Philosophy, Goals of Training

University Counseling Center (UCC)

Philosophy and Goals of Training

The basis of the UCC training program is an apprenticeship model that promotes the professional growth of the psychology intern with the goal of enabling him/her to competently function in doctoral level positions in psychology. To this end, the Predoctoral Internship Program employs a structured experiential model with exposure to gradually increasing levels of professional responsibility. A series of graduated and comprehensive learning tasks are designed to meet the following objectives: Competencies in diagnostics and assessment, skills in delivering effective time-limited and on-going treatment, ability to effectively present outreach and consultation programs, provision of high quality supervision, practicing ethical and responsible clinical behavior, increasing sensitivity to others including awareness of multicultural issues, and increasing one's awareness of self.

The training staff believes this is best accomplished through a combination of experiential and didactic stimulation that include case-oriented seminars, process-oriented groups and intensive weekly supervision.

Although we embrace the scientist-practitioner model, we view the internship year as a pivotal clinical year that is essential to the development of all professional psychologists. Therefore, we emphasize the integration of scientific findings into clinical practice without requiring direct research experience as a component of the internship. The model of training in which we collectively engage at UCC is best described by the concept of the "reflective practitioner" as defined by the experienced professional-in-action. Utilizing research findings are but one piece of the very complex, challenging, multiply-determined and multi-level field of actual clinical practice. We bring an intellectual rigor to the practice of our craft (therapy) and an unwavering reflection upon that practice (through supervision and seminars).

As practitioners of disciplined inquiry, we become "researchers in the practice contest." We approach our practice empirically: Who are our clients? What are their major concerns? What do they want from us? How can we evaluate if we have helped? What are our guiding concepts regarding change? What are our principles directing our training practices? How does research fit in? How can we improve? Questions abound and require reflection and critical attention. Answers are never complete nor final, but the process of continual reflection upon our educational endeavors is always in evidence at UCC.

UCC is an integral part of the larger university community and is closely associated with the university's Medical Center. It is administered by psychologists who hold faculty appointments in the School of Medicine. Rotations based in the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program and opportunities to attend special Grand Rounds presentations can further broaden the intern's appreciation of the role of professional psychologist. Thus, UCC is situated in an environment uniquely suited to achieve its training goals for predoctoral interns.