INTERNSHIP BROCHURE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
COUNSELING CENTER
APA-ACCREDITED
DOCTORAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
in
PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Training Year
August 2009 to August 2010
Table of Contents:
Letter to Prospective Applicants
UIC and Chicago
The Counseling Center
Client Population
Background and Organization of the Internship Program
Description of Internship Activities
Dates, Benefits and General Policies
Application Procedure
Clinical Training Staff
Present and Past Interns
Counseling Center, University of Illinois at Chicago
2010 Student Services Building (M/C 333)
1200 West Harrison Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607-7164
September 2008
Dear Prospective Applicant,
We welcome your interest in our internship training program at the Counseling Center of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Included herein is our Internship Brochure describing our setting and program, to assist you in your decisions regarding an internship for next year, and information about the application procedure.
If you are not familiar with the wealth of training opportunities of an internship at a university counseling center, some facts about the experiences it can offer may surprise you. For example, the average age of clients here is 25 years, and the range is from 17 to 50 and older. At least a quarter of the clients are in graduate or professional programs, and many are returning or "non-traditional" students. The kinds of problems presented at the Center are as varied and challenging as those of a community mental health center, although the motivation and psychological capacity of our clientele are often greater. Serious life crises and major character disorders are not uncommon treatment issues, and interns and externs consistently find the work to be as demanding as it is satisfying. The professional psychologists on staff provide multiple role models for our trainees; and both services and training are enriched significantly by the multidisciplinary contributions of other specialists in psychiatry, speech therapy, health promotion and disability services at the Center.
The strong clinical core of training in individual, couples and group treatments provides the preparation required for entry level into many different employment opportunities or for specialized training at the post-doctoral level. Furthermore, the extensive multicultural experience gained working with clients from a wide demographic span, including substantial numbers from minority, immigrant and international backgrounds, can be an important asset in a psychologist's subsequent career. Interns from clinical, counseling and professional psychology programs across the country have gone on from the UIC Counseling Center to work in a variety of facilities, including universities, CMHC's, medical settings and private practices.
While many agencies have reduced limits on the duration of psychotherapy, interns here are able to work intensively with a portion of their clients for up to a full year. Other major training and treatment areas are crisis intervention, short-term therapy, career counseling, outreach and consultation, and case management. Learning and conducting supervision, is essential as well to the internship. Rotations are also available for concentrations in paraprofessional training, crisis intervention, primary prevention and psycho education, group therapy and community services, and there are some limited opportunities for research, including work on the intern's dissertation.
We believe that the benefits of a university environment, with its intellectual resources and recreational facilities, speak for themselves. UIC is located minutes from Chicago's downtown and lakefront, with all the cultural and social activities that can be found only in a city of its size and prominence. Those who prefer to live in quieter surroundings can reside in one of the city's varied neighborhoods or suburbs, many of which are easily reached by public transportation. Our Internship Brochure offers a more detailed look at the program. We hope that it will show why we take pride in both our training and our interns, and why the UIC Counseling Center may deserve your careful consideration.
Sincerely,
The Training Committee
The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is a land-grant university offering programs in ninety-eight undergraduate, eighty-nine masters' and fifty-two doctoral areas of concentration. It has fourteen colleges and it includes large and highly respected Medical, Nursing, Public Health and Social Work Schools, a major graduate and undergraduate Psychology Department, a Neuropsychiatric Outpatient Institute and a general teaching hospital. It is the largest institution of higher learning in the Chicago area and one of 88 Research I universities in the United States. UIC joins the other major campuses at Springfield and Urbana-Champaign in comprising the University of Illinois. The University adheres to nondiscriminatory and equal opportunity policies in admissions, employment, and access to University programs and activities.
Student Body--The University of Illinois at Chicago has a total enrollment of almost 25,000 students, including over 8,000 graduate and professional students and 11,000 full-time faculty and staff. The student population is widely diverse in ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status and age. At least forty states and one hundred other countries are typically represented, with the majority of students from Chicago and its greater metropolitan area. In general, 7% of the student body come from international backgrounds, either on immigrant status or student visas, and more than another 40% are from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds in this country. Reflecting this multicultural richness, U.S. News & World Report's listings of "America's Best Colleges" ranked UIC fifth in the country among national universities for campus diversity - the only Midwestern institution in the top fifteen in that category.
The Campus and The City--The University was established in 1965 on a 216-acre campus one mile from Chicago's downtown area known as the "Loop." It is immediately adjacent to two interstate expressways and it is equally convenient for public transportation. The University is primarily a commuter school, although close to 3000 students live in residence halls on campus and many more live nearby. Surrounding the University on the near west side of the city is an ethnically diverse residential area, one rich in both old and new world traditions, with a number of excellent Greek and Italian restaurants within walking distance. The neighborhood where the university is located has undergone extensive urban re-gentrification and large Mexican-American, African-American, and Chinese-American communities are within a radius of several miles.
The Loop, with its many attractions, and the nearby lakefront and parks are within easy reach of the campus. Both downtown and in outlying areas, there is abundant access to museums, theater, films, dance, musical performances and other creative arts, festivals, political and sporting events, athletic and recreational facilities, and other activities and programs that make Chicago a world class center of entertainment, culture and education.
THE COUNSELING CENTER
The Counseling Center is located in a renovated atrium complex that brings together all student services for the entire campus. The Center provides each intern with an individual office in easy proximity to all supervisors and other clinical staff, and a personal computer with access to E-mail, Internet and the Academic Data Network (ADN). ADN is a campus-wide network of computers and terminals that is a part of the national university network of communications, BITNET.
Administratively, the Counseling Center is a division of the Office of Student Affairs. The Center's Director, the Director of Training, and all the principal supervisory staff of the Center are licensed clinical and counseling psychologists, giving the program a clear definition as a provider of psychological training and services. Their theoretical orientations entail psychodynamic, integrative, feminist, existential, cognitive and client-centered perspectives. Equally important is our psychiatrist who contributes a multidisciplinary strength to the integrated system of the Center.
