Doctoral Internship

Doctoral Internship in Professional Psychology
State University of New York (SUNY)
College at Oneonta
2010-2011

The College at Oneonta Counseling Center offers a 12-month, 1900 hour, doctoral internship which provides experiential and didactic training in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. The aim of the training program is to prepare doctoral level counselors for careers in direct practice, and the program provides particularly strong preparation for those seeking careers in college counseling centers. The College at Oneonta's internship training program is an APPIC-Member program and non APA-approved program.

The staff at the College of Oneonta Counseling Center is committed to training new professionals while providing high quality services to the students and staff of the college. Interns will participate in educational seminars and supervision experiences while also participating in the activities of the counseling center as professional members of the counseling center staff.

Jennifer Rotchford and Felix Casados, past interns, in their offices.  Each intern has their own spacious office with a large window, comfortable chairs, computer, video recording equipment, bookshelf, and credenza.

Philosophy and Training Model

The College of Oneonta Counseling Center uses a practitioner-scholar model, with an apprenticeship approach based interns’ developmental needs. Our “practitioner” emphasis means that the primary goal of the training program is to prepare students for applied settings and direct clinical service. The emphasis on “scholarship” implies life-long study of the scientific and scholarly literature, and rigor in applying established theory to direct practice. We also favor an “apprenticeship” approach -- that is, on-the-job training with individualized attention, close supervision and mentoring by experienced professionals. The role of mentoring is seen as a critical variable in the development of professional psychologists. We emphasize a learning-by-doing approach with strong initial support from senior staff, evolving toward increasing autonomy for interns as they progress to greater levels of mastery. The Counseling Center training philosophy rests on the belief that training is a developmental process tailored to the level of skill of the trainee. Each trainee comes to the internship with a unique set of strengths and challenges and the Counseling Center’s task is to help each intern identify those strengths and cultivate increasing competency in areas for growth.

Goals and objectives: 1) the central goal of the internship is to prepare clinical and counseling psychologists-in-training to be competent and versatile generalists ready for entry-level professional practice. 2) A secondary goal is to develop interns’ professionalism and professional identity as they consolidate their graduate learning and their professional style.

A first objective associated with goal #1 is providing interns with the opportunity for direct experience in a variety of domains appropriate to generalist training. In the process, interns serve a diverse student population with a wide variety of presenting issues. A second objective associated with goal #1 is developing core skills through supervision, case conference, skill-based experiential seminars, didactic seminars, and other didactic experiences. To promote assessment of progress towards goal #1, Interns will be evaluated in writing by their supervisors twice during the internship year. Though the training is aimed for the generalist, opportunities are available for cultivating areas of specialty.

Regarding goal #2 (developing professionalism and professional identity) a first objective is to provide interns with mentoring relationships that offer modeling and guidance in professional conduct. A second objective for goal #2 is to provide ongoing training (via supervision and seminars) in ethics and legal issues, in both principle and practice. A third objective for goal #2 is training and ongoing feedback in professional habits including work ethic, attitudes, conscientiousness, relationships, and respect for differences. A fourth objective for goal #2 is in regard to professional identity development, and it involves encouraging interns to reflect on personal and professional style, theoretical orientation, strengths and weaknesses, reasons for being in the field, and interest in specialty areas.

Plan and sequence of direct service: Direct service experiences include Individual Counseling, Group Counseling, Education and Referral, Consultation and Liaison, Outreach, Assessment, and Crisis Intervention. See relevant section for a detailed description of each. Interns are provided with policies and procedures for direct service during a 2 week orientation period, which also allows supervisors and the Training Director to assess interns’ levels of readiness for various direct service experiences. Interns will engage in individual counseling throughout the internship. Group counseling opportunities may begin in September depending on availability and intern readiness. Consultation and liaison experiences are developed through the year as opportunities arise and based on interns’ areas of interest. Intern progress is monitored closely to ensure that interns are prepared for the next sequence of experience. Location: All direct clinical service is located in the Counseling, Health, and Wellness Building on the SUNY Oneonta campus. Each intern has a separate well-furnished office with a large window and a pleasant view. Outreach programs may be delivered at various locations on campus depending on the audience. Summer rotations in the community vary in location but are most likely to be at the Otsego County Mental Health Clinic or A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital.

Training curriculum: In addition to weekly supervision (2 hours) and weekly case conferences (1 hour), training activities include weekly one-hour seminars. Sample seminar schedules are available upon request. Microskills therapy seminars, which focus on specific therapy skills, will be conducted as time is available (at least 4 times per semester) during non-peak times. Some seminars may be scheduled for longer time periods, with a minimum of one hour. Outreach programming and committee work are required parts of the training program and will be developed based on intern interests.

