Counseling and Psychological Services

Other Training Opportunities




Graduate Assistantship for Psychology Doctoral Students:


CAPS sponsors two half-time (20 hours per week), 8-month assistantships. Graduate Assistants are recruited from the Combined Clinical/Counseling/School Psychology Ph.D. program at USU and have typically participated successfully in the doctoral practicum class at the Center prior to or at the time of application.

GA therapists participate fully in the life of Counseling and Psychological Services


They provide services:


  • intake interviews
  • individual psychotherapy
  • group & couples counseling
  • outreach presentations/activites
  • supervised supervision of a REACH Peer

They participate with staff:


  • weekly case staffing
  • weekly staff meeting
  • Fall Staff Retreat
  • Annual Counseling and Psychological Services Conference
  • Utah University and College Counseling Centers Conference
  • staff-related social gatherings

They receive training and supervision:


  • attend the weekly advanced training seminars with pre-doctoral interns
  • receive one hour per week of individual supervision with a senior (Ph.D.) staff member
  • are invited to all staff in-service training's and continuing education workshop debriefings

Assistantship positions are posted in the Psychology Department. Selection occurs in February for the following academic year

Here is a recent GA Announcement





Counseling/Psychology Practica:


Counseling and Psychological Services is a practicum site for the USU Psychology and Social Work Departments. We accept up to six practicum students per academic year. CAPS Practicum is offered to students in their third year and beyond in the Pro-sci Psychology doctoral program, and students in their second year of the Masters in Social Work program. The aim of the practicum is four-fold:

  1. To provide supervised experience in psychotherapy, outreach, and prevention with a college student population;
  2. To promote purposeful therapeutic practice by expanding students' knowledge and understanding of mainstream principles of therapeutic change and fostering effective application of those principles;
  3. To provide role models in professional life worthy of student emulation; and
  4. To promote self-evaluation of personal beliefs and behaviors to enhance quality of therapy.

The practicum experience involves seeing clients for individual counseling, participating in Center Outreach activities, receiving weekly individual and group supervision, and actively participating in the weekly classroom experience. The practicum is a two semester, 10-15 hour per week commitment (10-15 hours per week for psychology students, 15 hour minimum for social work students). For more information, contact Amy Kleiner, Practicum Coordinator in CAPS: 797-1012, amy.kleiner@usu.edu. Students may also discuss their practicum options with the training coordinator in their perspective departments.




REACH Peer Program:


What is the REACH Peer Program?


The REACH Peer program is a volunteer program designed for undergraduate students who would like to obtain experience working in a counseling center. Generally, ten (10) volunteers are selected each year. The program requires a commitment of approximately four to six hours per week during Fall and Spring semesters. Students may be eligible for credit through the Psychology or Family, Consumer and Human Development departments.


What does REACH stand for?


Resourceful, Educational, Accepting, Coaching, Helpful


What do the REACH peers do?


Clinical work with individual clients:
REACH peers work with students who are already clients of a therapist in the CAPS office (often clients of the peer's clinical supervisor). Generally, peers meet with clients once per week for 30-50 minutes teaching them skills and practicing the skills with the client. These skills can include progressive muscle relaxation and other forms of stress management, mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, time management, and interpersonal effectiveness. Peers will plan specific interventions in consultation with their supervisor. Each session will be documented and placed in the client's file.

Outreach psychoeducational projects:
These projects are major events, often directed at the whole campus, which concerns some aspect of wellness or mental health. These have included Depression Screening, Stress Bust, Body Image Awareness, Healthy Relationships Panel, and Alcohol Screening. Generally, one peer is the lead person to organize the event (with support from CAPS staff or other student services offices) all peers will be expected to take a role supporting that effort.

Persons interested in becoming a REACH Peer should contact CAPS in TSC306 or at 797-1012, for details on the application process.