Required Activities: As a part of their generalist training, psychology interns are required to conduct individual psychotherapy, psychological assessments, intake interviews, crisis consultation and intervention, group therapy, supervision of practicum student or Graduate Assistant trainees, and attend didactic training seminars throughout the internship year. In addition to these activities, psychology interns are expected to complete the following projects: (1) Case Presentation, (2) Psychology Intern Outreach Project, and (3) Capstone Professional Development Presentation.
(1) Case Presentation: During the winter session, psychology interns will complete one case presentation. The case focuses on an integrative approach in therapy, including relevant diagnostic instruments, case conceptualizations using the psychology intern’s theoretical orientation, DSM-5-TR diagnosis, and demonstration of the ethical and culturally competent provision of psychological care. Psychology interns present the case in a format that they would use as a candidate during a job interview. Psychology interns receive feedback from clinical staff regarding strengths and areas for growth.
(2) Psychology Intern Outreach Project: In addition to engaging in requested SCS outreach activities, psychology interns will develop an outreach project for SCS and present it to the campus community. The project should be linked to one of the psychology intern’s areas of interest and involve the participation of at least one campus partner. This project is meant to contribute to the agency as well as further the psychology interns’ development of collaboration and outreach skills in a meaningful way.
The objective is to develop intentional collaboration across campus increasing SCS visibility and programming in an accessible, creative format. This project can include service to an underrepresented/underserved population of interest. The project can be an outreach presentation (including if your proposal is accepted to speak at ISCORE and/or the ISU Health and Wellness Symposium), the creation and dissemination of psychoeducation materials (i.e., slides presented on screens around campus, new TAO paths, video materials, social media campaigns) around campus.
Topics may be within the intern’s SEA and focus on an activity/topic relevant to SCS and the campus community. Students will receive support from the Outreach Director, their primary supervisor, and/or their SEA supervisor depending on the identified project to build and submit their projects for staff feedback and approval at the end of the first semester of the internship. The second half of the internship will be focused on executing the project.
Requirements
- Interns must demonstrate the ability to identify the needs/opportunities for expansion of services SCS’s services.
- Interns must be able to create a project based on evidence-based theories/ techniques, using proper and recent research to support their work.
- Interns must demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with campus partners while developing and executing their projects.
- Interns must demonstrate sensitivity to cultural diversity and build a project that should be responsive to sexual/relational orientation, gender identity, racial, cultural, disability, and ethnic diversity among students and reach students who are less likely to use traditional counseling services.
(3) Capstone Professional Development Presentation: Each psychology intern will be required to make one professional topical presentation as a part of SCS’s professional development for the staff. The topical presentation provides an opportunity for the intern to introduce a topic of interest and/or expertise to the staff. The presentation will be scheduled during the month of June and/or July.
Topical presentations have included such topics as an intern’s research (e.g., dissertation or other research activities) or areas of personal expertise (e.g., self-esteem, sleep disorders). The possible topic(s) for the presentation need to be discussed with the intern’s primary supervisor and/or the Training Director prior to the presentation. The intern’s primary supervisor and/or the Training Director needs to approve the proposed topic.
Those in attendance at the topical presentation will be clinical staff members, postdoctoral fellows, and interns. The intern has one hour for the presentation and is responsible for structuring the presentation. The structure of the presentation includes:
- Introduction of the topic
- Rationale for selection of topic
- Additional information
- Relevancy of the topic to the profession
- Latest research
- References
- An opportunity for staff discussion
Required Performance Level:
The “Supervisor’s Evaluation of Intern” is a comprehensive evaluation that assesses a psychology intern’s competency across all areas of the internship. By the end of the training year, a psychology intern is expected to be at an intermediate level of competency which represents a readiness for practice.
A full-time, 2,000-hour internship employment must be completed.
500 Direct Service Hours: Direct service includes individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultation with clients or concerned family members/staff/faculty, providing supervision, and conducting psychological assessments.
Successful completion of one case presentation.
Successful completion of Outreach Expectations including Outreach Project.
Successful completion of one Capstone Professional Development Presentation.