Evaluation: Intern evaluation focuses on major internship goals and their related objectives, and on major areas of professional competencies.  Interns will be evaluated formally and informally by their supervisors and through self-evaluation throughout the program.  Written evaluations by individual supervisors will be completed at mid-year in January, at the end of the 2nd semester in early May, and at the end of the internship at the end of July.  At the mid-way point of each semester there will be a verbal progress report.  Evaluations of other activities, including group therapy, outreach and consultation will be completed by the licensed supervisor in consultation with the supervisor of that activity at the mid-year and at the end of the internship experience. Interns also complete evaluations of their supervisors at corresponding times during the year.A summary of the feedback the intern receives from the evaluation is sent to the Director of Training at the home institution at the mid-year and the end of the internship.

Integration of the psychology training program into the larger organization: The psychology training program is integrated into the Counseling Center through the organizational approach to training, through staff participation in training, and through the functional roles of interns within the organization. The Counseling Center approaches training as a vital contribution to the mental health field, and the psychology internship as a culmination of training for entry-level professionals. Accordingly, all staff are committed to training. Staff are available as mentors during the internship year, and interns are encouraged and invited to seek guidance, consultation, and advice from all staff members. All staff members participate in leading training seminars. Case conferences are attended by interns and all staff members. All staff members attend bi-weekly general staff meetings. Interns are encouraged to seek consultation from staff members who are not their direct supervisors. Lastly, in regard to functional roles, interns participate in a broad range of agency services and work in close contact with all their senior colleagues. Interns are viewed as colleagues-in-training, deserving of respect, and treated accordingly both professionally and personally.

Ongoing program assessment: The Counseling Center professionals are committed to the training program’s growth and development. We work toward continuous improvement of the program via regularly scheduled evaluation and providing the conditions to foster ongoing professional learning.

SUNY Oneonta Counseling Center Diversity Statement
The SUNY Oneonta Counseling Center is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who uses our services. We believe diversity enlivens, challenges, and ultimately enriches our community. From our differences we also draw unique strengths to confront and solve problems. 

The range of diversity we value includes but is not limited to: ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender, physical or mental ability, socio-economic status, spirituality or religion, size, appearance, and age. We are committed to working against discrimination and oppression, and we extend a particular welcome to students who may be experiencing discrimination on the basis of their differences. 

We strive to treat all students with equal respect and dignity. We are also committed to taking part in activities and discussions that will help us continue to grow in our understanding of diversity.

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Direct Service and Other Professional Activities

Interns will participate in a variety of counseling and outreach experiences including:

• Individual  and Couples Counseling (15-20 client hours per week). Counselor’s duties include counseling, assessment and intake, diagnosing, goal setting, planning treatment strategies, and maintaining a case record with appropriate documentation and progress notes. The College of Oneonta Counseling Center has a short-term treatment model, providing students with up to 10 individual counseling sessions. Students often continue to receive services in group counseling after they have reached the 10-session limit and/or are referred out to community providers. Typical concerns for clients presenting to the Counseling Center include separation issues, adjustment, identity concerns, family and relationship issues, career indecision, academic demands, depression, anxiety, and eating/body image problems. Each intern is provided with video and audio recording equipment to record individual counseling sessions, which is a required part of individual supervision.
• Group counseling. Depending on availability, the intern will co-facilitate a group with a senior staff member during the Fall semester of internship. In the second semester an intern can decide to continue co-facilitation of a group -- or, with permission of their supervisor, an intern may develop and market a group to be led solely by the intern based on individual interests and expertise as well as campus needs.
• Outreach and Liaison Activities. Interns will participate in the Counseling Center’s outreach programming throughout the year. Opportunities include Residence Life staff training, classroom presentations, workshops on special topics, residence hall programs, and co-presenting with full-time staff. There is the opportunity to design and co-present programs on selected psycho-educational topics of interest to SUNY Oneonta students.
• Consultation to college faculty and staff. Consultation with particular faculty, staff, parents and students may also take place on an individual basis. Consultations are in response to questions or concerns of a mental health nature from the university community. The intern consults by providing information, education, referrals and recommendations.
• Assessment Opportunities. Assessment at the Counseling Center includes initial assessment of clients presenting for intake, alcohol and other drug assessment, mental health status, personality assessment, diagnostic assessment, and risk assessment for potential danger to self and others. The intern will receive training in each of the above assessment areas as well as training in all of the assessment instruments offered at the counseling center. Among the assessment instruments available at no cost to the students are:Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, MMPI-II, NEO-PI-R, Bender-Gestalt, Brown ADD Screening, MBTI (short version), and the AUDIT alcohol screening.
• Summer rotations available in the community. Depending on availability and intern interest, there are summer rotations available in the community.
• Professional activities such as representing the Counseling Center on various university-wide committees. Interns will participate in one of the Student Development or other College committees throughout the school year. Interns will be encouraged to serve on a new committee during the Spring semester. Committees the trainee may elect to participate in are: PAIRS (sexual assault awareness and prevention), Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD), Keepin’ It Civil, Greek Advisory Committee, Gender and Sexualty Resource Center (GSRC) Advisory Board.
• Dissertation/research time optional
  

