IUPUI, a partnership between Indiana and Purdue Universities, is Indiana’s urban research and academic health sciences campus, which supports over 200 degree programs through its innovative collaborations, external partnerships, and commitment to diversity. Consequently, CAPS interns receive extensive exposure to and training with diverse and complex clients, including those with chronic mental health concerns.
The aim of the IUPUI CAPS internship training program is to adequately prepare doctoral interns to demonstrate competence in all areas of health service psychology working with young adults and adults within a university counseling center (or community mental health center) setting. CAPS designs its training program with the intention that all interns, by the end of their placement, will demonstrate competence at the level of a post-doctoral resident or entry-level professional. Although opportunities for research, comprehensive testing, and supervision are provided on internship, the training program offers greater experiential learning and training activities in the remaining profession-wide competencies (intervention, assessment, ethics, individual and cultural diversity, professionalism, communication, and consultation/interdisciplinary skills).
IUPUI CAPS offers a dynamic and rewarding doctoral internship experience in health service psychology. The internship is designed to provide a comprehensive clinical experience that offers an array of opportunities to facilitate both personal and professional growth. Located in downtown Indianapolis, IUPUI is a predominantly commuter college campus with a large number of non-traditional students. Clinical experiences at IUPUI CAPS include opportunities to work with clients diverse in age, gender, race/ethnicity, country of origin, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, and presenting concerns. The most prevalent diagnoses of treatment are clinical levels of depression and anxiety. However, opportunities to work with individuals presenting with PTSD, extensive trauma, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, substance abuse, relationship concerns, and adjustment issues are readily available. Clinical experiences include crisis intervention, initial consultation and intake assessments, individual and group counseling, clinical supervision of graduate students, and delivery of outreach presentations. The internship experience will also consist of training in assessment and testing for learning disorders/ADHD, in addition to diagnostic assessment of ongoing therapy clients.
Weekly individual supervision is provided (for a minimum of 2-3 hours per week) by licensed psychologists. Additional supervision is provided during weekly case consultation (1.5 hours per week) with other doctoral interns and licensed staff. Weekly training seminars are provided by staff and community professionals for two hours per week. Interns may also attend Psychiatry Grand Rounds at the Indiana University School of Medicine, located on the same campus. IUPUI CAPS coordinates with other Indiana counseling center internship sites for intensive seminars and professional networking opportunities.
CAPS staff is comprised of a team of dedicated, interdisciplinary professionals with diverse clinical interests and areas of expertise. The staff is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive work environment that encourages work-life balance and self-care. Staff and trainees gather regularly for socialization and bonding. Interns are also encouraged to participate in designing elements of the internship experience by identifying topics of interest for intern seminars. Feedback from previous interns gathered from exit interviews and anonymous evaluation forms consistently identifies the following program highlights and strengths: opportunities to hone and strengthen clinical skills, a diverse client population, high quality supervision and didactic training, a warm and supportive atmosphere, and the variety of experiences offered.