof
fundingorasupervisor'sdeparture.Thesearechangesthatcouldaffectthequalityoftheexperience,sobesureto
explorewhatthatsiteisofferingnow,saidCampbell.
Don'tspecializetooquickly.Think"broadandgeneral"asyouamassyourpracticumexperiences,asexploringdiverse
settingswillprepareyouforavarietyofinternshipsiteoptions,saidBarrySchreier,PhD,directorofthecounseling
centeratPurdueUniversity.
"IfyoudofivepracticumsinaVAandthenstartlookingforuniversitycounselingcenterinternships,that'sgoing
to be a little difficult," added Schreier, who is also president of the Association of Counseling Center Training
Agencies.
Shareyourmistakes.Insupervision,somestudentstendtohidepracticumblundersfromtheirsupervisorforfearof
seemingincompetent,saidMichaelMadson,PhD,afacultymemberattheUniversityofSouthernMississippicounseling
psychologyprogram."But,fromasupervisor'sperspective,wecan'thelpyougrowanddevelopifwedon'tknowwhat
thingsyouhadtroublewithandwhatyouhadsuccesswith,"hesaid.Likewise,sharewithyoursupervisorhowyoulearn
bestandhowyouwanttogetfeedback.
Prepareforyoursupervisionmeetings.Tomaximizethetimeyouhavewithyoursupervisoroftenjustonehourper
weekhaveyourquestions,concernsandcommentsaboutyourcasesready.Don'trelyonthemtosteerthemeeting.
"Ivaluewhenmystudentscomeinandsay,'Here'swhat'sgoingonwiththiscaseandhere'swhatIamnotsure
about,'"explainedMadson.Butpresentcaseinformationsuccinctly."Idon'twanta'hesaid,shesaid'accountof
everythingthathappenedintheroom,"Madsonsaid.
Don'tsweatthehours.Worrymoreaboutgettingqualitysupervisionandlearningfromyourexperiencesthanthe
numberofpracticumhoursyouaregetting,stressedSchreier."What'ssomuchmoreimportantisthatyoudevelop
competencies,"hesaid.
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Knowyour"readiness"forinternship.Studentswholearntheirstrengthsandweaknessesanddeterminewhatthey
wanttopursueafterpracticummakegreatinternshipcandidates,saidSchreier.Trainingdirectorswantinternship
candidateswho,amongotherthings,havedevelopedprofessionalgoalsduringpracticum,canarticulatewhattheyneed
toworkonandknowwhattypeoflearnerandsuperviseetheyare.
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Eager Student
4500 Pleasant Place
Redwood City, CA 90000
January 1, 2000
Jane Doe, Ph.D.
Training Coordinator
XYZ Psychological Services
12 Main Street
Elsewhere, California 90000-0000
Dear Dr. Doe:
I am eager to apply to the XYZ Psychological Services Practicum Program. My career focus is community mental health. I am a
clinical psychology masters student at the Psych School. Your multi-disciplinary training provides the diversity and
developmental training, short-term therapy emphasis, and crisis experience that I seek.
I am attracted to the practicum program's goal to address multicultural and developmental issues in relation to client presenting
problems. I hope to work with individuals of varied ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, and socio-economic
background. My volunteer experience with a diverse population serves as a foundation for continued learning and professional
growth.
The practicum's emphasis on short-term therapy, combined with a few longer-term cases, meets my training goals. I seek
intensive brief therapy experience and would benefit from learning about fees and issues specific to long-term psychotherapy. I
am interested in receiving individual and group supervision from multiple sources, including primary and secondary
supervisors. Your program's on-call crisis work, which includes telephone call screening, interviews, drop-in client assessment,
consultation, and assistance with hospitalization, would enhance my skills. My training interests include differentiation of
developmental issues from more serious conditions through multi-disciplinary collaboration, consultation, and referral, as
needed.
The XYZ Psychological Services program matches my professional developmental needs and career goals. I am enthused about
serving a diverse population through brief therapy and crisis intervention. I hope to enhance my skills through multidisciplinary collaboration and consultation. Enclosed is my curriculum vita, three letters of recommendation, and unofficial
transcripts. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Eager Student
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Me You
4500 Pleasant Place
Redwood City, CA 90000
January 1, 2000
Jim Doe, Ph.D.
