Other Aspects of Training


Supervision Received

Interns receive two hours of individual supervision each week by licensed staff psychologists. Clinical caseloads are the focus of primary supervision, while secondary supervision examines outreach, consultation, Practicum and REACH Peer supervision, dissertation progress and professional development.

Three hours of additional supervision (i.e. group supervision) is provided each week. Interns meet bi-monthly with the Internship Coordinator to review concerns, progress, issues and development. Administrative issues and intern concerns can be addressed at this time. Interns receive weekly group supervision in Case Conference Seminar, where they have opportunity to discuss their individual, group, and assessment clients. In addition to talking about their groups in Case Conference Seminar, interns receive weekly supervision provided by their group co-leaders. Interns also have an opportunity each week to meet with the testing coordinator to review assessment concerns and go over reports. Another training activity includes weekly presentation of new cases in staff meetings and participation in the case assignment process during case staffing sessions. Periodical case conferences also allow staff and interns to discuss difficult cases.

Professional Development Project

In addition to spending time on specific training requirements, elective training experiences are also offered. Interns are given 3 hours a week to spend on a professional development project of their choice. Interns are encouraged to develop their own interests and ideas or select from some of the following:

  • REACH Peers: assist in the organization of the undergraduate REACH Peer program and co-teach, with a senior staff member, the REACH Peer class. Training the REACH Peers will involve teaching basic counseling skills and providing group supervision of REACH Peers' work with clients and their outreach activities.
  • Practicum Training: co-teach, with a senior staff member, the weekly three hour practicum class (consisting of doctoral student in the USU APA-approved combined program). Teaching the practicum class involves group supervision, skills development, and discussion of current literature.
  • Finish doctoral dissertation and/or turning dissertation into an article for publication.
  • Other research: Work on a research project of your own design or develop a research project using our data sets. Examples of past research projects include:
    • College Adjustment Scales: collection and interpretation of data related to
      a sample of students completing the CAS
    • Group Therapy Outcome: comparisons of brief strategic and time limited psychodynamic group therapy
    • Eating Issues/Body Image: explorations of body image with a population of
      eating disordered college women
    • Outcome Research: assessment of therapy outcomes related to Counseling
      Center services
  • Other: Receiving additional training in group therapy, assessment, outreach, or consultation; receiving training in couples therapy; or more training in individual therapy with a specific presenting problem (i.e., eating disorders, anxiety, trauma, etc).

Summer Project:

Summer project goals are set in April and interns are given four to six hours a week during the months of May, June, and July to work on their projects. Past summer projects have included:

  • Continuing with on-campus outreach, such as, providing services to Multicultural Student Services, Wellness Center, etc.
  • Providing community outreach, such as, services to Avalon Hills, a residential eating disorders program.
  • Conducting a research project.
  • Engaging in a combination of individual projects (e.g. turning dissertation into an article for publication, developing clinical forms and/or outreach handouts, working on a book chapter, developing a training handbook, etc.).

Other Opportunities

Throughout the year, interns also have opportunities (as they arise) to volunteer to participate on committees and projects. A few past examples include:

  • Intern Selection: assist in the evaluating, interviewing and selection of predoctoral interns
  • Computer Services: assist in the development of the Center Web page and efforts to develop computer literacy and technological competence amongst staff
  • Counseling Center Conference: assist in the selection, organization, advertising, and administration of the annual USU Counseling Center Conference
  • Students at Risk: assist the Counseling Center and the University in developing procedures for assessment of risk of suicide and other serious outcomes

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