In order to foster the academic and personal development of UIC students, the Center emphasizes extensive direct services. Clinical intakes, crisis intervention, individual psychotherapy, career counseling, couples therapy, general and specialized group therapies, case management, systems linkage and advocacy are major responsibilities for all psychological staff, interns and externs. Individual therapy is offered in both short-term and longer-term models of treatment, and groups are both time-limited and open-ended. Consultation and outreach programs offer services in primary prevention and personal and academic skills development.
A number of academic courses and educational workshops are offered by the Counseling Center staff, such as professional ethics and paraprofessional training. Programs to improve academic achievement include career counseling, stress management, assertiveness training, and communications skills. In addition, the Center maintains a nightly telephone hotline for supportive, emergency and referral services. The Center utilizes peer counselors and mental health paraprofessionals for its hotline and interns can take roles of instructor and supervisor with them.
CLIENT POPULATION
All students who are registered at the University of Illinois at Chicago are eligible to use the services of the Counseling Center with no additional payment of fees. The client profile is as diverse demographically as the student body, reflecting a cross-section of the urban setting in which the university is situated. Many clients are from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, for whom college represents a "first generation" achievement in their families.
Seventy percent of Counseling Center clients are in their junior year of college or beyond. The large numbers of advanced, returning, and immigrant and international students who request services present frequent opportunities for interns to work with more mature and "non-traditional" students. The age span of the clientele extends from late adolescence into mid-life and occasionally older.
Presenting problems vary from short-term adjustment disorders to major traumas, characterological conditions and more severe psychopathology. Trainees frequently are impressed by the range and complexity of the majority of their caseloads, and each year they report the diversity and challenges of their clients, along with their supervision, to be among the most valued assets of the program.
The demographics of the students who seek counseling closely mirror the ethnic and racial diversity of the student body in general. The following table represents a typical distribution of students using the Counseling Center each year:
| Racial/Ethnic Group |
Percent |
| Caucasian/European American |
47.2% |
| African/African-American |
11.8% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander |
9.1% |
| Latino/a American |
11.2% |
| Native American |
0.1% |
| International |
2.9% |
| Multiracial |
4.6% |
BACKGROUND AND ORGANIZATION OF THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The Counseling Center functions as the comprehensive mental health agency for the UIC student community. As part of its mission, it has offered a training program in conjunction with a number of graduate psychology departments since 1970. It first served as a practicum site, providing half-time assessment and psychotherapy placements to students from clinical and counseling programs in the Chicago area. During the 1982/83 academic year, the program was expanded to offer both practicum and full-time internship training, and it began recruiting on a national level. In 1986, the internship program received full accreditation from the American Psychological Association; and in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2007, the program was re-accredited. (In keeping with APA requirements, the association's address and telephone number are provided: 750 First Street, NE, Washington DC 20002; 202/336-5979.) The Center is also fully accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services.
Besides the many general advantages afforded by both a leading educational institution and a stimulating urban environment, the Counseling Center offers a variety of professional resources for internship training. With the fifteen psychologists and the part time psychiatrist primarily responsible for the delivery of clinical services and training, the Center provides ample exposure to various role models, theoretical systems, professional interests and specializations. Furthermore, significant opportunity exists to work with other disciplines, programs and facilities within the University, such as the Offices of Women's Affairs and of International Students; Latino, Asian American, Native American and African American student programs; athletic departments and religious centers; or services for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students or students with disabilities. Finally, the multicultural and diagnostic characteristics of the clientele provide a daily schedule of exceptional assessment and therapeutic opportunities.
Over the course of the year, increasing levels of trainees' independence are encouraged as their capabilities expand while supervision is maintained throughout as the cornerstone of the training program. Interns are regarded in basic respects as colleagues among the clinical staff, consistent with their contributions to the Center's commitment to serving the university community. Thus, they are invited to participate in the administrative structure and functions of the setting, including, for example, regular discussions in the clinical meetings and in the staff case conferences. The continuing input from interns helps shape the quality and direction of training. Also, interactions among trainee cohorts regularly provide informal but highly valued occasions for their mutual growth and satisfaction.
GOALS OF THE INTERNSHIP
The goals of the Internship at the Counseling Center are to prepare students who are in the final stages of their doctoral training to function broadly, competently and responsibly as professional psychologists. The program is intended to provide the opportunity to establish and refine general skills fundamental to the practice of clinical and counseling psychology and applicable to a wide variety of professional settings. The program places particular emphases on a number of key developments:
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to consolidate a theoretical and scientific body of knowledge of psychology; to integrate comprehensive ethical standards and aspirations into all aspects of clinical work;
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to integrate multicultural counseling skills into all areas of clinical activity
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to participate actively in one’s own professional growth and development;
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to acquire and refine skills in individual, couples and group psychotherapy, case management, systems linkage, and intake assessments;
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to form respectful and productive relationships within the Center and across the university;
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to demonstrate reflectivity in the context of professional practice;
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to engage in self-monitoring, self-corrective practice, and self-care;
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to design and implement psychoeducational outreach programs for promotion of growth and prevention of problems;
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and to understand and apply supervisory principles and strategies as demonstrated in the single-case supervision of an Extern’s therapeutic work.
In summary, interns are expected to deepen their sense of professional commitment by functioning cooperatively and creatively in a multifaceted mental health and student development system for the campus community. The objectives are both to become proficient in the delivery of psychological services and to incorporate the personal and professional qualities necessary to participate effectively as a psychological practitioner in an organizational setting.
DESCRIPTION OF INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES
The internship is structured with approximately 3/4 time for direct and indirect services and 1/4 time for supervision and didactic seminars.
I. Direct and Indirect Services
A. Individual and Group Psychotherapy (approximately 12-14 hours individual therapy and minimum of 1.5 hours group therapy). Interns' caseloads are comprised of approximately half brief and half longer-term psychotherapy cases. Decisions about the duration of therapy and frequency of sessions are based on the assessed needs of the client and are made by the client and therapist in consultation with the therapy supervisor. In group therapy, interns participate as co-therapists with a staff member in at least one ongoing group over the course of the year. Groups have frequently focused on general interpersonal issues, older students, single parents, women's issues, gay men's or lesbian's issues, ethnic or racial identity, survivors of sexual abuse, adult children of alcoholics, students on academic probation, and people with eating difficulties.
