The Ancora Psychiatric Hospital (APH) Clinical Psychology Internship Program has been training interns since 1970 and has been APA-accredited since 2000. The program is designed to provide a well-rounded, diverse training experience in the treatment and assessment of individuals with serious and persistent mental illnesses, equipping students with the skills needed to function as entry-level psychologists in similar settings. The program helps interns develop competencies in psychotherapy, assessment, consultation and interdisciplinary healthcare, supervision, the application of research, professional conduct and attitudes, professional communication and interpersonal behavior, ethics/legal matters, and individual and cultural diversity. Interns should expect a balance of clinical work, supervision, and didactic training within an environment that is both encouraging and challenging.
To promote the greatest breadth and depth of experience, the intern’s week generally includes three days of therapy and assessment training at APH, one day at an affiliated site, and one day in didactic training.
Primary Placement: Interns receive psychotherapy training two days per week and psychodiagnostic training one day per week. Interns change psychotherapy supervisors after six months. We currently have supervisors in the hospital’s four service divisions: Admissions/Acute Care, Extended Care, Geriatric-Psychiatric Care, and Forensic Care Services. All psychodiagnostic training is provided by the Coordinator of Psychological Assessment Services, and interns complete testing batteries with patients from the hospital’s 17 inpatient units.
Affiliated Site: Interns also receive supervised training at an affiliated site one day per week. Affiliated sites are subject to change each year but have recently included Cooper University Health Care (neuropsychological testing focus), Ann Klein Forensic Center (forensic assessment focus), South Woods State Prison and Southern State Correctional Facility (corrections focus), Thomas Jefferson University Outreach Program (substance abuse focus), and Rutgers University Health Center (college counseling focus).
Didactic Training: Twice a month, interns participate in the New Jersey Department of Human Services Professional Staff and Psychology Intern Colloquium Series. Additionally, APH staff members provide a variety of seminars including a Supervision Training Program with APH Behavioral Services and a multicultural training supervision group. The Supervision Training Program provides interns with the opportunity to provide simulated supervision with a Behavior Support Technician working on the hospital's Positive Behavior Support Units. The Multicultural Lab is designed to facilitate the continuing development of multicultural competence and to encourage ongoing discussion and recognition of how cultural diversity and individual differences impact clinical work.
