Seminars, Case Conferences

University Counseling Center (UCC)

Seminars and Case Conferences

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 will select from optional ones with consultation with the Director of Training:

Brief Treatment Seminar
This biweekly 1.5 hour seminar provides an in-depth look at brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, including basic psychodynamic principles and theories as well as 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 dynamic time-limited work. Attendees will explore their own interpersonal process and transference/countertransference paradigms that surface when working within a brief model. This seminar is optional for postdoctoral fellows.

Group Psychotherapy
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.

Multicultural Seminar
This biweekly 1.5 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 postdoctoral fellows.

Supervision of Psychotherapy
The didactic component consists of the supervision seminar, which meets weekly and is devoted to the ongoing supervision of the supervision that the interns provide to more junior trainees. Attendees 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.

Clinical Case Conference
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.

Psychopharmacology Seminar
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 optional for postdoctoral fellows.

Professional Development Seminar
Professional Development Workshops are held periodically through the year and are designed to address topics of particular salience for professionals in training 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.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Seminar
This seminar begins in the summer during orientation and uses the DBT model to better understand working with clients with borderline personality disorder and with other behavioral problems. This seminar offers the interns an opportunity to learn an empirically validated treatment and practice its use. Designed in part to support the challenging work of running the DBT skills group, the seminar also provides didactic instruction in DBT theory and application, supports the interns' on-call experiences, and provides an opportunity for trainees to present difficult clinical cases for support and feedback. The summer portion is weekly and primarily didactic in nature. During the academic year, the seminar is monthly and primarily focuses on clinical cases. This seminar is optional for postdoctoral fellows.

Substance Abuse Workshops
This seminar occurs in the summer during orientation and focuses 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 several times during the year to support ongoing learning with clinical cases. This seminar is optional for postdoctoral fellows.

On-Call Seminar
In this monthly seminar, difficult on-call cases are reviewed. Readings on crisis management are provided and discussed.

Ethics Seminar
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 postdoctoral fellows and predoctoral interns.

Eating Disorders Workshops
Periodically through the year, workshops on working with clients diagnosed with eating disorders are provided. Trainees are provided opportunities to build on their skills in assessment and treatment of eating disorders and in working within a multidisciplinary treatment team model.