B. Assessment (up to two hours regular and one hour emergency intakes per week). Interns conduct initial intake sessions throughout the year.
C. Couples therapy, Career Counseling and Structured Groups (variable). All interns provide couples therapy and career counseling(including co-leading a minimum of one career group), and they have the option to develop more of an emphasis in either area. They also have the opportunity for leadership in personal skills development groups designed to support the educational process (e.g., time management, "Feel Better Fast," performance anxiety, or interpersonal communications training).
D. Outreach and Consultation (variable hours throughout the training year). All interns are expected individually and/or as co-facilitators to implement at least three psycho-educational programs in selected areas of interest as well as to design at least one original outreach program. Topics addressed by interns have included grief and loss, difficulties of older and returning students, and coping with dysfunctional family backgrounds. Interns will also have the option of collaborating in program development with other campus agencies, and they lead small groups during the summer with incoming students to facilitate their transition to the university.
E. Administration (variable). All interns serve on the Selection Subcommittee for reviewing, interviewing, and selecting the following year's interns and/or externs in the training program. At times, there are other opportunities to serve on Counseling Center committees that deal with organizational matters, such as preparation for accreditation review or the multicultural standing committee, in order to provide experience in the management and decision-making processes of an educational and mental health agency.
F. Supervision and Training of Externs (one to two hours per week). Interns provide individual supervision for the psychotherapy work of externs and contribute to their evaluations, under the supervision of the training staff. Each intern also makes a scholarly presentation to the externs, their fellow interns and the staff on an issue of particular interest in the Professional Issues Seminar.
G. Rotations: Paraprofessional Training, Campus Programming, Group Therapy and Community Services (three hours a week, for approximately six months). Interns participate in at least one specialized placement for a half year concentration. Following the first six month rotation, interns may indicate preferences regarding continuing the rotation, beginning a new one, or ending rotation involvement. Descriptions of the choices follow:
1) the recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers who work on campus hotline;
2) additional psycho-educational outreach and primary prevention efforts on campus, such as assertiveness training or screening programs for depression or anxiety, as well as involvement in the administrative functions of outreach services; or
3) involvement in the development and running of an additional therapy process and/or a structured group,
4) involvement in community services of interns' choosing, such as consultation and training with a homeless shelter or a Head Start program, facilitation for groups dealing with domestic violence or HIV status, outpatient assessment and treatment planning for severely and chronically mentally ill, emergency room coverage in the general county hospital, family therapy on an inpatient adolescent inpatient unit or a refugee treatment clinic for survivors of political torture or a clinic for survivors of sexual assault.
H. Crisis Services Interns share responsibility for after hours on-call coverage to the residence halls and campus hotline by carrying a cell phone dedicated for that purpose. The coverage rotates among staff members and so each Intern is likely to rotate through this responsibility one to two times (for the period of one week each time) over the course of the training year.
II. Supervision and Seminars
A.. Supervision (approximately four to six hours per week). Each intern meets individually two hours a week throughout the year with a Primary Supervisor, who has responsibility for the intern's overall experience, including the majority of his or her psychotherapy cases and general professional development. A second training staff member provides another hour of weekly individual supervision as Secondary Supervisor for both intakes and a single case of particular concern, to focus in greater depth on the therapeutic dynamics, including transference, counter-transference and parallel processes as they develop over the course of treatment. Group therapy is supervised by a third member of the training staff, who also generally co-leads the treatment group with the intern. Single case supervision by the intern for an extern is supervised in a group format in the Supervision Seminar by a member of the training staff. Weekly supervision of the intern’s rotation activities is also provided by a designated staff member.
Primary, Secondary and Group Supervisors are assigned by the Training Director during orientation, based on the interests and preferences of the trainees and the recommendations of the Training Committee, with the option of re-assignment by the Training Director to another supervisor later in the year when warranted.
Additional supervisory coverage and specific consultations are arranged for outreach and rotations. The training is designed to allow the intern to work closely with several supervisors over the course of the year to promote effective alliances and gain from differences in perspectives and approaches in the consolidation of clinical skills and the development of professional identity.
The Counseling Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago recognizes the benefit of personal psychotherapy for all trainees. We support the decision to seek therapy as a personal one and the program rarely requires the disclosure of personal information. Still, some trainees do find it helpful to volunteer personal information in supervision or seminars when discussing countertransference issues. Disclosure of personal information is required only when it is needed to evaluate or obtain assistance for a student whose personal problems are preventing him/her from performing professional activities competently, or whose problems are posing a threat to the student or others. It is strongly encouraged in the process of self-exploration, especially with regard to cultural identity, which takes place in supervision and in seminars.
B. Seminars (approximately four to seven hours per week for two semesters). In keeping with the goals of the training program, seminars are intended to explore core theoretical, technical, ethical, scientific, multicultural, and diagnostic issues as they relate to the delivery of clinical services in a university setting. To those ends, both general readings and case-based presentations are used to facilitate interns' conceptual formulations and integration of theory, research and practice. Seminar leaders and other participants provide peer consultation regarding case materials of each intern.
Multicultural Psychotherapy (weekly for two semesters). The seminar addresses diverse clinical issues through reviewing audiotaped or videotaped sessions of interns. The first semester focuses more on building the therapeutic alliance, formulating a treatment plan and implementing appropriate strategies for brief therapy approaches, using interpretation and support, handling crises and other case management requirements. The second semester focuses more on transference and counter-transference phenomena, resistances and conflicts in the course of therapy with various diagnoses, modalities and populations, and the complexities of termination. Throughout the year the seminar examines more broadly the therapist's role, values and experience, incorporating theory with practice in the treatment process.
Professional Issues (weekly for two semesters). A series of presentations and discussions relating to both theoretical and applied aspects of clinical work is led by clinical staff, outside experts, and interns, and attended by interns, externs and staff. Multicultural issues with different populations, treatment of sexual abuse and of eating disorders, empirically supported therapies, ethical and legal dimensions of practice, psychoanalytic and existential interpretations of grief, clinical use of self-disclosure, and professional directions after internship are examples of the topics presented. The components of cultural identity development and cross-cultural interaction are always considered and integrated into discussions, and participants' own cultural identities and perspectives on other cultural groups are explored in a module entitled "Cultural Identity Development."
