Internship Activities

Most of the direct service activities required of interns mirror the typical direct service schedules of the full-time professional staff at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). In addition, interns participate in weekly supervision, educational, and support meetings. The activities which constitute the internship experience at CAPS are described below. Interns typically spend 23 to 24 hours per week in direct service activities during the course of the internship year.

A. Direct Service

Initial Evaluation: The purpose of an initial evaluation is to: (a) provide a brief risk assessment, (b) gathering key presenting information and (c) disposition the client for the services that best meets the client’s needs. Key areas of information gathered are: (a) presenting problem(s), (b) identifying information, (c) brief review of psychosocial history (noting any medical history, psychiatric history, and substance use history shared on data forms), and (d) brief mental status exam assessment.

Furthermore, the interns are expected to utilize the DSM-5-TR for obtaining a diagnosis and determine a collaborative treatment plan with their client. During the year, interns have four initial evaluations slots per week.

Individual/Couples Counseling: The provision of counseling is a core activity of CAPS. Most clients seek individual counseling though there are some opportunities to work with clients who are presenting for couples/relationship counseling. Although CAPS does not have a firm session limit, we espouse a short-term service delivery model. Consequently, most clients are seen biweekly between 4-8 sessions. CAPS has consistently seen a high volume of clients each fiscal year. Interns can expect to carry a steady caseload of clients, seeing approximately 17-20 counseling appointments per week.

Crisis Care Counseling: Training in crisis/urgent counseling begins during orientation. Interns receive training on risk assessment and crisis intervention prior to seeing clients. The crisis and care management includes working with the Care Manager on case management. This includes following up with students who use the on-call counselor (ProtoCall Services) and request a follow up call from CAPS. Interns will also be given the opportunity to support the Care Manager on post-hospitalization sessions. Finally, interns will be a part of the support to engage in postvention services and community response services when needed.

Interns will serve as back up for walk-ins and crises like the rest of the CAPS team. Interns work closely with their primary supervisor and the CAPS care manager for these services. Therefore, interns will want to see who is available after or during these sessions as well.

In general, interns are always encouraged to seek consultation during a crisis appointment if/when needed. It is the expectation that interns discuss each crisis case and high-risk client (e.g., high SI subscale on CCAPS) during supervision with their primary supervisor even when consultation has already occurred. If suicidal or homicidal risk is high, it is expected that the intern also inform the CAPS Training Director and Director.

Group Counseling: Each intern is strongly encouraged to be involved in the CAPS group program. This can be through either co-leading a process group, psychoeducation, or support groups during the internship year. If an intern chooses to co-facilitate a processing group, it is expected that the intern selects one group opportunity that matches their training needs during the internship year. Interns involved in therapy groups are trained to provide group screenings.

The presenting needs of CAPS’ clients determine the number and types of group offerings provided each year. Types of groups that are offered include interpersonal process groups, support groups, and psychoeducational groups/workshops.

Outreach and Consultation: Interns provide consultation with faculty, staff, and family members of students as needed. Outreach consists of topical presentations and a general overview of CAPS services to various campus groups. Interns will be provided with training on Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training and the opportunity to present on the topic to students, staff, and faculty. Interns are required to conduct at least three (3) topical outreach engagements during the internship year and seven (7) or more general outreach services. A total of 10 outreach engagements.

Assessment: During orientation, the intern receives training on initial evaluations, risk assessments, and clinical diagnosis. In addition, interns receive training on the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) as well as other general screening instruments used during the course of therapy (e.g., BDI, BAI).

Interns are expected to initially utilize their primary when discussing assessment needs/concerns, results of screeners (e.g., CCAPS), and feedback of assessments (e.g., a risk assessment, CCAPS). Primary supervisors will also guide interns on writing these results/findings into their progress notes. As the year progresses, the interns are expected to become more independent with assessments and consult as needed.