ABC Clinic
12 Sesame Street
San Francisco, CA 94555
Dear Dr. Doe:
I am writing to express my interest in the practicum position available at ABC Clinic for the next academic year. I am a third
year student at the Psych School and I believe ABC Clinic would provide me with valuable experience working with children
and families, including those in the foster care and adoption systems. I am interested in as broad a caseload as possible and the
opportunity to expand my work in family systems, infant-parent therapy, and multi-culturally sensitive assessment. I am
especially interested in the use of "reflecting teams" to help families recognize strengths and challenges. I am highly motivated
to be part of a program that seeks to meet the needs of children and families who cannot afford services elsewhere. I would
welcome the opportunity to build upon my growing skills and continue my service to a diverse population of clients. My
ultimate goal is to become a child and family psychotherapy in a community based agency.
My previous work experience includes working with families and children in several different capacities. As a former nanny, I
have had the opportunity to witness cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development first hand, while becoming intimately
familiar with some of the challenges that modern families face. My work involved maintaining open communication with
parents regarding their children's strengths and challenges, as well as helping children develop emotional intelligence and
behavioral control. I have also become more acquainted with the structure of school systems and the many different aspects of a
child's education. While these experiences have not been directly clinical, they have provided me with invaluable opportunities
to learn more about family dynamics and functioning. I am eager to receiving training and supervision in an area that will help
me enhance these skills, while developing new ones. Finally, I have recently completed my Master's Thesis, which examines
peer relationships among single-children families, entitled "Kids: Who needs 'em?"
Enclosed please find my curriculum vitae, with two letters of recommendation to arrive under separate cover. It would be my
pleasure to interview with you and your colleagues. I can be reached via phone at (650) 867-5309 or by email at
me.you@email.com.
Thank you for your considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Me You
3rd Year Students, Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology
Psych School
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Eager Student
4500 Pleasant Place
Redwood City, CA 90000
January 1, 2000
Sigmund Freud, M.D.
Director of Psychology
The Mental Health Center
19 Berggasse Dr.
Idville, CA 11111
Dear Dr. Freud,
I am eager to apply for the psychology practicum training program at the Mental Health Center. I am particularly
interested in the opportunity you provide to deepen my knowledge of assessment and treatment of severely ill adult patients.
Enclosed, please find my curriculum vitae and the requested writing sample.
A specific interest in severe psychopathology guided my choice to seek clinical contact with patients diagnosed with a
broad range of conditions. As a result, I have volunteer experience working in a county mental hospital with adult inpatients.
Patients at the hospital presented with a broad range of issues including the severe psychopathology of psychotic spectrum
illnesses, major affective illness, trauma reaction, and character pathology, as well as sexuality and gender concerns, adjustment
disorders, and neurological illness. My desire to work with individuals and groups in an integrated community mental health
system has been strengthened by this experience.
I feel that MHC's faculty and training program is designed to acquaint me with the roles and responsibilities held by
psychotherapists working within this type of community mental health care system. Because I hope to form a career in which I
will be treating and developing therapy protocols for severely ill individuals, my focus for training involves the type of training
experiences your program offers. It would allow me to work directly with severely ill patients, while providing a richly diverse
training experience in the context of an urban community mental health care system. I am interested in having the important
experience of focusing on empirically validated cognitive behavioral treatments for severe psychopathology, and for this reason,
am very interested in exploring DBT in the outpatient rotation. In addition, continuing to provide therapy to individuals,
families, and couples in an outpatient treatment setting would provide the breadth of experience so necessary to therapists in
today's challenging mental health environment.
I am seeking breadth and depth of clinical experience and the professional development offered by your program. You
will find that I am an enthusiastic learner, welcome the opportunity to build and develop my identity as a clinician, and increase
my understanding of theoretical and methodological issues. Your practicum training program will complement my interest and
experience and, I am certain, provide me with many challenges and valuable skills.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Eager Student
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Eager Student
4500 Pleasant Place
Redwood City, CA 90000
1 January 2000
Melanie Klein, LMFT
Clinic Director
Youth Services Center
1313 Mockingbird Lane
Redwood City, CA 90000
Dear Melanie Klein,
I am writing to express my interest in the practicum at the Youth Services Center. I am a third year student in the Masters of
Science in Clinical Psychology program at Psych School. I am highly motivated to be a part of a multiethnic counseling service
agency for school aged clients and their families throughout San Mateo County. I am attracted to the Youth Services Centers
commitment to strong training in community based and school linked counseling modalities; application of evidence based
treatments; individual, group, and family counseling as well as crisis intervention; and working collaboratively with other
agencies and providers. Additionally, it is also very important to me that multicultural training is at the heart of my ongoing
education.