Group Psychotherapy (weekly for two semesters). The seminar is devoted to the theory and practice of group treatments, including preparation and selection of members, co-therapy dynamics, group norms and cohesion, critical incidents, and termination. Use of videotapes and presentation of the interns' group work usually provide the focus and material for discussion of conceptual, technical, and ethical issues.
Outreach and Consultation (bi-weekly for two semesters). The seminar focuses on the philosophy and techniques of outreach and primary prevention, program development of specific psycho-educational workshops, and related topics. The projects of each intern are developed and reviewed in group discussions of the meetings.
Supervision Theory and Practice (weekly for two semesters). Principles and developmental stages of supervision are examined and applied in the interns' supervision of externs' psychotherapy. The seminar also provides group supervision of the interns' single case supervisory work with externs.
Psychiatric Issues (weekly for two semesters). The seminar addresses issues of psychoactive medications, mind-body interactions, and medical dimensions to the assessment and therapeutic process. It uses clinical material to identify the indications and counter-indications for medication, possible side effects, and the integration of drug treatments with psychotherapy.
Assessment (twice weekly for the first semester). The seminar focuses on basic principles and practices for clinical evaluation, including the intake process and diagnostic screening, emergency and mental status examinations, and the use and integration of testing and clinical interviews. Emphasis is given to the development of a focused and comprehensive psychological report related to psychopathology, personality organization and development, and clinical questions. Response to referral issues, conceptual formulations, differential diagnoses, treatment planning and consultation and feedback are also addressed.
Couples Therapy (weekly for the second semester). Models and strategies of treatment are applied in case-based discussion of the interns' work with couples, using audio tapes and/or videotapes for demonstration of issues and feedback on communication patterns, interpretation and intervention techniques, and the roles of the therapist.
Career Counseling Seminar (weekly for approximately 8 weeks in the first semester). The training focuses on preparing interns and externs to co-lead a structured four-session career group. Emphasis is given to the administration and interpretation of the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Career decision-making, the role of values, interests and abilities, as well as the influence of society and family in choosing a career and a major are explored.
III. Additional Training Activities
A. Intake Review & Assignments Meeting (one hour per week throughout the year). Staff and trainees provide intake reports on a weekly basis for clients requesting services. Cases are individually presented within case assignment teams consisting of staff members, interns and externs.
The teams make weekly case assignments taking into account specific requests by trainees. Interns are expected to build a balanced caseload, but they can also arrange with their supervisor to develop certain clinical emphases in areas of interest, such as eating disorders, substance abuse, trauma recovery, or to ensure a diverse case load.
B. Clinical and Professional Development Meetings (three to five hours per month for the training year). Weekly clinical staff meeting agendas include regular university and Center concerns, monthly multicultural discussions, and professional topics presented by outside speakers. Interns also have a weekly hour scheduled for their peer support group, a biweekly meeting with the Training Director to address emerging concerns during the year.
Research Projects (variable time). Interns can opt for involvement in research activities within the Center, such as treatment outcome evaluations and program assessments, or they can schedule two hours per week for a semester to pursue the completion of their dissertations.
IV. Trainee Evaluation, Grievance and Due Process Procedures
The Training Program has established the following procedures in order to: a) evaluate trainee performance; b) respond to problematic, unsatisfactory or inadequate performance; and c) ensure that due process is accorded all parties during the evaluation and review process.
The Training Program, which consists of the Training Director and the Training Committee, has the responsibility to assess regularly and formally the progress of each trainee. The primary purpose of trainee evaluation is to facilitate professional and personal growth and to ensure standards of quality are maintained in training and services. Feedback is intended to be constructive, objective, comprehensive and timely, with appropriate communications with the academic programs as needed.
The structure and process of supervision should provide the context, reassurance and security necessary for self-examination and open presentation of one's work, while stimulating the acquisition of new understanding, perspectives and techniques. The general objectives of supervision are to present critical didactic and experiential opportunities for the trainee to learn and refine skills, become more confident in one's role, ensure competency in the delivery of services, and consolidate a stronger sense of professional identity. The program must also be cognizant that in the process, the training experiences can prove to be a time of increased challenge. Therefore, it is essential to hold paramount the consideration for the professional and personal vulnerability of the trainee and respect for his/her essential dignity, particularly with regards to the inherent differentials of power in the training relationships.
Since trainees are expected to make significant developmental changes during the training year, at times needing particular support and guidance, it is the responsibility of the training program to provide activities and formats to facilitate this growth without undue stress. Such efforts include a comprehensive orientation process at the outset, individualized training approaches, clear and realistic expectations, direct and timely evaluations with recommendations for change, facilitative relationships individually (e.g., with supervisors) and collectively (e.g., with other trainees and staff), seminars providing the necessary didactic materials beyond the prerequisite academic learning, and administrative attention to the gradual increase in clinical responsibilities.
In addition to completing all of the requirements for individual and group psychotherapy case load, career group, outreach and consultation, attendance/participation in seminars and staff meetings, as well as adhering to Center policies, APA Ethical Guidelines, and Illinois State Law, successful completion of the internship program entails a minimal rating of 3 (meets requirements) on all items on the formal final evaluation. Ratings of 2 (minor improvement recommended) may also be sufficient, with the endorsement of the supervisor and Training Director. When one's personal and interpersonal functioning appears to seriously compromise clinical efficacy and potential for growth, or any other area of performance has not met minimal standards (resulting in a rating of 1 (inadequate/needs remediation) on the written evaluation, the training concerns will be formally conveyed in writing to the trainee, generally by the Primary Supervisor after consultation with the Training Committee and approval by the Training Director. Appropriate staff will then attempt to formulate with the trainee strategies and procedures to remediate the concerns. If such efforts do not eventuate in an improved and acceptable level of performance within a set, reasonable period of time, more serious consequences up to termination from the program may result, following due process.
