Caltech Counseling Center

Predoctoral Internship

2009-2010 Internship Year

About Caltech

This private institution embodies a unique combination of characteristics, making it a stimulating site for intern training. Though the student body is relatively small (approximately 1100 graduates and 900 undergraduates), Caltech is highly respected internationally. Approximately 27% of the student body consists of international students from over 30 cultures, and the male-female ratio is currently about 3-1. Almost all students live on or near campus, and graduates continue their research through the summer. Thus, this setting provides a unique and dynamic mixture of elements to which the Counseling Center must respond.

Agency Description

The Caltech Counseling Center provides psychological services to the campus community.  Psychotherapy, consultation, crisis intervention, and outreach programs are provided to the student population. Presenting issues include age-appropriate developmental concerns as well as a wide range of psychopathology that can require hospitalization. The staff at the Counseling Center value all theoretical orientations but primarily use a psychodynamic / developmental model. Caltech has an international reputation in the areas of science, technology, and research and is comprised of a student body of approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students who are highly gifted.  Approximately 27% students from over 30 countries, and the male-female ratio is currently about 2.5 : 1.

We believe this internship offers a number of benefits to our interns: College counseling center experience on a small campus with an international reputation; in-depth supervision with experienced psychologists; crisis, short-term, and long-term treatment; training in developing and providing varied outreach programs; the opportunity of working with an internationally diverse population; training in working with the gifted; and the experience of being treated as a respected staff member. As a result of completing this placement, we hope our interns will leave feeling like competent professionals able to practice independently with confidence and skill.

About the Predoctoral Internship

The Caltech Counseling Center is pleased to announce two openings for predoctoral interns for the 2009-2010 academic year.  These positions are half-time, 24 hours per week.  The internship focuses on providing experiences conducting short-term and long-term therapy with a diverse, gifted college population with a wide range of presenting concerns.  We are CAPIC accredited and adhere to CAPIC application procedures, regulations, and deadlines.

Philosophy and Goals

The Counseling Center internship is viewed as an opportunity for interns to integrate and apply the knowledge they have acquired during their training, and to further develop their clinical and programming skills. Primary emphasis is on individual psychotherapy and outreach. Seen as evolving from student to competent professional, interns are expected to take an active role in consolidating and broadening their areas of competence by taking advantage of the training opportunities open to them.

Theoretical Orientations

At the present time our staff draws from contemporary psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and integrative models.

Preferred / Required Days and Times

Start date:  Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009, 8:00 a.m.

End date:  Friday, June 25th, 2010, 5:00 p.m.

Interns will 24 hours per week spread over four days.  (In other words, it is not possible to schedule for three 8-hour days, as this results in extended time away from the center.)  Afternoons and Mondays and Fridays are preferred. Wednesdays from 10:00 AM – 3:00PM are required. Occasional night and weekend events are required. Attendance at an overnight student orientation for 2 1/2 days in late September is required.

Benefits

Stipend

Medical and dental benefits and a $4,000.00 annual stipend.

Vacation

Interns are eligible to accrue vacation in accordance with Institute guidelines.  When possible, interns are usually given 3 professional development days to go to conferences, dissertation defense meetings, etc.

Parking

Interns who wish to park on campus must purchase a parking pass at their own expense.

Training and education offered

We provide an opportunity for interns to integrate and apply knowledge they have acquired during training and to further develop clinical and outreach program skills. Interns learn many facets of the role of a psychologist in a counseling center setting. The internship offers college counseling center experience on a small campus; in-depth supervision in crisis intervention, short- and long-term therapy, training in developing and providing varied outreach programs, the opportunity to work with an internationally diverse population; training in working with the gifted. Couples and group therapy are sometimes available. We hope interns leave feeling like competent professionals able to practice independently.