Provision of Supervision: Interns will provide individual supervision to advanced counseling psychology practicum students within the Counseling Psychology Department during the fall and spring semesters. Based on the number of counseling psychology students in the course, interns can supervise up to two (2) students each semester. CAPS strongly believes that training in the provision of supervision is central to the identity of a psychologist.

Interns are expected to provide at least one hour of one-to-one supervision to a supervisee on a weekly basis. In addition, interns will observe their supervisee's live behind a two-way mirror (or via Zoom) for the student’s first intake and first termination session. Then, interns are expected to watch at least three (3) additional full clinical sessions of their supervisee over the course of each semester.

The supervision of supervision supervisor is the licensed psychologist of record. This supervisor will be the final signature on all case notes. Consultations are expected when interns need additional support outside of the supervision of supervision meetings. Interns are given one hour of supervision preparation time to review notes and digital recordings each week for each supervisee. Supervision of Supervision is provided for one hour each week during the fall and spring semesters. Interns are encouraged to discuss and show clips of their provision of supervision with their primary supervisors and during supervision of supervision.

Clinical Interest Area: Interns will have an opportunity to have a more immersed experience/training in a clinical area of interest. During orientation, interns are expected to discuss what clinical area/topic/population they would like to pursue with the Training Director. Examples of clinical areas or populations would include supervision, group counseling, eating disorders, diversity issues, alcohol and other drugs, career counseling, international students, students of color, and the LGBTQ+ population. If these areas do not fit the intern’s training needs, the intern may talk with the Training Director about their interest and have that formally approved. The expectation is that interns will spend approximately 24 hours during the internship year in reading, consultation, and discussion about their area. If additional clinical opportunities arise in these areas, the CAPS Training Director will work with the interns on coordinating those experiences at CAPS.

B. Supervision/Training

Primary Supervision: A licensed psychologist provides the primary supervision of an intern during the internship year. For two hours each week, the intern meets with their supervisor to focus on case conceptualization, risk assessment, dispositional decision-making, case management, diagnosis, CCAPS assessment, treatment planning, and provision of supervision. Ethical decision-making is also a focus of primary supervision. Professional development goals and needs are typically discussed during meetings with the Training Director. However, professional development goals may be discussed at times with the primary supervisor as time allows in the late fall and spring semesters.

Supervision of Group Work: Interns receive group supervision with their group co-leader who is a licensed CAPS clinician. Group Supervision is an opportunity for interns to discuss group dynamics and seek consultation with their co-facilitator. A half-hour of supervision is provided each week the group is held. This typically occurs either 30 minutes before or after the group.

Supervision of Supervision: Interns meet as a group for one hour each week for supervision of supervision of their counseling psychology practicum student(s). Interns are expected to show clips of their supervision in the fall and eventually move to more discussion of providing supervision during the spring semester. The interns are supervised by a licensed psychologist.

Intern Case Conference: The Intern Case Conference meets for one hour each week. The Intern Case Conference focuses on case conceptualization, treatment planning, and intervention skills. Interns present digital recordings of counseling sessions and discuss their cases in a collaborative manner. Interns rotate each week by taking the lead in presenting a client. In addition, interns will also prepare for a job talk presentation on one of their clinical cases. These presentations are provided to the CAPS team between the following time frame, fall break and winter break.

A licensed CAPS staff member will serve as the supervisor for the intern case conference during the fall and another licensed CAPS staff member will serve as the supervisor in the spring semester. The exposure of supervision by various staff members is intended to complement the intern’s primary supervision experience as well as to expose interns to a variety of theoretical orientations.

Intern Case Conference is an opportunity for interns to utilize and discuss empirically supported treatments, develop skills in providing professional feedback, and consulting with peers about one’s clinical work. Interns join the CAPS staff case conference in the summer.

Intern Supervision with CAPS TD: Interns receive one hour of supervision per week as a group with the Training Director from August through May. Interns openly discuss all aspects of the internship such as daily administrative questions, case management concerns, staff/intern relationships, supervision (given/received), professional development issues, and identity as a burgeoning psychologist. The Training Director serves as an advocate for intern growth and development.