A. Definition of Inadequate Performance
For purpose of this document, inadequate performance is defined broadly as any behavior interfering with professional functioning, reflected in one or more of the following ways:
1) an inability and/or unwillingness to acquire and integrate essential professional standards into one's repertoire of behavior, as reflected by a rating of 1 (Inadequate for trainee/needs remediation) on any item under Ethical/Professional Conduct on the formal, written evaluation form;
2) an inability to acquire professional skills, as reflected by a rating of 1 (Inadequate for trainee/needs remediation) under Clinical Skill/Delivery of Services on formal written evaluations; and/or
3) an inability to adequately manage personal stress, psychological difficulties, interpersonal professional relations, and/or emotional reactions which negatively impact the required training and/or service roles of the program, as reflected by a rating of 1 (Inadequate for trainee/needs remediation) on any related item under Interpersonal Skill/Personal Functioning on the formal, written evaluation form.
When inadequate performance is noted, evaluative criteria should link it to particular objective behaviors, in clear feedback by supervisors at regular intervals during training. A distressed condition may not necessarily affect directly one's clinical and training roles and so it would not in itself constitute inadequate performance. However, when it does adversely and significantly hinder or distort professional activities and relationships, the trainee’s performance may be considered to be inadequate.
In general, it is a matter of supervisory judgment with the concurrence of the Director of Training as to when difficulties in a trainee's behavior reach the threshold of inadequate rather than representing less serious but problematic issues. More specifically, for purposes of this document, a problem distinct from being inadequate refers to aspects of a trainee's behaviors, attitudes, or character which, while of concern and requiring more intensive attention, are perceived to be not unexpected or extreme for professionals in training. Problems typically lead to inadequate performance when they include one or more of the following characteristics:
1) the trainee does not acknowledge, understand, or address the problem when it is identified;
2) the problem is nor merely a reflection of a skill deficit which can be rectified by didactic training or practice;
3) the quality of services and/or professional relationships of the trainee is seriously and adversely affected;
4) the problem is not restricted to one or more minor areas of professional functioning;
5) a disproportionate amount of attention by training personnel is required to attempt to ameliorate the consequences; and/or
6) the trainees's behavior does not change as a function of feedback, remediation efforts or other corrective experiences over time.
B. Due Process Policy
Due process ensures that decisions made by the Training Program regarding trainees are not arbitrary, subjectively biased, or otherwise unfair. It requires that the program establish evaluative procedures which are applied equally to all trainees. Feedback should be constructive and timely, with appropriate notification, opportunities and recommendations for improvement, and clear review procedures to appeal the program's actions.
In order to provide for due process, the program under the aegis of the Associate Director for Training will:
1) present in writing at the outset of the training year general rights, responsibilities and performance requirements for Interns and Externs as outlined in the Policy and Procedures manuals for the Counseling Services and the Training Program;
2) delineate herein the procedures and guidelines involved in making decisions regarding problematic or inadequate performance;
3) implement formal written means of evaluation at standard interim and final points in the training sequence, with provisions for trainee response;
4) use input from multiple training resources, including supervisors, seminar leaders and other members of the Training Committee when making formal evaluations and recommendations;
5) coordinate all actions taken in response to major identified deficits through the Director of Training with review by the Director of the Center;
6) communicate with Academic Programs about major concerns to coordinate with them about how to address such issues;
7) institute, in conjunction with the Academic Program when needed, a plan for remediation of identified deficits, including time estimates for required changes and consequences if the difficulty is not rectified;
8) ensure that the trainee has sufficient time to respond to any action taken by the program; and
9) document in writing to all relevant parties actions taken by the program and their rationales, with review by the Clinical Director and the Director of the Center.
C. Grievance Procedures
1. The Evaluation Process
Each clinical supervisor provides the trainee and the Training Director with evaluations at the midpoint and conclusion of the year for Externs and Interns. The evaluations cover three major areas: 1) the awareness and incorporation of relevant professional standards; 2) the acquisition and demonstration of appropriate values and professional skills in supervision, seminars; clinical activities and other roles in the program, as delineated in the Policy & Procedures manual; and 3) the appropriate management of personal concerns and interpersonal conduct as they relate to training performance and professional functioning in the Counseling Center.
At the progress review meetings of the Training Committee, information is gathered from clinical supervisors, seminar leaders, and other training staff who have had significant contact with the trainee. After the review, the Primary Supervisor integrates the evaluations in written form and meets with the trainee to provide him/her with a summary evaluation and comprehensive feedback from the Committee. Both trainee and supervisor discuss how the training experience is proceeding, and the trainee has the opportunity to give his/her reactions to the feedback and offer critiques of the training, either informally in the discussion or more formally in written response as part of the evaluation record. It is intended that most if not all of the formal evaluation by the Training Committee will entail feedback which was already provided in an ongoing and timely manner as the issues in question arose.
The Primary Supervisor and the trainee may arrange for a modification of the training program to address particular needs and recommendations for development, and when recommended by the supervisor or requested by the trainee, the Director of Training may re-assign supervisory responsibilities during the year. Discrepancies between the training staff's evaluation and that of the trainee should be addressed and where possible, resolved. Procedures for addressing unresolved differences are described below. When there is no aspect of the trainee's performance rated "inadequate", both the supervisor and trainee sign the evaluation indicating that it has been reviewed, and the trainee appends any comments he or she may wish to note. Copies of the evaluation are then provided to the Training Director for the trainee's file and to the trainee’s academic program.
2. Initial Procedures Subsequent to "Inadequate" Rating
If a trainee receives a rating of 1 or "inadequate" in any of the three major categories of evaluation (professional competence, professional standards, personal and interpersonal functioning), the Primary Supervisor will notify the Training Director and with his/her approval will then notify in writing the trainee of the basis and rationale for the rating and provide the trainee the opportunity to respond formally to the rating. (If the Training Director does not approve of the evaluation by the Primary Supervisor, it may be modified or referred to the Director of the Center, or a change in supervision may be implemented.) If the evaluation is approved by the Training Director or the Director of the Center, the Training Committee will then review the rating, its rationale and any response to it from the trainee, to determine what action needs to be taken to address the concern.
