Mission of Training

The Mission of the WFUCC Psychology Internship Program is to provide psychology interns with a supervised clinical experience in a broad range of activities in preparation for careers in a university counseling center or similar setting.  Interns have the opportunity to learn from a diverse and multidisciplinary team of professionals who practice a broad developmental and mentor-based training approach and use a combination of experiential, didactic, and practical training experiences to achieve training goals. As a result of this process, interns develop skills, competencies, and professional identities as psychologists.

Training Philosophy

The Wake Forest University Counseling Center Psychology Internship utilizes a practitioner-scholar model in which research informs practice.  This approach integrates hands-on work in a multidisciplinary setting with scholarly reading, critical thinking, and self-reflection.  We believe that providing both a supportive and challenging environment, as well as ongoing and reciprocal feedback from staff and peers creates the optimum space for interns to feel comfortable making and learning from mistakes and to experience personal and professional growth.  We also believe it is important for interns to have the opportunity to tailor their training experience based on areas of interest, and to receive mentorship and guidance in developing a niche as a psychologist.  Training opportunities will be developmentally appropriate for each individual’s level of training and experience, and will be sequential, cumulative and graded in complexity across the training year.

The University Counseling Center (UCC) also utilizes a collaborative, systems approach to working with each other and within a larger campus environment.  Therefore, we believe it is important for interns to learn how to navigate administrative processes, provide referrals to on and off-campus agencies, develop case management skills, collaborate with other departments on campus, coordinate crisis response, and manage multiple roles within the University, such as consulting with staff, students, and parents while maintaining confidentiality.

The UCC is committed to providing multiculturally competent services and believes it is important for interns to be competent in working with clients, colleagues, and community members holding diverse intersecting identities.  We foster this competence by providing training on identity and culture, encouraging interns to consult and collaborate with diverse and multidisciplinary staff members inside and outside of the UCC, and by challenging interns to reflect on their own intersecting identities, experiences of power, privilege, and oppression, and how shared and different identities affect their work with clients.

Training Experiences

Interns have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of clients in the University Counseling Center using multiple therapeutic modalities, including individual and group counseling, initial assessment and referral services, triage, and crisis intervention. Additionally, interns participate in non-clinical activities characteristic of working in a university counseling center, including supervision of a master’s-level counseling intern or psychology practicum student, case management in consultation with service providers in other offices on and off campus, consultation to any member of the campus community, and outreach activities and programming.

Interns may also select special emphasis areas which include focused education, supervision, and provision of service in sport psychology, training and supervision, and trauma informed care. If you choose to apply to our site, you will have the option to apply to one or both of two programs/tracks:

Generalist with Sport Psychology Emphasis:  If you match to this program, you will be provided a generalist experience along with being assigned to the Sport Psychology Special Emphasis aspect of our program.

Generalist with Special Emphasis Area:  If you match to this program, you will choose from an available Special Emphasis Area within the University Counseling Center. Choices could include Trauma-Informed Care, Assessment, or additional opportunities reflective of Staff and Intern interest.