Supervision of Outreach/Crisis: Interns will always keep their primary supervisors aware of their crisis clients and outreach services. In addition, interns will meet with the Care Manager according to the need for supervision/consultation. The Outreach Coordinator will also meet with the interns for consultation and supervision needs as needed. Interns are expected to reflect on their outreach presentations and share their experience with their supervisors and the Outreach Coordinator.

Interns are encouraged to consult with the outreach coordinator and care manager in collaboration with their primary supervisors regarding their outreach and crisis service goals. Working as a team helps interns successfully learn skills in crisis intervention and outreach programming during the internship year.

Supervision of Assessment: Interns will utilize their primary supervision to discuss risk assessments, CCAPS, and other screeners used with their clients. Provision of feedback to clients is also reviewed during this supervisory meeting. Interns may also utilize the Care Manager for consultation on risk assessment.

Intern Seminars/Didactics: Interns will receive didactic seminar trainings during orientation. A majority of the didactic training is formally provided by the NICPP at the monthly consortium seminars.

C. Meetings/Additional Training

Diversity Retreats: Interns will meet during orientation, winter break, and the summer semester to experience diversity retreats. During the diversity retreats, interns will have the opportunity to hear the diversity life stories of the facilitators. These stories are used as a model of self-disclosure. Interns are then invited to share their own stories of personal diversity. Interns will also experience a variety of experiential activities to enhance knowledge, awareness, and skills in the area of individual and cultural diversity.

Staff Meeting: Interns will attend CAPS Staff meetings twice per month or as needed. During these meetings, interns will be exposed to informational meetings where departmental policies, CAPS clinical demands, and professional development issues are discussed.

Committee on Inclusive Excellence: Interns who choose a concentration area in diversity will attend the CAPS Committee on Inclusive Excellence monthly meeting. This meeting typically covers various topics related to diversity issues and inclusivity.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Meetings: Interns will attend CAPS DEI meetings. This two-hour meeting is typically held once a month. Trainings are organized by the Committee on Inclusive Excellence (CIE). The focus of these meetings is on a variety of topics related to diversity, inclusivity, and current national/regional/local issues.

Staff Case Conference: Interns will attend the CAPS case conference during the summer session. These meetings provide an open forum for interns and professional staff members to discuss current counseling cases and professional development issues.

D. Administrative Time

Paperwork: Interns are allotted six hours for documentation of their clinical work. The following are examples of ways paperwork can be utilized.

• Note Completion: Interns typically spend 30-40 minutes completing IEs and 10-15 minutes on Progress Notes after a few months at CAPS.
• Supervision Preparation: Interns are allotted one to two hours per week to prepare for supervision with their trainee and their supervision. This time is part of their paperwork time and should be noted as such within their schedule as “Supervision Prep”. During this time, interns are expected to review case documentation of their supervisee, clip, and prep for their upcoming supervision session with their supervisee, primary supervisor and/or for supervision of supervision. Interns are also encouraged to research relevant empirically supported treatments to assist their supervisee’s clinical cases as needed.
• Readings and Research: Interns are given up to one hour weekly to use for readings, research, and prep time for clients and/or supervision. Interns are encouraged to use their time to prepare for their clinical caseload and supervision needs.
• Case Management: Interns are given up to one hour each week for managing their clinical caseload. During this time, interns are encouraged to consult family, faculty, staff, and CAPS providers when necessary. This is noted within their paperwork hour.

Summer Administrative Project: The interns will be involved in working with the CAPS team on a summer project that corresponds to the agency’s needs. During the summer, all CAPS professional staff members are involved in summer committees. Interns are encouraged to be involved in one of the summer project areas that is of interest to them. The CAPS staff member chairing the committees will oversee the intern’s work. Interns are expected to update the Training Director on the work they completed for the summer administrative project during the month of July.