Department : Counseling and Psychological Services

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1618
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Washington State University
Department: Counseling and Psychological Services
Address: Cougar Health Services
Washington Building, Room 302
PO Box 642302
Pullman, Washington 99164-2302
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: 75 miles south of Spokane, WA
Phone: 509-335-4511
Fax: 509-335-2924
Email: kayla.zeal@wsu.edu
Web Address: https://cougarhealth.wsu.edu/about-us/doctoral-internship/
Brochure Website's Address: https://cougarhealth.wsu.edu/about-us/doctoral-internship/
Primary Agency Type: University Counseling Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Academic Health Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Kayla Zeal PhD
Chief Psychologist: Loren Brown
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 9
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 1
Position Information
Start Date: 07/01/2024
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 4
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 37425
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Comp Time , Dental Insurance, Disability Insurance, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): free city bus pass
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Interns work from 8 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday, with possible occasional evening commitments. In a typical week, they conduct 14-17 hours of clinical interventions. This may include initial consultations, individual therapy, group and workshop facilitation, crisis interventions, ADHD/LD assessment, motivational interviewing-based AOD interventions, one hour of same day mental health coverage in the medical clinic, biofeedback, and couples therapy (limited). Interns also provide weekly supervision of initial consultations, skills-based workshops, and outreaches for beginning practicum counselors. Each semester, interns choose a two to three-hour/week minor rotation that is clinically or teaching based. For the academic year, they also pair with a senior clinician as a liaison to another university organization serving diverse students (e.g., Multicultural Student Services, International Programs, Student Support Services, the ROAR program (for students with intellectual disabilities), or the LGBTQ+ Center. Interns receive 2 hours of individual supervision, 2 or more hours of group supervision, and participate in training seminars on a weekly basis. They help plan and facilitate twice/semester Diversity Trainings for CAPS clinicians and may choose to participate on the CAPS Diversity Committee. Interns participate in a weekly provider meeting, a bi-weekly intern process meeting, and periodic Cougar Health Services staff meetings. Less regularly over each semester interns facilitate outreaches (3+ per semester). They also formally present on one clinical case and either their dissertation or other smaller research project. Interns do not provide after-hours crisis services. CAPS interns are currently working predominantly on-site and offering both in-person and telehealth services. CAPS will continue to follow CDC, State of Washington, and university guidelines regarding safe workplace practices.
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? Yes
Doctoral Psychology Practicum StudentsYes
Masters Psychology Practicum StudentsNo
Do Psychology Interns/Postdocs Have the Opportunity to Supervise Practicum Students?Yes
Is this program fully affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Is this program partially affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: 11/05/2023 11:59 PM EST
Interviews at this site are:
A Virtual Interview is:
Interview notification date: 12/12/2023
Tentative interview date: 01/03/2024
Interview process description:

Applicants will be notified of their interview status by email on or prior to 12/12/2023. Individual interviews will be held via Zoom videoconferencing throughout the first half of January 2024. Interviews will be conducted by two selection committee members and will last 50-60 minutes. Current CAPS interns are active participants on the intern selection committee. As part of the interview, applicants can expect to respond to questions about a case provided during the interview. Once their interview is completed, applicants are welcome to schedule a time to speak further with a current intern, the Training Director, or another CAPS provider about the WSU internship program. CAPS will also be scheduling a Virtual Open House for late January, 2024. Applicants are also welcome to visit the site after they have interviewed. During such a visit, applicants would receive a tour of the WSU CAPS facility and meet with a current intern and either the Training Director or an intern supervisor. 