I have particular interests in working with a community-based program that serves individuals from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. As a multi-lingual individual, I hope to be able to provide psychotherapy services to a SpanishSpeaking population. I was particularly excited to hear that your program also offers supervision in Spanish, as I feel that
translation can sometimes provide particular limitations. In my previous experience I worked as a project manager for X
Corporation, which developed skills in collaboration, management, teaching and presentation, and taught me how important it is
to establish and maintain constructive, supportive, and enjoyable working relationships. I also worked part-time as a
professional musician. This position helped reinforce creative aspects of my personality while also providing valuable insight
into group dynamics. I am eager to begin my clinical training at an agency that will allow me to utilize these skills in my
development as a clinician.
I strongly believe these wide-ranging professional and personal experiences will make me a valuable addition to the Youth
Services Center. Enclosed please find my curriculum vitae and one letter of recommendation. Two additional letters of
recommendation are coming under separate cover. It would be my pleasure to interview with you and your colleagues. I can be
reached by telephone at (650) 867-5309 or by the address listed below.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Eager Student
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Helpful Hints:
In the academic market, a curriculum vitae or CV is very important and, after your cover letter, is you first introduction to the
search committee. The CV is a summary of your educational background and research and professional experiences. Your CV
is a tool to help you move from an application to an interview.
Make your CV visually appealing. Look at how others have done their CV. Ask your professors and colleagues for
examples.
Start you CV with general contact information that includes your name, address, telephone, fax, email, and url (if you
have a website about yourself as a professional).
Include these sections in you CV: Contact information; Education; and Experience. Include these sections depending
on your strengths and interests: Honors and Awards (from post-secondary school); Teaching and Research Interests;
Publications: Professional Activities (committee memberships, intern experiences, relevant volunteer work); Skills
(second language and/or computer proficiencies); and References (you may include these or indicate they are available
upon request).
Check your CV carefully for spelling and typographical errors.
Use formatting such as bullets, italics, or bold font only sparingly.
[Editor's Note]: View many, many examples. Perform an internet search for "Clinical Psychology Curriculum Vita"
and other related terms. Use ideas from examples that you like, and discard things that do not feel appropriate. The
more CVs that you see, the better idea you'll have of what works and what doesn't.
Dont try and do it all by yourself the first time. Seek help from others such as faculty advisors, career specialists, or
colleagues.
Dont worry too much about length there are no rules on length. The CV should be professional and should include
your important data.
Dont include the following information. These things are not necessary: Age; Ethnic identity; Political affiliation;
Religious preference; Hobbies; Marital status; Sexual orientation; Place of birth; Photographs; Height; Weight; and
Health.
Dont pad your CV by listing excessively detailed information about research, or teaching. Instead, provide the titles of
research projects and course names along with brief summaries of your work.
69
Whattypeofcurriculumvitae(CV)ismostlikelytoimpresspotentialemployers?Onethatissimple,straightforward,
organizedandtailoredtofitajobad,expertssay.
"Right now it's a very competitive job market, and a CV is your ticket to an interview," says Tara Kuther, PhD, an
associateprofessorofpsychologyatWesternConnecticutStateUniversitywhohasgivenseminarsonwritingCVs."Avitae
thatisformattednicely,attractive,looksprofessionalandpresentsyourstrengthsreallystandsouttoemployers."
Assuch,puttingtogetheryourCVtakesmuchcareandforethought.Firstoff,besurethejobasksforavitaeandnota
rsum. A vitae is a detailed record that showcases your career and education accomplishments and can be unlimited in
length, whereas a rsum is generally a onepage overview of your career. When applying for most jobs in psychology,
employerswillrequestthatyousendavitae,notarsum.
Also,dependingonthetypeofjobyouareapplyingforapracticeoracademiconeyoumightneedtotailoryourvitae.When
applyingforapracticejob,highlightyourinternshipandpracticumexperience,expertsrecommend.Ontheotherhand,when
applyingforanacademicorresearchjob,highlightyourpublications,teachingandresearchexperiences,theysay.
Herearetheessentialsofavitaethatimpresses:
COMPARTMENTALIZE
Organize your vitae with sections such as "education," "professional experience" and "publications," and list each
accomplishment in chronological order with beginning and end dates. Also, if applicable, include sections such as
"practica/psychotherapyexperience,""volunteer/servicework,""awardsandscholarships"and"professionalaffiliations."
