The seminars conducted by UCC are designed to support the clinical responsibilities of trainees and to advance their conceptual and theoretical understanding of clinical work. All seminars are case-oriented and thus emphasize a "hands on" approach to integrating theory with clinical practice. Predoctoral interns are required to attend the following core seminars Postdoctoral fellows are required to attend the PostDoc seminar and will select from optional ones in consultation with the Postdoctoral Coordinator and the Director of Training:
This biweekly 1.5 hour seminar provides an in-depth look at brief psychotherapy, including an overview of short-term models. The seminar focuses on issues of diagnosis and client suitability, theoretical conceptualization and technique, establishing and maintaining a focus in treatment, and termination as they relate to time-limited work. While an emphasis will be placed on psychodynamic models, other orientations will also be included. Participants will explore their own interpersonal process and transference/countertransference paradigms that surface when working within a brief model. This seminar is required for predoctoral interns and is optional for postdoctoral fellows.
This weekly seminar focuses on the clinical experience of co-leading a yearlong, process-oriented psychotherapy group. The seminar begins with didactic instruction in the provision of group psychotherapy that includes reading from relevant group psychotherapy literature, and covers stages of group development, establishing therapeutic norms, handling problematic patients, subgrouping, therapist tasks and functions, and the evolving co-therapy relationship. Once the clinical groups begin for the school year, each week, on a rotating basis, one group is presented in the seminar. The group process within the training group is used experientially to understand group dynamics. Particular attention is paid to issues discussed during the didactic portion. Readings are assigned periodically. This seminar is required for all predoctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
This biweekly 1 hour seminar uses didactic instruction, case presentations and in-group process to examine how issues of diversity affect us as therapists and impact our work. Diversity of identity issues specifically addressed through reading, group discussions and experiential process activities include ethnic, racial, gender, sex, ability, class, and spirituality. Furthermore, worldview, identity development, power and prejudice are discussed as both social and political constructs as well as being an important aspect of personal development. The APA multicultural competencies guide the focus of this seminar.
We highlight the triadic model of knowledge, awareness and skills. The first half focuses on an in-depth look at diversity and multiculturalism through reading and experiential process, providing the interns with didactic and personal experiences with diversity issues. The second half focuses on expanding that didactic and experiential learning base to case conceptualization. Interns complete a Cultural Formulation and Multicultural Worksheet for each case that is presented and discussed in seminar. Each trainee will have experience with formal written and oral cultural case formulation. This seminar is required for all predoctoral interns and is optional for postdoctoral fellows.
The didactic component consists of the supervision seminar, which meets weekly and is devoted to the ongoing supervision of the supervision that the interns and fellows provide to more junior trainees. Participants will learn to make supervisory interventions appropriate to the supervisee's stage of development, identify transference and countertransference reactions in both treatment and supervisory settings and integrate different models of supervision to meet each supervisee's need. This seminar begins several weeks before clinical supervision begins, allowing the interns and postdoc time to discuss and learn about the process of becoming supervisors. This seminar is required for all predoctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows who are engaged in supervising.
The seminar has four components: (1) Clinical issues including sharing of cases, supervision of administrative evaluations and clinical consultations, (2) Teaching support and supervision, (3) Multicultural focus specific to the Postdoc experience including supervision of the multicultural consultation project, (4) Professional development issues such as ethics, balancing work and home, self-care, EPPP, job search and licensure. This seminar is required for postdoctoral fellows.
This is a weekly meeting where all trainees and supervising staff meet (approximately 25 people) to discuss advanced clinical issues. What is unique is that the senior supervising staff present audio- or video-tapes of their own work. This enables the work of seasoned therapists to be demystified and made available for view by all staff and trainees. The clinical conference is a major learning experience at UCC and is required for all predoctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
This monthly seminar explores all aspects of using medication to treat psychiatric illnesses and is led by our psychiatric nurse practitioner, with whom the professionals in training share many clients. Specific attention is given to the relationships that arise when a triad is formed between the client, the therapist, and the prescriber. Use of the DSM-IV is reviewed. Classes of psychotropic medications, mechanisms of action, and risks and benefits of various medications are discussed. Clinical indications for using medications as augmentation for therapy are examined throughout the year, using specific case examples. This seminar is required for predoctoral interns and optional for postdoctoral fellows.
Professional Development Workshops are held periodically through the year and are designed to address topics of particular salience for predoctoral interns as they evolve as clinicians and professionals. The primary focus of these workshops are to provide formal support and information as they begin their job searches. Workshops will cover a range of relevant topics, including identifying personal and professional goals, developing CVs appropriate to their level of training, and practicing interviewing.This seminar is required for predoctoral interns. Postdoctoral fellows will cover professional development issues in the postdoc seminar.
In this monthly seminar, difficult on-call cases are reviewed. Readings on crisis management are provided and discussed. This seminar is required for all predoctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
In this monthly seminar, ongoing outreach projects are discussed and challenging outreach experiences are reviewed. This seminar is required for all predoctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
These workshops occur in the summer during orientation and focus on diagnosis and treatment of clients with substance abuse and other comorbid diagnoses. A combination of didactic and experiential processes provide the interns with opportunities to build upon their skill base in assessment and treatment of substance abuse. Booster sessions are offered midyear to support ongoing learning with clinical cases. This seminar is required for predoctal interns and optional for postdoctoral fellows.
Ethics workshops are held periodically throughout the year and provide opportunities to engage in discussions of current ethical issues and quandaries in clinical practice. This seminar is required for predoctoral interns. Postdoctoral fellow will cover ethical issues and dilemmas in the postdoc seminar.