The Committee may choose to issue an "Acknowledgment Notice". The notice will formally recognize that the Committee is aware of and concerned with the rating, that the trainee has been formally notified of it, that the relevant training staff will work with the trainee to rectify the problem, and that the behaviors associated with the rating are not considered significant enough at that point to warrant more serious action.
Alternatively, in more serious instances, the Committee may issue a "Probation Notice". With it, the Committee then establishes a process for a set period of time in which the Committee will systematically monitor through the trainee's supervisors the trainee's efforts to address and improve the identified concern. The probation statement should include the specific behaviors associated with the inadequate rating, the Committee's recommendations for rectifying the problem, the time frame for the probation during which the problem is expected to be ameliorated, and the procedures designed to ascertain whether the problem has been appropriately rectified. The Training Director or his or her designee will meet with the trainee to review the probationary conditions and the trainee may then accept the conditions or appeal the action.
The trainee's Academic Program may be informed if an Acknowledgment Notice is issued, and it will be informed when a Probation Notice is issued. Notification will indicate the nature of the inadequate rating, its rationale and the action taken by the Training Committee, and it will be issued to the Academic Director of Training. The trainee shall receive a copy of communications with the Academic Program. Once an Acknowledgment or Probation Notice is issued, it is expected that the status of the rating will be reviewed no later than the next formal evaluation period or, in the case of probation, no later than the time limits identified in the probation statement. If the concerns have been rectified to the satisfaction of the Committee, the trainee and the Academic Program and other individuals as appropriate will be informed, and no further action will be taken.
3. Situations in Which Review Panels are Initiated
Review Panels can be initiated by an appeal for the grievance process by the trainee of the action taken by the Training Committee, by a decision of the Committee when it is not satisfied with the trainee's response to its action, or by the complaint of a member of the Counseling Center staff about a trainee.
a) Trainee Appeal.
If the trainee appeals the action taken by the Committee, he or she must inform the Training Director in writing within one week of the receipt of notification of the action. A Review Panel will then be convened, consisting of the Training Director as chair, two members of the Training Committee selected by the Training Director, and two members selected by the trainee if so decided. A review hearing will be conducted in which the appeal is heard and the evidence presented. The trainee retains the right to be present and hear all facts with the opportunity to dispute or explain his or her behavior, prior to discussion by the Review Panel. Decisions by the Panel will be made by majority vote. Within one week of the completion of the review hearing, the Panel will submit a report in writing to the Director of the Counseling Center, with a copy to the trainee, including its findings and, if available, its proposed resolution, as well as recommendations for further action.
Within one week of receipt of the Panel's report, the Director of the Counseling Center will either accept the Review Panel's action, reject it and provide an alternative, or refer the matter back to the Review Panel for further deliberation. In the latter instance, the Panel would then report the results of its further deliberation back to the Center Director within one week of the receipt of the Director's request for further deliberation. The Director then will make a final decision regarding what action is to be taken. When the final decision has been reached, the trainee, the Academic Program and other appropriate individuals are informed in writing.
b) Committee Call for Review Panel
If the Training Committee determines that there has not been sufficient improvement in the trainee's behavior to remove the inadequate rating under the conditions stipulated in the probation, then a Review Panel will be convened to determine further action. The Panel will communicate in writing to the trainee and the Director of the Center that the conditions for lifting the probation have not been met. The Panel may then issue: a) a continuation of the probation for a further specified time period; b) a suspension whereby the trainee is prohibited from engaging in stated professional activities until there is evidence that the behavior in question has improved; or c) recommendation to the Director of the Counseling Center that the trainee be terminated from the program.
Within one week of the receipt of the Panel's determination, the trainee may respond by either accepting or appealing the action. If an appeal is made, the trainee must provide is writing within one week the reasons why the trainee maintains the action is unwarranted. A lack of response by the trainee will be interpreted as accepting the action. If the trainee appeals the Panel's action, the procedures outlined in the preceding section will be implemented.
c) Complaint by Staff Member
A staff member of the Center may submit to the Director of Training in writing a complaint against a trainee for violation of ethical or legal standards, serious professional incompetence or negligence, or major infringement on the rights of others. The Training Director will notify the trainee of the allegation and with the Primary Supervisor and the Clinical Director will comprise a subcommittee, unless one of them is the individual filing the grievance. If so, a different staff person will be appointed to the subcommittee. The subcommittee will review the complaint to determine if there is reason to proceed with an investigation or whether the behavior in question is in the process of being rectified and without major negative consequence.
If the subcommittee determines that the alleged behavior would not constitute a serious violation even if it is substantiated, the Training Director shall inform the trainee and the staff member, who may be allowed to renew the complaint if additional information is provided. When a decision has been made by the subcommittee that there is probable cause for deliberation by a Review Panel, the procedures outlined in Section 1 above will be implemented.
D. Remediation Considerations
It is important to establish appropriate means to address a condition of inadequate performance once it has been identified. Major courses of potential action include but are not limited to:
1) increasing supervision either with the same supervisor or with other supervisory arrangements;
2) changing the format, emphasis, and/or focus of supervision;
3) recommending personal therapy with consent by the trainee for feedback to be used for the evaluation process;
4) modifying the trainee's clinical or other workload;
5) requiring specific academic course work or other formal training; and/or
6) recommending, when appropriate, a leave of absence, a second Externship or Internship, and/or termination without fault from the training program.
Each of the foregoing steps should be documented in detail according to the specific requirements of a given situation, with copies provided to the trainee, the Academic Program when appropriate, and the Director of Training and the Director of the Center. Consultation with the Office of the University Counsel at any point in the review process may also be sought by the Director of Training with the concurrence of the Director of the Center.
When the above interventions do not, after a reasonable time period, rectify the inadequate performance, or when the trainee seems unable or unwilling to alter his/her behavior, the training program may need to take more formal action. The trainee may be given a limited endorsement, including the specification of those settings or roles in which he/she could function adequately. The trainee and the Academic Program may be notified that he or she has been dropped with fault from the training program after failing to successfully complete it. A career shift may be recommended and facilitated if possible for the trainee. In all actions taken, it is important that the steps are appropriately implemented, documented and communicated according to the preceding due process procedures.
