Individual Counseling: In both the fall and spring semesters, interns manage a caseload of 9-12 individual clients. In the summer semester, the number of individual clients may increase to as many as 16. The counseling center receives clients who present a variety of concerns ranging from normal developmental issues to serious chronic maladjustment. A short-term counseling approach is the norm at SCS with the therapist and client negotiating a focused therapeutic contract. Each therapist is responsible for diagnosing the clients using the DSM-5 format. All intern clinical services are directly supervised by a licensed senior staff psychologist.
Group Counseling: In the fall and spring semesters, interns co-facilitate 1-2 psychotherapy groups with a senior staff member and receive supervision by that senior staff member concerning their facilitation skills. Interns are encouraged to develop special groups in line with their interests. The following is a partial list of groups which have been offered at SCS:
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- Understanding Self and Others (USO) Coed/Men’s/Women’s
- Understanding Self and Others (USO) Graduate Students
- Understanding Self and Others (USO) with Self-Compassion
- Understanding Self and Others (USO) with Mindfulness
- Family of Origin
- Relational Trauma
- Making Peace with Food and Body
- Food, Feelings, and You
- Diverse Identities
- International Students Group
- Mindfulness-Based Therapy Group
- Gender Identity and Expression Group
- Grief Group
- Queer to Questioning
- Create Your Own Calm (Anxiety Workshop)
- Emotion Skills Workshop
- Mindfulness Workshop
Dr. Chris Wilson shares more about our group counseling culture and special emphasis area as part of our APA Doctoral Internship.
Intake Assessment Interviews and Crisis On-Call: For approximately five hours each week, interns are involved in assessment interviewing and crisis on-call counseling. SCS has established a walk-in intake and crisis response system where clients are triaged for their fit into the agency’s services and risk assessments are conducted if needed. The triage is a brief intake interview, consisting of a 20-30 minute clinical interview. Interns also carry our after-hours crisis phone a week at a time. Because interns receive full staff benefits and 24 vacation days per year, they will be expected to carry the after-hours crisis phone at least 3 times per year in order to ensure a 2000-hour internship.
Supervision of Practicum Student: For 2 hours per week, interns supervise a doctoral level practicum student from the department of Counseling Psychology who is completing practicum training at SCS. Practicum trainees see approximately eight clients per week. These clients are screened through an assessment procedure in terms of the severity and complexity of the case to ensure appropriate assignments.
Eating Disorder Assessment: Interns all complete training in conducting a 3-5 session eating disorder assessment protocol and report writing during the August orientation. Interns are assigned to complete ED assessments throughout the school year and typically have one on their caseload at all times. Interns provide ongoing eating disorder treatment in individual therapy as well, depending on the intern’s interest in that clinical issue and on client demand.
Outreach and Consultation: An average of one hour each week is devoted to outreach and consultation services. Interns provide outreach services to college students, faculty, staff and campus organizations, based on agency needs, liaison roles, and interest. Interns will be given priority when opportunities for presentations arise. As part of their outreach responsibilities, interns will complete a project. This project will include service to an underrepresented/underserved population of interest and will involve facilitation of relationships between organizations on campus and delivery of an original outreach presentation/workshop. Interns will complete a minimum of five outreach presentations each semester (fall and spring).
Weekly Training Schedule
Fall Semester
| Direct Service: | ||
| Counseling (individual, career, assessments) | 9 hours | Weekly |
| Group Counseling | 3 hours | Weekly |
| Walk-In-Triage Coverage | 5 hours | Weekly |
| Outreach/Consultation | 1 hour | Varies |
| Supervision of Practicum Student | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Total | 20 hours | |
| Training Received: | ||
| Clinical Case Conference | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Individual Supervision | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Group Supervision | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Training Modules | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Supervision of Supervision Seminar | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Professional Development/Time with Training Director | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Rotating Eating Disorders Case Conference and Group Seminar | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Total | 9 hours | |
| Administration: | ||
| Case Management | 3 hours | Weekly |
| Case Management of Supervision | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Staff Meeting/Staff Professional Development | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Clinical Case Disposition Team | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Total | 7 hours | |
| Special Emphasis Area: | 4 hours | Weekly |
| Grand Total Hours for Fall Semester | 40 hours |
Spring Semester
| Direct Service: | ||
| Counseling (includes individual, career, assessment) | 10 hours | Weekly |
| Group Counseling | 3 hours | Weekly |
| Supervision of Doctoral Practicum student | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Walk-In-Triage Coverage | 5 hours | Weekly |
| Outreach/Consultation | 1 hour | Varies |
| Total | 21 hours | |
| Training Received: | ||
| Clinical Case Conference | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Individual Supervision | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Group Supervision | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Supervision of Supervision | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Professional Development/Time with Training Director | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Rotating Eating Disorder Case Conference and Group Seminar | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Training Modules | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Total | 8 hours | |
| Administration | ||
| Case Management | 3 hours | Weekly |
| Case Management of Supervision | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Staff Meeting/Staff Professional Development | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Clinical Case Disposition Team | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Total | 7 hours | |
| Special Emphasis Area: | 4 hours | |
| Grand Total Hours for Spring Semester | 40 hours |
Summer
| Direct Service: | ||
| Counseling (includes individual, group, career, assessment) | 16 hours | Weekly |
| Walk-In-Triage Coverage | 5 hours | Weekly |
| Outreach/Consultation | 1 hour | Varies |
| Total | 22 hours | |
| Training Received: | ||
| Clinical Case Conference | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Individual Supervision | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Rotating Eating Disorder Case Conference and Group Seminar | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Training Modules | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Time with Training Director or Training Administration Seminar | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Total | 6 hours | |
| Administration | ||
| Case Management | 5 hours | Weekly |
| Staff Meeting/Staff Professional Development | 2 hours | Weekly |
| Clinical Case Disposition Team | 1 hour | Weekly |
| Total | 8 hours | |
| Special Emphasis Area: | 4 hours | |
| Grand Total Hours for Summer Semester | 40 hours |
Note: This summer schedule can be adjusted to meet agency needs or interns’ interests, goals, or needs.