How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Alliant International University Clinical Psychology, Antioch University Clinical Psychology, Argosy University Atlanta Clinical Psychology, Azusa Pacific University Clinical Psychology, Brigham Young University Clinical Psychology, CA School of Professional Psychology Clinical Psychology, Colorado State University Counseling Psychology, Eastern Kentucky University Clinical Psychology, Fielding Graduate University Clinical Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary Clinical Psychology, George Fox University Clinical Psychology, Hawaii School of Professional Psychology Clinical Psychology, Illinois School of Professional Psychology Chicago Clinical Psychology, Miami University Clinical Psychology, New Mexico State University Counseling Psychology, Nova Southeastern University Clinical Psychology, Ohio University Clinical Psychology, Old Dominion University Clinical Psychology, Pacific University Clinical Psychology, Palo Alto University, Roosevelt University Clinical Psychology, Regent University Clinical Psychology, Seattle Pacific University Clinical Psychology, Southern Illinois University Counseling Psychology, Spalding University Clinical Psychology, State University of New York Albany Counseling Psychology, University of Delaware Clinical Psychology, University of Denver Clinical Psychology, University of Florida Counseling Psychology, University of Houston Counseling Psychology, University of Indianapolis Clinical Psychology, University of Louisville Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri Columbia Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri St. Louis Clinical Psychology, University of Nevada Reno Clinical Psychology, University of Northern Colorado Counseling Psychology, University of Oregon Counseling Psychology, University of Texas Austin Counseling Psychology, University of Utah Counseling Psychology, Utah State University Combined Program, Washington State University Clinical Psychology, Washington State University Counseling Psychology
Internship Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a U.S. Citizen, Authorization to Work or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in the US is Required: Yes
Canadian Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a Canadian Citizen, Authorization to Work in Canada or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in Canada is Required: No
Masters Degree Required: No
Comprehensive Exams Passed: Yes, by application deadline
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by application deadline
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 375
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 3
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Not Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited Not Accepted
Non-Accredited Not Accepted
Ph.D Degree Accepted
Psy.D. Degree Accepted
Ed.D. Degree Not Accepted
This institution, department, internship, or postdoctoral program requires trainees to sign a statement about personal behavior and/or religious beliefs as a condition of admission and/or retention in the program: No
How to obtain text of statement:
Other Requirements: 1) Experience writing at least 1 integrated assessment report (child or adult), indicate on AAPI 2) Experience administering at least 1 WAIS, WISC, or WJ Cognitive Assessment, as well as 1 WIAT or WJ Achievement Assessment, indicated on AAPI. If any of these test administrations were completed as part of a class (and not reflected in the assessment information on the AAPI), applicant needs to state this in their cover letter. 3) 150 Doctoral Individual Adult Therapy Hours preferred by the time of application. However, due to COVID-19 related impacts on practicum placements, applicants with fewer doctoral individual adult therapy hours and who meet all other application requirements will be considered. 4) CAPS conducts two pre-employment screening for doctoral interns, First, intern applicants who match for the doctoral internship at CAPS will be subject to a pre-employment criminal background check within the state of Washington and nationwide. A “clear” criminal background check requires that the intern has no record of criminal history that would prohibit them from providing psychological counseling according to the laws of the State of Washington (see RCWs 43.43.830 – 43.43.842). Second, per RCW 28B.112 – Postsecondary Educational Institutions – Sexual Misconduct, applicants for positions at WSU are required to sign a statement, prior to an official offer of employment: a) declaring whether the applicant is the subject of any substantiated findings of sexual misconduct in any current or former employment or is currently being investigated for, or has left a position during an investigation into, a violation of any sexual misconduct policy at the applicant’s current and past employers, and, if so, an explanation of the situation; b) authorizing the applicant’s current and past employers to disclose to WSU any sexual misconduct committed by the applicant and making available to the hiring institution copies of all documents in the previous employer’s personnel, investigative, or other files relating to sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, by the applicant. The criminal background check, as well as completion of the Sexual Misconduct Statement and related check with former employers will occur following the APPIC Match. Official offer letters to interns will be sent following clear criminal background and sexual misconduct checks.
Program Description

The Washington State University (WSU) Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) doctoral internship program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA). Questions related to the program's accreditation status should be directed to the CoA: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation; apaaccred@apa.org; 202-336-5979.

WSU is a land grant university with ~19,000 students attending its Pullman campus, where the program is located. Approximately 40% of students identify as first-generation college students, 30% identify as multicultural, and 7% identify as international. WSU is among the top 39 universities nationally for policies supportive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students (Campus Pride Index, 2021). The CAPS doctoral psychology internship program is housed within Student Affairs and is an integral part of Cougar Health Services (CHS): CAPS, medical clinic, pharmacy, and vision clinic.

The WSU CAPS internship training takes a developmental approach and focuses on the transition from practicum-level performance to advanced level knowledge, awareness, skills and interventions. The program's aim is to provide the professional training and experience necessary for independent entry-level practice as a health service psychologist in a wide variety of settings, including university counseling centers.  CAPS trains interns such that their work is informed by practice, theory, and research and takes into account individual, cultural, and societal considerations.

