Predoctoral Internship

The Facility and Its Philosophy

University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) offers a full range of psychological services to University of Southern Maine students to support and contribute to their personal growth and the enhancement of their higher education experience.

UHCS is staffed by a multidisciplinary team including four licensed doctoral level psychologists and two masters level counselors, one of whom serves as our multicultural specialist.  A psychiatric nurse practitioner working under the supervision of a psychiatrist is also available.  Family nurse practitioners, professional nurses, and consulting physicians provide primary care and health education to the student population. The theoretical orientation of the staff is diverse, and interns have the opportunity to work with staff who use a range of approaches.

UHCS has a long-standing commitment to providing intensive supervision and training.  Training is provided for Predoctoral interns and doctoral practicum students as well as for masters level trainees.  Postdoctoral training is also available.  All trainees, including interns, are respected as professional colleagues with valuable insights and perspectives, but are given the instruction and support appropriate for their level of experience.

The Clientele

UHCS provides brief psychotherapy to undergraduate and graduate students whose concerns vary from acute situational stress through the full range of psychopathology.  A range of clients of different ages and backgrounds are seen.  Services include individual, couples and group psychotherapy, crisis intervention, consultation, prevention, and educational programming.  Psychiatric evaluation and medication management are provided for selected clients on referral from Counseling Services clinicians.

The Training Program

The Predoctoral internship program at UHCS is designed to provide a broad-based training experience in the practice of psychology in a university counseling center.  While exposure to a variety of professional activities is available, a genuine commitment to intensive supervision and to the furthering of interns' professional and personal  growth exists as the foundation of our program.  The primary goals of the training program are:

1) To foster the development of interns' professional and personal functioning and identity
2) To assist interns in becoming highly responsible, ethical and competent entry level psychologists
3) To facilitate the development of competencies in professional psychology
4) To foster respect for and appreciation of individual differences, and to increase understanding of the dynamics of power, oppression and cultural influence
 

The training experience includes the following components:

SERVICE ACTIVITIES

Individual and Couples Counseling:  Most clients are served through brief therapy (1-12 sessions), although interns may work with a small number of individuals for longer term treatment.  Interns work with a diverse student population, including non-traditional aged students, international students, individuals from diverse racial, cultural and gender backgrounds, and students with disabilities. Full-time interns generally carry a caseload of between 15 and 20 client hours per week.

Intake/Assessment:  The assessment of incoming clients is made during the initial intake.  Depending on student demand for service, interns may conduct between one and four intakes per week.  The intake worker is responsible for clarifying the presenting problem, assessing the severity and need for immediate intervention, providing appropriate diagnosis, and developing a treatment plan that may or may not include UHCS involvement.  The emphasis of this training experience is on developing a conceptual understanding of presenting problems through the clinical interview, utilizing standardized assessment instruments to complete and refine the clinician's diagnostic impressions as appropriate, and synthesizing this information into an effective treatment plan.

Group Counseling:  The UHCS group program includes general therapy and theme-centered groups, as well as structured and unstructured offerings.  Recent groups have addressed women's support, recovery support, and family of origin issues.  Interns are encouraged to co-facilitate at least one group during the year, typically with a senior staff member or postdoctoral fellow.  Supervision for group work is provided in a group format with other trainees and senior staff as well as in individual supervision.

Crisis Intervention:  Crisis intervention at UHCS encompasses a range of situations from working with a distressed student to hospitalizing an individual who is psychotic or suicidal.  Crisis intervention may also  involve supporting a group of students who have experienced a trauma such as the sudden death of a classmate.  UHCS works closely with Residential Life and the USM Police in handling mental health emergencies.  All clinical staff and interns may be called upon to handle walk-in daytime emergencies.  Interns gain experience in screening for hospitalization as part of their crisis intervention experience.

Consultation and Outreach:  UHCS staff offer programming on mental health issues and consultation to faculty and staff on student-related problems.  Interns  participate actively in the planning and delivery of these services.  UHCS staff and interns consult with departments requesting services and participate in training of Student and University Life staff on psychological issues.  Interns consult with physicians and other medical personnel and have opportunities to initiate and develop collaborative programs.  UHCS offers prevention and educational programming to the University community.  These programs cover wide-ranging topics, including stress management, assertiveness, healthy relationships, and test anxiety.  Each semester interns are expected to develop and present at least one such offering to the campus community.  They are also encouraged to negotiate a  consultative relationship with at least one campus agency.  Research and scholarly inquiry are also encouraged.

Supervision:  When possible, interns will serve as secondary supervisors to masters level trainees, collaborating with trainees' primary supervisors who maintain overall responsibility for oversight of cases. Interns are supervised on this work by their individual supervisors.

