We train interns to be competent clinicians, who are self aware, interpersonally related, motivated to grow, and who integrate awareness of multicultural, ethical and scientific considerations into their practice of psychology. We utilize a practitioner-scholar model and developmental sequential training process. Interns participate in a wide array of core university counseling services including: triage interviewing and decision making, crisis services, intake clinical assessments, brief individual therapy, ongoing individual therapy, group therapy, outreach, clinical supervision of practicum trainees, academic intervention assessments, and consultation and liaison activities. Interns will have opportunities to work closely with a large and diverse multidisciplinary team of psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners with a wide range of theoretical orientations (including interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral, object-relations, feminist, integrative, etc) and areas of specialization (such as gender issues, LGBTQ identities and communities, disordered eating, sexual and relationship violence, substance abuse, spirituality and mindfulness, grief, suicide prevention, career development, and crisis intervention). They will participate in didactic seminars, staff meetings and staff professional continuing education programs. Interns will engage in a year-long multicultural mentoring experience and will be expected to actively participate in activities designed to increase multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills and to work with clients of diverse identities and experiences. Supervision is an important skill to develop as an early career therapist. A unique aspect of the UNC-CH CAPS internship is having the opportunity to supervise and have supervision of supervision. Although interns will supervise a practicum student for one semester, supervision of supervision will meet weekly for the entire year. These sessions provide a theoretical and conceptual framework for supervision, a format to receive feedback and increase awareness of their own supervision styles and an opportunity to develop supervisory skills and technique. Video recordings of interns’ supervision with practicum students are viewed and discussed as part of supervision. CAPS' internship program values self-reflection, life-long learning, openness to diverse perspectives, and learning from one another as staff and as trainees. Twice-monthly meetings with the Coordinator of Training focus on checking in with each intern on their goals for learning and development, as well as exploring their professional identities, job search, interviewing skills, and transitioning from student to professional.
At this point in the pandemic, CAPS staff and interns are working in the office, providing predominantly in-person services with some tele-therapy services. Training activities are currently being conducted via Zoom and in-person. Interns have received training in telehealth services during orientation since 2020, and we will continue to provide training in telehealth during future orientations. We will provide timely updates to our current and incoming interns as decisions are made regarding CAPS' balance of in-person and tele-therapy services and modality of training activities.
The following link describes the current COVID community standards for UNC: https://carolinatogether.unc.edu/community-standards/#chapter-1