Whenapplyingforapractitionerjob,includeasectiononassessmentmeasuresyouhavemasteredduringtraining,
advisesShawnRoberson,PhD,aforensicpsychologistattheOklahomaForensicCenter,partoftheNortheasternPsychology
InternshipProgram.Robersonhelpstoscreeninternshipapplicantsatthecenter.
WEIGHTIFIT'SWORTHINCLUDING
What to include depends on what the position entails, experts say. For instance, should you include coursework?
Most advisers say no, but some recommend listing any specialized trainingyou might include coursework in forensic
psychology,forexample,whenapplyingforaforensicjob.However,expertsgenerallysaythatcoursework,methodological
skills and software proficiencies should be omitted from a vitae that's geared for fulltime jobs, since it's assumed that
psychologists have mastered these skills. Still, you might include such skills on applications for internship and postdoctoral
positions,theynote.
Inparticular,anyundergraduateexperiencesyouincludeshouldbehighlyrelevanttoyourpsychologycareerandthe
job at hand, says Mary Kite, PhD, associate dean of the Graduate School at Ball State University and a professor of
psychologicalsciencethere.Whilesocialfraternitiesandsororitiesdon'tbelongonavitae,studentsmightnotemembership
inPsiChiorPhiBetaKappaandhighacademichonors,suchasmagnacumlaude,Kitesays.
Be creative in relating your experiences to the job, Roberson adds. If the position requires public speaking or
organizational involvement, you might, for example, highlight your work with organizational boards. Experts also say you
shouldnotincludeyourage,relationshipstatusorhobbiesonyourCV.
KEEPITSIMPLEANDSTRAIGHTFORWARD
Toooftenstudentstrytocramtoomuchinformationonapage,Kitesays.Keepjobdescriptionsclearandconcise,
andfollowastandardformat.Boldtheheadersofthedifferentsectionssuchaseducationandprofessionalexperienceand
useasimplefontsuchasTimesNewRoman,expertsrecommend.Also,usequalitywhiteorivorypaper,Kiteadvises.These
stepswillhelpemployerseasilyabsorbtheinformationonyourCV.
HONESTLYREPRESENTYOURWORK
Don't pad your vitae to make it appear more impressive, experts advise. For example, Kuther says, many students
lumppublicationsandpresentationstogethertomakethesectionlooklonger.Butsearchcommitteesusuallyprefertosee
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themseparate,shesays."Everyoneunderstandsyou'reastudent,"Kutherexplains."Ifyouonlyhaveone[published]article
listed,thatisstillafantasticthing."
TAILORYOURVITAETOTHEJOB
Match your background, skills and training to the job you're applying for, Roberson says. For example, clinical
psychologistsneedtoemphasizeinternshipandsupervisionexperience,whileacademicapplicantsneedtohighlightresearch
andteachingexperience,Kiteadds."Ifastudentislookingforboth,thentheyshouldhavetwodifferentvitaeratherthana
onesizefitsallvitae,"Kitesays.
MAXIMIZEYOURCVWITHTHECOVERLETTER
UsethecoverlettertohighlightaccomplishmentsonyourCV,suchasclinical,researchoreducationexperiencesthat
matchthejob,Robersonnotes.Youcanalsocallattentiontoworkthatdoesn'tbelongintheCV:Ifyouhaveanyresearchin
progress, for instance, use the cover letter to mention it, Kite says. The CV should only contain research that has been
publishedorisinpress,sheexplains.And,justliketheCV,thecoverletteralsoneedstobecustomizedforeveryemployer.
FINDANEDITOR
Ask colleagues or faculty members to check your vitae for awkward phrasing, formatting problems and spelling
errors,andtogiveyoufeedbackoncontentandorganization,adviseKiteandothers.
Ultimately, the vitae should serve as a summary of your education and career experiences, Kite notes, and should be
continuallyupdatedthroughoutyourcareer.
