Practicum Training at CMHC
The goal of this advanced practicum is to provide doctoral program trainees with a focused and intensive experience in providing individual and group psychotherapy to college/university students and to provide training and supervision in the following areas:
- Clinical skills and competency in providing individual and group psychotherapy
- Understanding of and competence in the process dimension of psychotherapy as well as use of the therapist's self and the therapy relationship as agents of change
- Working competently and compassionately with clients from diverse life backgrounds and with wide-ranging presenting concerns
- Developing skills for working with a multidisciplinary professional staff in a large college counseling center
- Understanding and working with the "Use of Self" model of training at CMHC
All practicum students at CMHC will participate in both individual therapy and group therapy training.
Structure of the Practicum
The practicum requires 13-19 hours per week of on-site commitment from the trainee. There is also an expectation that there may be extra hours spent per week for reading, preparation, and other aspects of the training which augment direct services. While there is some flexibility in adapting the practicum requirements to the criteria set by the trainee's department, it is the trainee's responsibility to negotiate and adjust his/her time management style to meet these requirements. Please note that the practicum training program at CMHC undergoes periodic revision and therefore changes to some aspects of the specific program details may be made prior to the beginning of the training year. The structure of the practicum is as follows:
Orientation
Prior to the beginning of the Fall semester, an orientation session will be conducted in order to familiarize the incoming practicum students with various aspects of the Center (e.g., documentation, training on Initial Consultations) and the practicum. The orientation session will be within one week of the beginning of the Fall semester classes.
Individual Psychotherapy Experience
Each trainee is expected to provide a minimum of six hours per week for individual psychotherapy sessions. Given the variability in attendance rates and the fact that clients may be seen less often than every week, some trainees may carry an ongoing caseload of greater than six clients in order to meet this requirement. Students will be trained to conduct Initial Consultations (ICs) at CMHC. The IC is the client's first encounter with a CMHC clinician. When the Practicum Training Director and the student's supervisor determine, based on observation, clinical judgment, and consultation with the trainee, that the trainee is prepared, the trainee will begin conducting ICs independently. Cases will be added to the practicum students' caseloads via the IC process. Trainees are also expected to work collaboratively with their supervisors when making decisions about all aspects of the treatment process.
Group Psychotherapy Experience and Supervision
During each semester, trainees will participate as co-leaders of one semester-long group experience offered at the CMHC. Trainees will be matched with a CMHC staff member, who will serve as the trainee's group supervisor and co-leader. Throughout the practicum, the trainee will gain experience as a co-leader and will receive one hour of supervision weekly. In addition, for one semester of the practicum, the trainee will observe a psychotherapy process group and participate in weekly discussions related to this experience.
Individual Psychotherapy Supervision
Each practicum student will receive 1.5-2 hours per week of one-to-one individual therapy supervision.
Supervisory pairings and group assignments will be made at the beginning of each semester by the Practicum Training Director in consultation with CMHC staff members and other mental health professionals, and with student input to help maximize learning and growth and to avoid dual-role conflicts. Typically, each student will change individual therapy supervisors between the Fall and Spring semesters. During the Spring semester, most practicum students will receive individual consultation from a psychology intern and participate in a weekly case review session with the supervising psychologist and the intern.
Practicum Seminar
Each practicum trainee is expected to attend the seminar every week for the duration of this practicum. The seminar is scheduled during the early part of Monday afternoons. Practicum students are asked to arrange their course schedule in order to include the seminar. Practicum trainees are able to adjust almost every other aspect of this training experience to fit their academic schedule.
This two-semester seminar provides an opportunity for practicum students to process, learn, share, and teach each other about doing individual psychotherapy with UT students. We will cover a range of clinical and diversity topics, utilize case presentations and consultations, and have guest speakers to introduce and discuss several critical concepts in therapeutic practice. Various collaborative learning methods may be used in the seminar to foster cohesiveness, mutual learning, and respect for diverse theoretical and worldviews.
Anxiety Disorders Treatment Track
A specialized track focusing on the treatment of anxiety disorders is offered for 1 - 2 practicum students per year. A practicum student in this track will attend the general practicum seminar, see individual therapy clients, and co-lead groups, but with an emphasis on providing services to clients with identified anxiety disorders. In addition, the practicum student has the opportunity to be a member of the anxiety treatment team, with weekly meetings on Thursdays from 11:00am to 1:00pm (date/time subject to change). A practicum student in this track is typically supervised by the agency's Anxiety Disorders Specialist, Diana Damer, Ph.D., for both semesters.
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The Use of Self Model
Regardless of the specific work activity, a primary "thread" running through all our training activities is the skill 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.