Special Rotations:  Interested interns may select to spend one day per week on the Lewiston-Auburn campus, serving a diverse student body in the State's second largest metropolitan area.  Lewiston-Auburn has a large Franco-American and a growing immigrant and refugee population, and is a leader in interdisciplinary education.

Interns may also co-facilitate the Multicultural Forum, a film and discussion series dedicated to the empowerment of racially/ethnically underrepresented students at USM through dialogue and educational methods.

TRAINING SEMINARS AND SUPERVISION

Supervision: Supervision is considered the most important aspect of the training program. Senior staff provides extensive supervision in various formats throughout the year.  Interns are assigned two supervisors who provide a minimum of two hours per week of individual supervision. In addition to the individual supervision, staff provides supervision of groups, testing, consultation and any other major activity in which interns engage.  Additional individual supervision may be arranged as required.  Group supervision is provided throughout the year, with the aim to develop interns' skills, sensitivity, and awareness regarding individual differences, diversity, and multicultural issues.  This occurs through a combination of didactic training, self-exploration, and case discussions.  Additional consultation and supervision occur when staff and interns co-lead groups or other activities.  Interdisciplinary input is provided in joint UHCS staff meetings that include nurse practitioners, physicians, and our psychiatric nurse practitioner. During these meetings interns and staff present cases and explore a variety of clinical and conceptual issues.  Interns collaborate closely with these team members, enhancing their understanding of psychiatric and medical perspectives.

Training Seminars:  Internship training begins with two full days of orientation to UHCS in late August.  During these days interns become acquainted with the staff, the setting, and UHCS policies and procedures.  Training in crisis intervention, brief therapy, and documentation is also provided.  Following orientation, interns spend a minimum of four hours per week in regularly scheduled training activities, including staff meetings and seminars.  They also have  opportunities to attend outside trainings, conferences and university sponsored events.

Grand Rounds:  Interns attend weekly psychiatric grand rounds at Maine Medical Center on Tuesdays from 8:00am-9:00am.

Case Conference:  Interns participate with senior staff in weekly case conference, during which theoretical issues, diagnoses, client dynamics and treatment planning recommendations are addressed.

Didactic Seminar: The didactic seminar meets weekly to explore a broad spectrum of theoretical and applied clinical issues.  These included ethics, cultural diversity, psychopathology  and diagnosis, short-term therapy, professional development, and clinical theory and methods.  Topics for the seminars are chosen based on their relevance to work in a university counseling center, and are designed to expand the knowledge base of staff as well as interns.  Presenters include UHCS staff, university faculty and individuals from the outside community.

Peer Support:  Interns meet weekly without staff present for mutual support and peer supervision.

Intern Meetings:  Interns meet bi-weekly with the Director of Training to process the internship experience, and to address clinical issues and case conceptualization as well as administrative matters.

AVERAGE WEEKLY TIME SCHEDULE

* Given the nature of the academic calendar and the ensuing demands upon university counseling centers,  the total number of hours per week will vary.  The Fall and Spring semesters are typically very busy and interns along with senior staff may work more than their contracted hours.  However, winter and spring break and the summer session are less demanding times for the center and interns have more flexibility for scheduling professional development activities and vacations.  During the summer months clinical demand decreases significantly and more time is available for consultation, outreach, scholarly activity and research.

MEET OUR STAFF

The Counseling staff reflect diverse backgrounds, training, theoretical orientation and special interests.  The staff participates actively in planning and delivery of services, in weekly staff meetings, seminars and other professional development activities.  To read more about each staff member please click the link above "MEET OUR STAFF"

Consultants

Victoria Hayes, M.D.: Family Practice Physician

Paul Dexter, LCSW:  Director of Early Student Success.

To Apply: 

All materials must be submitted by January 1, 2009.  A completed application includes:

1) A curriculum vitae describing educational and employment experience

2) Official graduate transcripts

3) Three letters of recommendation from people familiar with your academic performance and clinical work

4) A statement describing your interest in the University of Southern Maine's training program, including personal objectives and professional goals

All finalists will be contacted to arrange an interview, to take place either in person (strongly recommended) or by phone.

Application materials should be sent to:

Janis Mallon, Ph.D.                                
Director of Training
University Health and Counseling Services

University of Southern Maine
P.O. Box 9300

96 Falmouth Street
 Portland, ME  04104-9300
(207) 780-4050
Fax (207) 780-5749

 The University of Southern Maine has an institution-wide commitment to inclusion, diversity, multiculturalism and community. We actively engage in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and student body that include members of historically underrepresented groups. We strive to build and sustain a welcoming and supportive campus environment. USM provides outstanding leadership opportunities for people interested in promoting and enhancing diversity, nurturing creativity and building community.

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