TheVitaeChecklist
Nameandcontactinformation,includingworkandhomephonenumbers,addressandemail
Education,includingcollegedegrees,placesanddates
Dissertationtopic
Licenses/certification,includingstateandcertificatenumber,ifapplicable
Internships
Professionalexperience
Publications
Professionaloracademicpresentations
Honors,scholarships,fellowshipsorawards
Professionalorganizationmemberships
Volunteerorservicework
Sectionsforteaching,researchorclinicalexperience
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SAMPLE CURRICULUM
VITAES
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My Name
1234 56th St., San Francisco, CA 94555 (415) 867-5309 myname@psychschool.edu
Education
Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology; Malibu, CA
Master of Science in Clinical Psychology
Anticipated date of graduation
Any University; City, ST
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
June 2013
December 2010
Professional Experience
ABC Community Mental Health; City, ST
Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee
September 2012 - Present
Provideindividualtherapytoclientsdiagnosedwithvarietyofpresenting problems including Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder,
Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Cofacilitatedomesticviolenceandangermanagement
groupstoprovidepsychoeducationandtoincreaseinsightintomaladaptivecoping mechanisms. Conductphoneintakesand
referclientstoappropriateresourcesbasedonindividualneeds.Maintainprogressnotesforallclientstoensureproper
documentationofsessioncontentandinterventions.
January 2008
January 2012 - Present
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Your Name
123 E. 25th Street
310-888-8888
psychgrad@psychschool.edu
EDUCATION
Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Irvine, CA
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy
Anticipated Date of Completion
Thesis Title: "Kids: Who Needs 'Em?"
Thesis Completion Date:
University of Any School, City, ST
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
August 2012
August 2011
May 2007
CERTIFICATIONS
Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment
Substance Abuse Detection and Treatment
Eating Disorders Treatment and Relapse Prevention
First Aid and CPR
June 2010
April 2010
October 2009
October 2008
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Fluent in spoken Spanish and proficient in written Spanish
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Any Agency, City, ST
After School Trainee
January 2011 - Present
Conductsensoryandmotorskillintegration and behavior therapy with children ages 3 9 with special needs,
including severe emotional disturbances, autistic spectrum disorders, and developmental delays to foster development
and self-awareness
Incorporateactivitiessuchasgardening,art,and swimming to increase socialization and sensory awareness
Processactingoutbehaviorswithchildrentocultivatecopingskillsandtopromoteverbalization
Collaboratewithspecialeducationteacherstoensureconsistencybetweenclassroomandafterschool programs
Any Agency, City, ST
Behavioral Specialist
September 2010 Present
Provideindividual,group,couples,and family therapy for clients with variety of presenting problems to improve
interpersonal relationships
Cofacilitatedomesticviolenceandatriskyouthgroupresultinginlowerratesofrecidivismandincreasedschool
performance
Conductphoneintakes and refer clients to appropriate resources in order to address needs
Maintainprogressnotesforallclientstoensureproperdocumentationofsessioncontentandinterventions
Collaboratedwithcolleaguesandprofessorstosuccessfullyfollowsetcurriculumandtoprovidefeedbacktostudents
Participatedinweeklymeetings with professor and other teaching assistants to discuss past lectures, review pending
syllabus, and prepare for following classes
Observedbyprofessorandintegratedconstructivefeedbacktoimproveteachingstyle
PRESENTATION
Therapist, Maynard. (2011, March). California Technology Assistance Project. Presentation at Emerging
Conference, San Diego, CA
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology
Psi Chi
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Trends
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Thank-You Notes
Opinions vary about whether or not you should send a thank-you note or other correspondence to follow-up after an interview.
Thank-you notes certainly are not required or necessary, and the presence or absence of a note or particular type of note (e.g.,
email, typed letter, handwritten notecard, hologram delivered by carrier pigeon) will rarely influence the decision of the
admissions committee or training director. We suggest that you send a follow-up if it is consistent with your personal style and
feels like something you'd like to do. Thank-you notes can be a courteous, appropriate way to express gratitude to your hosts,
and therefore the practice is quite common among applicants.
In addition to an expression of gratitude, thank-you notes offer a final opportunity to express your interest in the site and
explicably state your perception of the fit between the site and your interests or training goals. Let the note be an extension of
your own style and the level of professionalism that you have communicated throughout the application process. Several sample
thank-you notes have been included as examples, should you wish to send one.
A couple of suggestions when writing thank-you notes include the following:
Thank-you notes may demonstrate initiative and genuine interest, and they may help to make you memorable. Keep
them simple, and make them personal if you are able.
Mention something specific from the interview that you learned. Mention how this is in line with your professional
interests.