Diversity
The CMHC staff is strongly committed to addressing the needs of a diverse student population, and our training programs strive to incorporate and highlight issues of difference as a fundamental part of the training experience.
In 1991, CMHC was one of the first university counseling centers to adopt a Statement on Diversity, as we believed that it was important to make a public statement about our values, commitments, and responsibilities in this area. In 2007, this statement was reviewed and revised by our staff in order to reflect the evolution of knowledge that has occurred over the years as well as our staff's ongoing reflection, discussion, and appreciation of these issues.
Professional Expectations of Trainees
It is expected that trainees will practice ethical behavior as defined in the APA Code of Ethics and observe all CMHC policies and procedures. Trainees are viewed as emerging professionals and are respected for the services and skills that they provide. Therefore, it is assumed that they will behave in a professional manner.
Psychotherapy Practicum students will also be expected to:
- Provide six to eight hours each week to be used for scheduling individual therapy clients. During these hours, it is expected that practicum students will be present at the CMHC even when no clients are scheduled. It is expected that practicum students will use unscheduled time to focus on assigned readings, prepare for supervision, review client folders, or to perform case management activities (e.g., making referrals, writing progress notes).
- Maintain a minimum caseload of six individual clients unless otherwise instructed by their supervisor.
- Digitally record every client session. Supervisors often view sessions privately and ask the trainee to show an individual therapy session (or specific part of a session) to aid supervision. Digitally recorded material related to clinical work is treated as confidential and trainees are instructed to how to ensure that this material is secured within the Center at all times.
- Be punctual, consistently attend, and actively participate in the practicum seminar. Practicum students are expected to read and be prepared to discuss assigned readings, to be actively involved in group discussions, and to openly discuss and enlist support and assistance with their clinical caseload.
- Be punctual, consistently attend, and actively participate in supervision. Practicum students are expected to prepare for supervision on a weekly basis and to initiate and actively engage in discussions which will lead to their professional growth and to receiving the feedback necessary to provide high-quality services to their clients. Trainees are expected to utilize the CMHC resources available to them if their clients experience clinical crises. These resources include individual supervisors, the Practicum Training Director, the daily crisis counseling teams, and the Assistant Director for Clinical Services.
- Be familiar with, commit to, and follow the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct along with the APA practice guidelines for multicultural populations, women and girls, LGB individuals, and older adults.
APA Ethical Principles of Psychologist and Code of Conduct.
APA Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists (PDF).
APA Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients.
APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women (PDF).
APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults (PDF).
- Maintain timely and accurate client records, including written and electronic documentation, according to established CMHC policies and procedures.
- Protect and safeguard ALL CONFIDENTIAL client material Specific procedures for protecting client information will be explained during orientation. Absolutely No records or recordings are allowed to be removed from CMHC premises, under any circumstances.
- Dress in a professional manner, consistent with agency norms for senior staff and interns.
Evaluation and Feedback
Evaluation and feedback is an ongoing process that occurs verbally throughout each semester. At the start of the semester, supervisors and trainees, in consultation with the Practicum Training Director, will identify supervisory and clinical goals. At mid-semester, the practicum student, group supervisor, individual supervisor, and Practicum Training Director meet to discuss the student's progress on goals and to highlight any areas of concern or growth so that trainees can focus their spring training efforts on these issues. As indicated, feedback is provided to department faculty who coordinate the practicum placements.
A more formal evaluation process takes place at the end of each academic semester. Supervisors provide a written summary of each student's competencies and progress, while the student completes a written evaluation of their experiences of their experiences with their supervisors. Each practicum student meets with her/his supervisor at the end of the semester to review and discuss these evaluations.
Copies of written departmental evaluations will be provided to the appropriate Directors of Training at the student's academic department.
Eligibility
The CMHC psychotherapy practicum is open to doctoral students who are enrolled in the Counseling Psychology or the Clinical Psychology training programs on the UT-Austin campus. Applicants are required to have had at least two years of practicum training prior to beginning the advanced practicum at CMHC.
Application Process
Applicants must submit a completed practicum application form, a current resume/vita, and one letter of recommendation from a clinical supervisor to the Praciticum Training Director. If possible, please submit the application and vita via e-mail. After the deadline, all applications will be reviewed, and selected students will be contacted to schedule an interview to discuss applicants' interests and to evaluate their suitability for the practicum. References and/or departmental representatives may be contacted in order to gather pertinent information. Applicants will be informed of their status as decisions mare made.
For the 2009-2010 training year, the application deadline is February 16, 2009.
More Information
If you have more questions about our program or the application process, please feel free to contact the practicum training director, Dr. Mark Zentner, at (512) 475-6922 or via email at:
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