E. General Responsibilities of the Training Program
A major focus of the Internship program is to assist trainees in integrating their personal values, attitudes and strengths with their collegial relations and their professional roles. The training program is committed to promoting a learning environment in which each intern can meaningfully explore personal issues which relate to his/her clinical functioning and professional development.
Corresponding to the expectations of trainees by the program, the following obligations are assumed by the program in its commitment to trainees:
1) the program will provide reasonably sufficient and measured opportunities for learning in supervised practice and related seminars to enable interns to develop and refine basic clinical competencies, appropriate to their level of training and advancing over the course of the year;
2) the program will provide necessary guidelines, professional standards and administrative requirements, Policies and Procedures and ongoing supervision and seminars to ensure trainees' understanding of what is expected of them;
3) the program will delineate the general criteria and procedures by which the performance of trainees are to be evaluated, and the means by which an evaluation can be appealed for review and reconsideration;
4) the program will provide formal written evaluations of the trainees' progress at set intervals designed to facilitate their professional development; evaluations will incorporate the collective perspectives of all members of the Training Committee who work with the trainee, and offer guidance and recommendations as to areas identified as in need of improvement;
5) the program will communicate with the trainee's academic program to verify satisfactory performance or coordinate recommendations as needed for improvement or remediation in areas of concern;
6) and the program will solicit formal feedback from trainees regarding all major aspects of training, both at the midpoint of the training year and at its conclusion, in order to implement corrective adjustments where indicated in the areas of supervision, seminars, or provision of services.
F. Informal Mediation Review
In the event of significant differences in the transactions of training and/or clinical work between a staff member and a trainee that cannot be worked out to their mutual agreement, either party or the Director of Training can request a Mediation Meeting to review the matter and make recommendations for its resolution. The meeting would consist of the two parties directly involved, a second staff member to be selected by the trainee, and the Director of Training, unless a potential conflict of interest for the Training Director requires instead the Clinical Director or the Director of the Center.
The meeting should be preceded by written statements by each of the involved parties, indicating his/her perspective on the issue and suggestions for how it can be resolved. These statements will be shared among all four members of the review meeting and will form the background basis for the discussion. The meeting will be led by the Director of Training or his/her designate, and it will provide the opportunity for participants to ask questions, offer comments, and seek the most equitable settlement for all concerned.
At the conclusion of the meeting, it is hoped that all participants can agree on a common resolution. If not, the Director of Training or designate will consider the written statements by each participant and either decide the matter informally and direct the parties involved accordingly, bring it to the Training Committee for discussion and recommendations, or refer it to the Director of the Center for further action or a decision. If the results of these steps do not prove acceptable to any of the concerned parties, a formal grievance procedure can be initiated and carried out according to the present document.
DATES, BENEFITS AND GENERAL POLICIES
The twelve-month internship year begins on the first day of the Fall Semester and continues for a full calendar year. Four full-time, one-year intern positions are planned. Stipends of at least $22,500 will be offered for each position. Interns are issued University ID cards that entitle them to use library, recreational, and computer facilities, and to attend athletic and cultural events on campus. They are afforded twelve days of vacation, in addition to university holidays, two weeks of sick leave, three days of professional development leave, and health insurance coverage. Insurance choices include an HMO and a State PPO Health Plan. In the case of a protracted sick leave or other absence, individual determinations by the Training Committee are made to decide whether the time requirements of the internship have been fulfilled or need to be extended.
The University of Illinois at Chicago is committed to maintaining a barrier-free environment so that individuals can fully access programs, courses, services and all activities at UIC. Students with disabilities who require accommodations for full access and participation in the internship can receive assistance from the Office of Disabilities (ODS). Please contact ODS at 312/413-2183 (voice), or 312/413-0123 (TTY). The Counseling Center makes every effort to accommodate interns with disabilities.
In general, former clients of the Counseling Center are not considered for training, in order to minimize dual role complications and potential conflicts of interest. Similarly, trainees who have completed a psychotherapy externship at the Center are not encouraged to apply for an internship at the Center because diversity in training settings is considered more advantageous for trainees in advancing professional development. Exceptions may be made in special circumstances, such as for former externs who elect a subsequent practicum experience or other additional training at a different site before applying for internship.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applications are invited from graduate students in doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology. Applicants are expected to have significant prior practicum experience in psychotherapy and assessment, with a minimum of 400 intervention and assessment hours. Strong applicants have an interest in the range of activities conducted at a Counseling Center, including group therapy, career counseling, and outreach programming. In addition, experience working with adults and an interest in multicultural populations are preferred.
Selection criteria are based broadly upon perceived goodness of fit between the internship's components and requirements and the candidate's qualifications, interests and potential for benefiting from and contributing to the program. Priority is given to students from APA- and CPA-accredited academic psychology programs.
The University of Illinois will not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, unfavorable discharge from the military or status as a protected veteran and will comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action laws, orders and regulations. This nondiscrimination policy applies to admissions, employment, access to and treatment in the University programs and activities. University complaint and grievance procedures provide employees and students with the means for the resolution of complaints that allege a violation of this statement.
This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.
Internship applicants must submit the following materials, all together, in one packet:
Cover letter,
- Program accreditation status
- Type of degree program (EdD, PhD, PsyD, clinical, counseling, other)
- Years of graduate education in psychology
Self addressed, stamped postcard to indicate completion of application packet
"Uniform Universal Application Form" of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), available on the Internet at http://www.appic.org/
In addition to the five essays in Section 2 of the form, the applicant is asked to include
an additional essay briefly describing factors that contributed to your character and values as a psychologist (no more than one page in length)
Current résumé/vita
Official transcripts of all graduate study in psychology or related fields
Letters of reference from three persons who are familiar with the applicant's character and clinical and/or academic work
The Application form statement from the candidate's Academic Director of Training verifying internship eligibility.
All application materials must be received by November 5, 2008, and early applications are recommended. Please allow for additional time for mail delivery through the university system. Applications are reviewed by the entire clinical staff, and current interns. The most favorably ranked 36 to 40 candidates will be invited to schedule on-site or telephone interviews of approximately two hours duration. Both forms of interview are given equal consideration and it is the applicant's option to choose the format. All applicants will be notified by mid-December of their status regarding interviews. Interviews will take place the first half of January 2009, in agreement with the Association of Chicago-area Accredited Internships. After completion of the interview process, candidates who are no longer under consideration will be so informed.