Follow-up can be another opportunity to highlight something positive about your CV, experience, training, or
interview. Send your note within a day or so after your interview so you will be fresh on the mind of the individual who
receives your note.
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78
INTERVIEWING
79
InterviewStrategies:SetYourselfUpforSuccess
ByMatthewFitzGerald
APAGSchair
This is the time of year when many students think about upcoming interviews for programs, internships, postdocs and faculty positions.
I remember how my own internship interviews last year evoked a curious combination of excitement and terror. These interviews are
some very challenging, high-stakes conversations, so I thought I'd share some strategies that worked for me:
Practice
Even the most outgoing and eloquent students can get tongue-tied at crucial moments. Keep this from happening to you by
participating in mock interviews with faculty or peers, and make these practice sessions as realistic as possible. Generate or search for
lists of common interview questions, but allow your interlocutor to throw in surprise questions so you can prepare for the unexpected.
For internships, it's especially helpful to practice talking thoughtfully about past clients and sticky situations you've navigated with
supervisors. If you're interviewing to get into grad school, make sure you can expound on research or specialty areas you'd like to
explore. Practicing your answers to these questions will allow your actual interview to flow more smoothly and you'll sound more
polished.
Prepare
Interviews can spark some serious anxiety. While you may not be able to completely block your worries, you can develop a plan to
manage them. For some people, deep breathing does the trick. Or perhaps you can practice a little mindfulness meditation in the lobby
while you're waiting for your interviewer to arrive. If the timing is right, you might want to center yourself by going for a jog beforehand.
Come up with an anxiety management strategy that works for you and plan how you can implement it during the interview. Remember
that anxiety is a natural part of interviewing, so prepare for it as best you can.
Capture
An interview is a chance for you to gather information, not just for others to learn about you. So, while putting your best foot forward,
notice details that might help you decide among programs, interview sites or jobs later on. What was the feeling you got from the staff?
Did people seem happy to work there? Does your future supervisor or advisor seem to value work-life balance? Could you see yourself
living and working in the location? Immediately after your interview, write down what you noticed, liked or didn't like. Otherwise, you
might forget important insights that will help you decide among opportunities.
Care
I remember being completely exhausted after my internship interviews. The combination of travel, anxiety and excitement left me in
desperate need of a nap and some alone time. To keep from burning out, make time for self-care. Plan to take the rest of the day off
after an interview, or at least give yourself an hour or two to recuperate. Caring for yourself will help you stay balanced and prepared to
perform your best.
Armed with these techniques, I found that interviewing was not as stressful as I had feared. I even found myself enjoying the
experience a little it was fun to reflect on what I've learned and show off a little. We psychology students have a wealth of
opportunities to choose from, and interviewing gives you a chance to imagine yourself taking different career paths. So, whether you're
interviewing for a job, an internship, a postdoc or acceptance to grad school, I wish you success and perhaps even a little bit of fun.
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A psychology professor interviewing a graduate student for an internship slot once got a surprising reply when he asked,
"Why did you apply to our program?"
The student shrugged and said, "It's the only one I could drive to."
"Kudos for candor, but not for social skills," says John Norcross, PhD, a University of Scranton psychology professor
whose colleague was the professor asking the question.
Most graduate students don't make such obvious missteps. At the same time, it's hard to overemphasize the importance of
internship interviews. A 2009 online survey by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers
(APPIC) found that 76 percent of internship training directors ranked interviews as "very important" in the selection
process, ahead of letters of recommendation, essays and cover letters.
How can you ensure you have a good interview? Prepare, says Norcross, co-author of "The Insider's Guide to Graduate
Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology" (The Guilford Press, 2008).
"Every internship director has the same lament," he says. "Students apply to multiple programs and they come asking
general questions that betray a lack of knowledge and preparation."
Here are more dos and don'ts, for your internship interview season:
Don't try to wing it, surviving on charm alone. Interviewers expect you to be conversant about what the training the site offers, as well
as the program's philosophy and theoretical orientation. Find out by studying each site's Web site and APPIC listing and commit these
details to memory.
Do develop a list of questions they are likely to ask you. Work out your answers and practice responding out loud, either in front of a
mirror or in a mock interview with a friend or fellow student.
Don't be too honest. In particular, don't say you're interested in a site primarily due to its convenient location, even though that might
be a powerful motivator. Instead emphasize reasons for applying that training directors care about, such as how your skills, interests
and training goals match the site's training opportunities.
