Narwhal Psychology Consortium (NPC) (formerly London Child, Youth, Family, and Forensic Psychology Consortium (LCYFFP)) consists of two organizations that provide clinical and forensic psychology services to children, adolescents, and families in London, Ontario, and the surrounding communities: Navigating Onward/London Family Court Clinic (NavOn/LFCC) and Mary J. Wright Child and Youth Development Centre (MJWCYDC). Services are provided both at the clinics and in the community.
The goal of the residency is to prepare students in the final year of their PhD for the practice of clinical and/or clinical-forensic psychology through systematic training in assessment, treatment, consultation, program evaluation/research, and the ethical guidelines and professional practice standards that underly psychological practice in Ontario. Our residency operates from an evidence-based/evidence-informed standpoint; therefore, we have adopted the scientist-practitioner model of practice and training (aka, the Boulder model).
We strive to stand in allyship with individuals who identify as Indigenous, Black, or People of Colour. We recognize there is a long-standing history and negative impacts of racism and discrimination against people with these identities in Canada and acknowledge that systemic racism and discrimination is evident across all of Canada’s institutions, including in our profession of psychology. We support our staff, students, board members, and volunteers to participate in learning to support diversity and inclusion at all levels of our organization, and to bring these topics, as well as suggestions, initiatives, and opportunities forward so that we can continue to learn and improve as a community.
The Narwhal Psychology Consortium emphasizes clinical excellence, developmental models of teaching and supervision, and quality consultation and program evaluation/development. The aim of the residency is to prepare students for post-doctoral supervised practice in clinical psychology with children, youth, and families – with the possibility of preparation for post-doctoral supervised practice in clinical-forensic or school psychology. (In Ontario, the progression is to supervised practice whereas in some jurisdictions the progression is to independent practice.) This aim is achieved by assisting the resident to identify their individual interests, build on their current strengths, and expanding their areas of clinical interest and skill. We strive to develop residents who can match their feelings of confidence to their level of competence in multiple clinical areas. We also strive to enhance their professionalism and interpersonal skills through experience in multidisciplinary teams, development of time-management skills, and the development of a healthy sense of resident’s professional identity.
Although clinical training is emphasized, the scientist-practitioner model serves as the philosophical basis for clinical practice, as well as educational and research endeavours. In line with the goals outlined in the Gainesville Manifesto of 1990, the aim of the scientist-practitioner model is to integrate science and practice, and to facilitate career-long integration of investigation, assessment, intervention, and consultation. Psychology staff at NavOn/LFCC and MJWCYDc endeavour to maintain both an empirical basis to their clinical practice and clinical relevance in their research.
The residency views the program as a pre-requisite to the awarding of the doctoral degree. As a result, we support a model of training in which the residency must be completed before the doctoral degree is conferred.
NCP is open to doctoral students in clinical, clinical-developmental, school-and-applied and/or clinical-forensic psychology programs. Applications are open to students who are Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents of Canada or non-Canadians attending a Canadian graduate psychology program and who already have documentations/permits allowing them to work in Canada during the period of the residency. Students must be enrolled in a clinical, clinical-developmental, school-and-applied, or clinical-forensic psychology program accredited by the Canadian and/or American Psychological Association or doctoral program working toward future accreditation.
