Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is part of a private, residential, Jesuit University of approximately 9,000 students, with both undergraduate and graduate programs. CAPS mission is to support students and student learning by providing counseling services to students and consultation and outreach programs to the larger campus community. CAPS serves both graduate and undergraduate students. The aim of the internship program is to train inclusive, competent and culturally aware entry-level generalist psychologists to work in the field of Health Service Psychology serving diverse populations.
Interns will have opportunites to provide crisis intervention as well as both short and longer term therapy, working with individuals and groups. Presenting problems include a variety of issues prevalent in a primarily young adult population (i.e., identity issues, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, relationship problems, trauma). Interns are expected to engage with the university community by participating in prevention & outreach, serving on university committes, and liasoning with various student life services (residential life, muticultural center, international students, campus ministry, etc.). The training program subscribes to a practitioner-scholar developmental model in which trainees learn by doing, by reflecting on their work in supervisory consultation with staff, by observing professional activities of staff, and by scholarly inquiry. Many CAPS staff operate from an integrative theoretical perspective in working with clients and in providing learning experiences for trainees. Empirically-supported practices are emphasized, along with case conceptualization skills rooted in developmental and relational frameworks. Weekly training seminars span a variety of clinical and theoretical topics of particular relevance to working with a young adult population. All individual sessions are video recorded and both group and individual supervision place a strong emphasis on reviewing and learning from recorded material.