Do take every opportunity to explain how your training, experience and professional goals fit with the internship site.
Don't try to dominate group interviews by talking too frequently or undercutting points made by fellow applicants.
Do demonstrate good social skills no matter what the interview scenario or with whom you are talking, including administrative staff,
training directors or current interns. Make eye contact, smile and lean forwardand be punctual.
"The people who are doing the interviews want to see people who display all the qualities you'd want to see in a clinician: sensitivity,
respect and social skills," says James Johnson, PhD, director of the University of Florida's clinical psychology doctoral program.
Don't schedule interview visits too close together, depriving yourself of time to relax, review and recover for the next round.
Do build in time for travel delays due to bad weatheryou will be traveling in January, after all. If you're flying, avoid the limbo of
lost luggage by packing your carry-on with a nice outfit, copies of your curriculum vitae and work samples, any prescription
medication you take and some healthy snacks.
"It's hard to focus on an interview if you're focusing instead on your physical discomfort," says Tara Kuther, PhD, a psychology
professor at Western Connecticut University and author of "Surviving Graduate School in Psychology: A Pocket Mentor" (APA,
2008).
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Don't get so anxious about doing well that your brain is racing ahead to your next question. Good interviewees don't just talk well,
they listen carefully, says Mitchell Prinstein, PhD, director of clinical training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and
co-author of "Internships in Psychology: The APAGS Workbook for Writing Successful Applications and Finding the Right Match"
(APA, 2007). "Sometimes when people feel anxious, they might forget to convey what they're thinking or feeling," says Prinstein. "A
lot of people forget to nod and to smile and to say they're excited about what they hear."
Do remember that the interview process is a two-way street. Training directors want to assess whether you'd be a good match, but
you're also trying to find a program that meets your needs. "Feel empowered and recognize that this is a chance to be a consumer,"
says William Robiner, PhD, training director for a pediatric psychology internship at the University of Minnesota Medical School. So,
on the interview remember that you are likely to have some choices among programs. In fact, if you've been invited for an interview at
all, the site's training director probably thinks you'll succeed as an intern.
"They're really shopping for something that's a good match for them. That could take them out of the mindset of being hypervigilant
of the evaluation of themselves," Prinstein says.
Don't wear jeans and a T-shirt. Both men and women should wear a suit. "You want to be remembered for what you say and not for
what you're wearing," Kuther says.
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FINALLY
Look, dress, and act professionally. First impressions are important! Dont chew gum. Turn off your cell phone.
Maintain good eye contact.
Be on time. Allow more than enough time to get there, and know where you are going. Know the name of the
person interviewing you.
Be prepared for the interview. Know something about the agency before you get there, and why you want to
intern at that agency.
Bring your portfolio, an extra resume/CV, and references.
Always ask questions about the site, supervision, training, opportunities, etc.
Be ready to talk about past experience (whether clinical or life experience). Know why you want to be a
clinician.
Be prepared to hear a clinical vignette; sites will often ask you to evaluate the case and provide a treatment plan.
Understand at least two theoretical orientations, and treatment methods.
Be familiar with crisis assessment. Know what to watch for and some ways to intervene in a crisis.
Know your strengths, and weaknesses. Be honest about your weaknesses, and give examples for how you have
used these qualities to grow as a clinician.
Be succinct and direct; more is not necessarily better.
It is ok to say, I dont know, but Ill find out, or Id like to learn more about it.
Pat yourself on the back after the interview. Evaluate your interview and use it as a learning experience for the
next interview
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SUPERVISION
84
MakingSupervisionWorkForYou
Oninternship,youdirectthequalityofyourmentoringmorethanyoumayrealize.
ByBRIDGETMURRAY
gradPSYCHStaff
As Natasha Howard started her internship last year, a clinical supervisor told her it was Howard's job to
determinewhatmakesheraneffectivetherapist."Mineisjusttohelpyouachievethat,"hersupervisorsaid.
The comment alerted Howard to just how much she needed to do to benefit from her supervisors at Yale
University'sSchoolofMedicine.
Ofcourse,muchoftheresponsibilityofeffectivesupervisionalsolieswithsupervisors.Butinternsoftendon't
shoulderenoughoftheresponsibilitythemselves,largelyoutofdeference,saysCatherineForbes,aGeorgeWashington
UniversityclinicalpsychologydoctoralcandidateinterningattheDidiHirschCommunityMentalHealthCenterinCulver
City,Calif.