The Center conforms to APPIC Match Policies regarding internship applications, interviews and decisions, including the stipulation that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from an intern applicant. The program's Code Number with the National Matching Service is 126711.
Application materials should be addressed to:
Cyndy Boyd, Ph.D., Associate Director for Training
Counseling Center (M/C 333),
University of Illinois at Chicago
1200 West Harrison, Suite 2010
Chicago, Illinois 60607-7164
Fax: (312) 996-7645, email: cyndyb@uic.edu
Telephone: 312/996-3490, TYY (through the Office of Disability Services): 312/413-0123
CLINICAL TRAINING STAFF
Laurie Belzer, Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Chicago, 1993) Coordinator of Group Psychotherapy Program. Theoretical Orientation: Integrative/Buddhist. Areas of Special Interest: multicultural and gender issues, relationship concerns, Zen buddhist and eastern approaches to wellbeing, group psychotherapy
Cyndy J. Boyd, Ph.D. (State University of New York - Buffalo, 1995) Associate Director forTraining. Theoretical Orientation: Psychodynamic/Feminist/Interpersonal. Areas of Special Interest: sexual orientation and gender identity, trauma and abuse, multicultural counseling and training
Barbara J. Distler, Psy.D. (Illinois School of Professional Psychology, 1993) Theoretical Orientation: Integrative. Areas of Special Interest: gender issues, HIV/AIDS, creativity, professional burnout, career counseling, paraprofessional training and psycho-education
Joseph Hermes, Ph.D. (Loyola University Chicago, 1985) Director, Counseling Center. Theoretical Orientation: Integrative/Psychodynamic. Areas of Special Interest: administration of mental health services in university settings, brief therapies, consultation and psychoeducational outreach, supervision/mentoring of trainees.
Kelli Johnson, Ph.D. (University of Miami, 2002) Interim Assistant Director of Training. Theoretical Orientation: Integrative/Psychodynamic/cognitive-Behavioral. Areas of Special Interest: Multicultural Issues, African American students, Training & Supervision, Professional Identity Development.
Elizabeth J. Keys, Ph.D. (University of Cincinnati, 1976) Coordinator of Outreach Programs. Theoretical Orientation: Psychodynamic/Integrative. Areas of Special Interest: couples therapy, issues of health-professional students, career counseling, workshops and consultations on interpersonal/psycho-educational issues, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Andrew M. Knight, Ph.D. (Loyola University Chicago, 2006). Theoretical Orientation: Psychodynamic/Integrative. Areas of special interest: multiculturalism; GLBTQ issues; gender and sexuality; identity development across the lifespan; outreach programming; and training and supervision.
Karen L. Maddi, Ph.D. (University of North Carolina, 1988) Coordinator of Technology. Theoretical Orientation: Psychodynamic/Integrative. Areas of Special Interest: eating disorders, survivors of sexual abuse and assault, women's issues, career counseling, stress management, research and technology.
Robert R. Rodriguez, Ph.D. (University of Notre Dame, 2004)
Theoretical orientation: Interpersonal/Psychodynamic. Areas of Special Interest: Relational issues, identity-related concerns (e.g.,
race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality), obsessive-compulsive behavior, group therapy, couples counseling, Japanese approaches to mental wellness.
Anmol Satiani, Ph.D.(Boston College, 2007) Co-Coordinator of In-Touch Crisis Hotline. Theoretical Orientation: Psychodynamic/Integrative. Areas of Special Interest: cross-cultural counseling and training, gender issues, treatment of trauma, paraprofessional training, and crisis intervention and counseling.
Andrew Sia, M.A. (University of California Santa Barbara, 2002). Theoretical orientation: Existential/Interpersonal/Cognitive-Behavioral. Areas of Special Interest: multicultural counseling, career and life development, Asian/Asian American mental health, acculturation and intergenerational family conflicts, men's issues, and substance abuse treatment.
2008-2009 INTERNS
Neeta Kantamneni, M.S., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Counseling Psychology
Nic McCarley, M.A., Argosy University-Chicago Campus, Clinical Psychology
Ruth Montero, M.S.Ed., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Counseling Psychology
Kara Wolff, M.A, University of Western Michigan, Counseling Psychology
2007-2008 INTERNS
Michael Bricker, M.S., University of Memphis, Counseling Psychology
Danice Brown, M.A., The Ohio State University, Counseling Psychology
Stacy Frazier, M.S., Georgia State University, Counseling Psychology
Charlotte McCloskey, M.A., University of Missouri- Columbia, Counseling Psychology
2006-2007 INTERNS
Tamba-Kuii Bailey, M.A., Georgia State University, Counseling Psychology
Jennifer Caldwell, M.A., Loyola University-Chicago, Counseling Psychology
Julie Hau, M.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Counseling Psychology
Katherine Spencer, M.A., University of Missouri- Columbia, Counseling Psychology
2005/2006 INTERNS
Jamie Gayle, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Clinical Psychology
Jaymee Holstein, Auburn University, Counseling Psychology
Andrew Knight, M.A., Loyola University Chicago, Counseling Psychology
Allyse Sturdivant, M.A., Loyola University Chicago, Clinical Psychology
2004/2005 INTERNS
Grady Garner, MA, Loyola University-Chicago, Counseling Psychology
Eriko Kobayashi, MSW, Penn State University, Counseling Psychology
Miki Koyama, MS, Western Michigan University, Counseling Psychology
Anmol Satiani, MA, Boston College, Counseling Psychology
2003/2004 INTERNS
Stacy Kvet, MA, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology
Kevin Osten, Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology
Robert Rodriguez, MA, University of Notre Dame, Counseling Psychology
Emily Wells, MA, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology
2002/2003 INTERNS
Smitha Bhat, Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Matthew Diemer, MA, Boston College, Counseling Psychology
Tari Mellinger, University of Iowa, Counseling Psychology
Vicky Singh, Northwestern University, Clinical Psychology
Revised: August 2008