Types of therapy experiences offered

·        Long-term (on a limited basis)

·        Brief

·        Individual

·        Group

·        Couple

·        Outpatient

·        Crisis

·        Consultation

Types of therapy experiences not offered

·        Family

·        Inpatient

·        Assessment

·        Neuropsych

·        Psych testing

Direct / Indirect Services

Treatment modalities include individual and conjoint psychotherapy, and possibly group psychotherapy. Treatment length is from crisis through long-term, with the majority of cases being brief treatment with no set session limit. Outreach includes workshops and talks (such as disordered eating, stress management, communication skills, procrastination, managing substance use, cultural adjustment); peer counselor training for various student groups, and cofacilitating support groups. Indirect Services may include staff/faculty consultation, training for Student Affairs personnel, and working with the medical staff, among others.

Responsibilities

In an average week, an intern can expect to get 9 hours of direct clinical service, 6.5 hours of training (individual and group supervision, intern seminar, staff meetings), 4 hours of outreach programming (educational programming to students) through a liaison with other offices in Student Affairs, 1-2 hours of intake evaluation, 2.5 hours of paperwork or administrative activity (documentation, preparing for case conferences, etc.).

Supervision

Each intern receives a minimum of two hours or more per week individual supervision with two supervisors. There is also a weekly 90-minute intern seminar and one hour of weekly outreach supervision. We offer staff in-services on varied topics and monthly on-site consultation with adjunct psychiatrist. Audiotaping and occasional videotaping are required components of supervision.

Cross-cultural training

We have a multicultural staff and diverse student body.  Training includes readings on multicultural issues, seminars in multicultural counseling, and outreach programs with underrepresented minority students.

Staff

5 psychologists (4 Ph.D.; 1 Psy.D.); 1 health educator; 1 part-time psychiatrist

Number of applicants last year

24

Required and Preferred Applicant Qualities

Required Professional Experiences

·     By the time of application, at least one prior internship (half-time is acceptable) providing experience with individual adult psychotherapy, including crisis through long-term treatment.  Applicants with only prior practicum experience will not be considered.

·      Completed Masters coursework & currently pursuing Ph.D., Ed.D. or Psy.D. in a regionally accredited doctoral program in psychology.  Students in MFT programs are not eligible to apply.

·        Required:  Completion of comprehensive exams in counseling/clinical psychology

Preferred Professional Experiences

·       Experience with persons of color and difference

·        Experience with international and culturally diverse clients

·        College counseling experience is highly desirable but not required

·        Competence in specialty areas (e.g., sexual assault, U.S. and international cross-cultural populations, disordered eating, substance use, gender issues, sexual orientation, etc.)

Personal Qualities

We are looking for mature individuals with initiative and follow-through, who are able to work independently and as part of a team, who exhibit professional and ethical behavior, and who are open to constructive criticism. Presentation skills and confidence in group settings are valued. Clinically, we are looking for interns who can establish an empathic, safe therapeutic alliance while setting and keeping appropriate boundaries, who can be flexible in how they work, and who are able to conceptualize their understanding of their clients and articulate their intervention rationales.

We encourage you to talk with current and former interns who can speak to their personal experience of this setting.

Disabled Student Accessibility

All steps have ramps or elevator alternative access. All hallways and doorways are wide enough for wheelchair passage and turning. On-site parking is possible. The Counseling Center is accessible, but the Internship requires mobility over the entire campus. Please discuss any concerns that you may have with the training director.

Application procedures

Applications are due before the standard CAPIC deadline (Monday, March 2nd, 2009) as per CAPIC policy.  Applicants will be notified if they have been selected for an initial screening interview with the Director of Training and one other staff member.  After this first round of screening interviews, some candidates will be chosen for a second interview with the full staff. After this, the final rankings will be determined. We adhere to the CAPIC rules and regulations for notification dates.

Applicants should submit the following information:

·        Cover letter describing your goals for the training year

·        CAPIC uniform application

·        CAPIC Eligibility and Readiness Form (CERF)

·        One copy of your C.V.

·        Three letters of recommendation: Two from clinical supervisors, and one from an academic advisor or professor

Send Application Materials to:

Lee H. Coleman, Ph.D., ABPP

Assistant Director and Director of Training

Caltech Counseling Center

Caltech MC 1-8

Pasadena, CA 91125

Phone:  (626) 395-8331

Fax:  (626) 585-1522

Website:  http://www.counseling.caltech.edu