Each training year begins with extensive orientation. Over the year, CAPS provides didactic and experiential training to facilitate growth across the profession-wide competencies established by APA (research, ethical and legal standards, diversity, professional values and attitudes, communication and interpersonal skills, assessment, intervention, supervision, and consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills). CAPS offers weekly training seminars and multiple supervision experiences through which interns can address specific training needs and interests. Supervision includes individual supervision, group supervision, supervision of supervision, assessment supervision, diversity liaison supervision, and minor rotation supervision. 

Interns provide these direct services: initial consultations, individual therapy, groups and workshops, LD/ADHD assessments, motivational interviewing-based AOD interventions, crisis management, outreach, same-day mental health coverage (med clinic), the provision of supervision, and optional biofeedback. Interns do not have after-hours on-call responsibilities.

In managing COVID 19, CAPS has adapted its training and service delivery based on CDC and university guidelines. Currently, all staff and interns work primarily from their campus offices and CAPS offers a hybrid of in-person and telehealth services. The internship provides as much supervision and training in-person as is feasible and effective.

Each intern's training is tailored through participation in diversity liaisons and minor rotations. As liaisons, interns are paired with senior clinicians to collaborate with a university office/organization serving diverse student groups. Examples include Multicultural Student Services, the LGBTQ+ Center, International Programs, and the ROAR program (serving students with moderate intellectual disabilities).

Semester-long minor rotations are clinical or teaching-based. Training and experiences in minor rotations exceed that which all interns receive. Options include but are not limited to: behavioral health at the Cougar Health medical clinic, biofeedback, doctoral practicum class co-instruction, groups, LD/ADHD assessment, trauma treatment, outreach, or another rotation agreed upon with the Training Director.

Interns are involved in CAPS diversity training, contributing to two clinician diversity trainings each semester. They may also participate on the CAPS diversity committee, which meets 2-4 times/month and guides the planning and implementation of CAPS diversity efforts.

Interns engage in research through seminar and outreach preparation as well as their dissertation progress or a small research project for CAPS. They gain administrative experience through participation in the intern selection process, attendance at CAPS and CHS meetings, organization of diversity trainings, and optional committee work.

CAPS' clinicians highly value training and enjoy opportunities to supervise and mentor interns. The program supports increased independence over the year by systematically introducing more complex responsibilities while adjusting supervisory oversight to enhance interns' professional autonomy. By the end of the training year, it is expected that interns will be ready for entry-level doctorate employment or postdoctoral training in a variety of health service psychology settings. 

 

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations

Infants:
Toddlers:
Children:
Adolescents: Yes
Adults: Yes
Family:
Older Adults:
Inpatients:
Outpatients: Yes
Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking:
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students: Yes
International Students: Yes
Rural: Yes
Urban:
Low income: Yes
Homelessness:
Other: First Generation College Students

Treatment Modalities

Assessment: Experience (21% to 30%)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy:
Group Therapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Community Intervention:
Consultation/Liaison: Experience (21% to 30%)
Crisis Intervention: Experience (21% to 30%)
Brief Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision of Practicum students : Experience (21% to 30%)
Other: outreach programming

Experience

Health Psychology: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Women's Health: Exposure (1% to 20%)
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders:
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Learning Disabilities: Experience (21% to 30%)
Developmental Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Assessment: Experience (21% to 30%)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Anxiety Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: Experience (21% to 30%)
Sexual Abuse: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Substance Use Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology:
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Vocational/Career Development: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Multicultural Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Feminist Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Religion/Spirituality: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy:
Program Development/Evaluation: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision: Experience (21% to 30%)
Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Administration: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - primary: Experience (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - specialty:
Other:

Additional information about training opportunities: Not all rotations or training experiences may be available as described in the APPIC Directory. Please consult the program's application materials or their website at: https://cougarhealth.wsu.edu/about-us/doctoral-internship/  for a complete description of the training opportunities available at this training site. IF the site has not updated their information by August 1, feel free to contact the Training Director for additional information.

Summary of the Characteristics of the Specified Internship Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024
Number of Completed Applications: 65 58 43 57 70 67
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 36 40 34 36 50 47
Total number of interns: 4 4 4 4 4 4
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 4 4 4 4 4 4
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 3 1 2 3 1 3
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 1 3 2 1 3 1
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 2 4 2 2 4 3
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 2 0 2 2 0 1
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 5 1 5 4 2 4
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 10 17 20 57 47 160
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2022-2023
Academic teaching:
Community mental health center: 0
Consortium: 0
University Counseling Center: 3
Hospital/Medical Center: 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 0
Psychiatric facility: 1
Correctional facility: 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0
School district/system: 0
Independent practice setting: 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0