"OvertimeIhaveseenstudentsbeafraidtobeassertive,butnotdoingthatcanhinderyourtraining,"Forbes
says."Andreally,yoursupervisorwon'tgetmad.Theywilltalktoyouaboutyourquestionsandconcerns."
SUPERVISIONREDUX
Those concerns differ based on your training needs and your supervisor's expertise, says Forbes. Many
internships, she notes, offer students multiple supervisors across areas such as therapy, assessment, trauma, group
intervention,communityresearch,professionalissuesandcareerplanning,andprogramevaluation.
The variety means students can tap the most supervision in their areas of least experienceand supervisors
expectthemtotakethatinitiative,saysShaneLopez,PhD,aUniversityofKansaspsychologyprofessorwhointernedfive
yearsagoattheDwightD.EisenhowerVeteransAffairsMedicalCenterinLeavenworth,Kan."Theyrealizethatyouare
onlyayearawayfromindependentpractice,sotheymayexpectmorefromyou,"saysLopez.
MAXIMIZINGSUPERVISION
Given those expectations, when problems emerge, it often falls to interns to seek solutions. Based on the
experiencesofForbes,HowardandLopez,herearesomelikelyproblemsandpotentialsolutions:
Problem:Schedulingdifficulties.Internsandsupervisorsalreadyhavepackedschedules,sofindingtimeforweekly
appointmentscanbetough.Andwhensupervisorsareoffsite,it'sthatmuchharder,saysHoward,aUniversityof
Georgiacounselingpsychologydoctoralcandidate.Alltoooften,shesays,weeklymeetingsgetcancelled.
Solution:Holdyoursupervisortoappointmenttimesandinsistonrescheduling.Atsomesites,phone
meetingsarealsoanoption.Butifnothingworks,letyourinternshipdirectorknow,advisesForbes.
Problem:Toomuchfocusontheoryandnotenoughonyou."Somesupervisorsusethetimetosayhowtheydo
therapy,whenyouwanttolearnabouthowbestyoucandotherapy,"saysHoward.
Solution:Arrivewithanagenda.Havealistofquestions,andmakesuretheygetanswered,advisesForbes.
AddsHoward,"Alwayshaveinmindtosteerthesessionbacktoyourneeds."
Problem:Fearofbeingfaulted.Someinternsareleeryoflettingonwhattheydon'tknow,incasetheymightbe
judgednegatively,saysForbes."There'sthisfearof,'DidIdosomethingwrong?'"
Solution:Getoverit.Behonestaboutyourweakpointsandmistakes,advisesForbes.Askforalternativesto
approachesyouhavetried,andseekconstructivefeedback,shesays,since"that'showyoulearnandget
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betteratwhatyoudo."Atsomesites,clinicalsupervisorsareevenwillingtocritiqueyourtapedor
videotapedsessionswithclients.
Problem:Beingsidelined.Whetherbecauseofotherprioritiesordislikeofteaching,somesupervisorsrarelyseem
tohavetimeforinterns.AtoneofForbes'spracticumsites,forexample,onesupervisorneverspentmorethan15
minuteswithinterns,which,shesays,"justwasn'tethical."
Solution:Don'tallowittohappen.Speakingoutaboutthesituationmayfeellikeastrongstep,butit's
ofteneffective,saysForbes.Atherpracticumsite,theinternsinsistedonmoretimefromtheunavailable
supervisorthroughtalkswiththesupervisorandhigherupsandtheyendedupgettingit.
Problem:Notclickingwithyoursupervisor.Beingassignedtosomebodyyouclashwithcanruinyoursupervisory
experience.
Solution:Trytopickyoursupervisors.Thismaysoundimpossible,sincemostinternshipsassignthemto
you,buttherearewaystolinkwithpeopleyoulike,saysHoward.Onewayistobaseyourinternship
selectiononthesupervisorsyou'dhavelookingforapproachableprofessionalrolemodels,advisesLopez.
Anotheristopickaninternshiptrackorresearchareawhereyouknowyou'llhaveagoodmentor.
If you do run into conflicts with current mentors, talk openly and honestly with them about potential
resolutions. Or, if worst comes to worst, ask to be assigned another mentor. Based on her own positive experience,
Howardsays,"Mystrongestadviceistoreallylookforonesupervisoryoucanbeveryopenwithbecausethatmakes
yourinternshipyearsomuchmorecomfortable."
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NOTES:
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