Practicum Training Questions and Answers
Q: Who is qualified for the Psychotherapy Practicum?
A: The Psychotherapy Practicum is open to doctoral students in the Counseling Psychology Training Program and the Clinical Psychology Training Program on the UT-Austin campus. Applicants are required to have had at least two semesters of practicum training prior to beginning the Psychotherapy Practicum at CMHC.
Q: Will I get experience in both group and individual therapy?
A: Yes, practicum students at CMHC participate in both individual therapy and group psychotherapy training.
Q: How do I apply?
A: Applicants must complete the Psychotherapy Practicum Application Form, submit a current resume/vita, and letter of recommendation by the designated deadline in February. After the deadline, all applications will be reviewed by the Practicum Training Director. Selected students will be contacted to schedule an interview to discuss the applicants' interests and to evaluate the applicants' suitability for the practicum. As indicated, applicants' references and/or departmental representatives may be contacted in order to gather pertinent information. Applicants will be informed of their status as decisions are made.
Q: When do I need to apply for the Psychotherapy Practicum at CMHC?
A: The application process begins in late January and closes in mid-February. This year the deadline is February 12, 2010.
Q: What will I gain from this experience?
A: Practicum students will build on their skills in individual and group psychotherapy, will be able to learn about and conduct time-limited and ongoing therapy within a university counseling center, participate as a member of a multidisciplinary staff, and take part in weekly 1:1 supervision meetings and larger seminar sessions. Practicum students will also become familiar with interpersonal process therapy and the overarching ÒUse of SelfÓ model that is embraced by the CMHC staff as a whole.
Q: How is supervision done at CMHC?
A: Practicum students receive direct supervision for 1.5-2 hours per week regarding their individual clinical work. During the fall semester, all supervision is provided by licensed mental health professionals on the CMHC staff, including psychologists, social workers, and licensed professional counselors. In the spring semester, several practicum students receive supervisory input from both a senior staff psychologist and a pre-doctoral intern working under close supervision.
Group supervision is done in vivo, as practicum students work with their assigned supervisors (members of the CMHC staff) to lead groups in the Center. In addition to the time spent running the groups, practicum students receive an additional one hour per week of supervision regarding group issues.
Throughout our training programs, the ÒUse of SelfÓ model is relied on heavily in supervision.
Q: What is the "Use of Self" model?
A: Regardless of the specific work activity, a primary "thread" running through all our training activities is the concept of "Use of Self" and its variants. For us, this means assisting the trainee in exploring and understanding the qualities and dynamics that he or she brings to each interpersonal encounter and how these facilitate or hinder effective interactions. It also means that the trainee is encouraged to become more attuned to his or her own thoughts and feelings in working with clients, and recognize how this increased self-awareness can be used to better understand client dynamics and develop effective treatment strategies. Because we believe in the working alliance as an indispensable ingredient in any helping relationship, we encourage trainees to recognize, improve, and employ those personal qualities that will assist in forming effective working relationships with clients, peers, center staff, and other members of the university community.
Because our training programs are based largely on a relational, use-of-self training model, and because we believe that optimal professional development occurs within the context of self-reflection and personal exploration, our various training activities will, at times, ask trainees to disclose personal information. Our training staff takes very seriously its responsibility to foster and maintain a safe, trusting, and supportive environment that will allow such disclosures to occur in accordance with the goals and objectives of our training model.
Q: What's the structure for the seminar?
A: The seminar meets weekly and typically includes the following elements:
- Formal and informal case presentations and discussion
- Discussion of assigned readings
- Presentations by guest lecturers on a variety of clinically-related topics
- Focused discussions of topics such as crisis intervention, initial consultation training, treatment planning, termination, etc.
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