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Didactic Training

Interns will participate in a variety of didactic experiences designed to enhance skills:

• Individual supervision (2 hours per week)
• Weekly case conferences, both full-staff as well as trainee case conferences
• Weekly training seminars provided by in-house staff and other college faculty or community practitioners (Topics include: assessment, crisis intervention, suicide, self-injury, eating disorders, substance abuse and addiction, anxiety, depression, couples counseling, Treatment approaches based on different theoretical orientations)
• Micro-skill Therapy seminars.  Additional direct practice seminars are conducted during non-peak times of the semester. These are therapy skill training seminars, and include discussion and demonstration via role play by senior staff of various intermediate to advanced clinical skills. Senior staff modeling of skills is followed by intern practice of these skills.
• Supervision in Special Topics.  Interns are encouraged to pursue additional supervision for topics of special interest to the intern or topics identified by a supervisor. These supervision sessions will be negotiated individually in regard to length and topics. They may include brief series during the between-semester planning times, or a longer series during the summer session.

The staff at the College of Oneonta Counseling Center is committed to training new professionals while providing high quality services to the students and staff of the college. Interns will participate in educational seminars and supervision experiences while also participating in the activities of the counseling center as professional members of the counseling center staff.

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Weekly Schedule Breakdown

Below is a sample schedule. Intern duties will naturally vary according to the time of the semester. For example, clinical contacts at the beginning of a semester will be lighter, and of course will be weighted more toward intakes than ongoing clients. Even with the variability in scheduling, training activities (supervision, seminars, case conferences) will be maintained throughout the year including during peak times. Upper limits on clinical contact hours (as indicated below) will be maintained even at peak times.

Sample: Weekly Intern Activities at College of Oneonta Counseling Center

Direct Service
10-12 hours individual counseling (caseload will build gradually)
1.5 hours group counseling (as available with groups and schedule)
2 hours intake appointments and assessment
1-2 hours crisis slot
2 hour outreach, committee work, and consultation (on average)
Total during peak times: 20 hours per week of direct service in a 40-hour week
Total during non-peak times of semester will be less, about 10-15 hours

Training and Paperwork/Administrative time
2-3 hours individual supervision
1 hour of case conference
1 hour of staff meeting
1 hour Seminar
Research time (optional)
10-12 hours for case notes, administrative tasks, outreach planning, record-keeping, other paperwork and case management (collateral contacts, phone calls, etc.)

Total:
40 hour average workweek
% of direct service hours = approximately 50% during peak times, 25-40% other times

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Counseling Center Services

The Counseling Center is a well-utilized service on a campus of 5,700 students. We are particularly proud of the high satisfaction rate students report for the services they receive from the Counseling Center. The center provides individual short-term counseling (10 sessions), couples counseling, and group counseling. We also have an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselor/Educator on staff to provide AOD treatment, prevention, and education for students. In addition we have a busy outreach and consultation program providing education and support for both students and faculty.  The size of the staff and the college allows for informality, flexibility, and opportunities to participate in a variety of professional activities and develop specialty areas.

The Counseling Center is located in the Health, Wellness and Counseling Building along with the Health Center and Health Education Office. We work closely with nurse practitioners and doctors to provide comprehensive services to students. Counseling Center Staff work closely with the Health Center’s Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and other Nurse Practitioners to assist in the holistic assessment and treatment of students. The benefits of working in a smaller campus community are that the Counseling Center staff works closely with other campus offices including Residence Life, Academic Support Services, Multicultural Student Affairs and the Center for Multicultural Education, Disability Services, First Year Experience, Athletic Department, Career Development Center, Student Clubs, Office of Health Education, and the Educational Opportunity Program. By virtue of our status as a member of the SUNY system, the College of Oneonta also has many of the benefits of working in a large university system including a multicultural student population, access to a large variety of services for students, and an active cultural and entertainment life.

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Counseling Center Clinical Staff

Melissa Fallon is the Director of the Counseling Center and a licensed psychologist in New York State. She has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University at Albany and a Master of Arts and a Master of Education in counseling psychology from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. She worked as a counselor and researcher in higher education and community mental health prior to joining the staff in 2003. She identifies her orientation to treatment as integrative drawing from CBT, emotion-focused, narrative, solution-focused, developmental, psychodynamic and feminist. Her professional interests include working with student athletes, GLBT populations, anxiety, body image, and gender role issues.

Amy Clarvoe has her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University at Buffalo and is a licensed psychologist in New York State. She worked as a counselor in community mental health and higher education before joining the staff in 2008.  Her theoretical orientation is integrative, drawing mostly from relational, cognitive-behavioral, and solution-focused therapies.  Her professional interests include depression and anxiety, grief and loss, relationship problems and couples counseling, difficulties with attention and focus, and group work.

Jeanne Keahon has a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from SUNY Albany and is a licensed social worker (LMSW). She has worked in a variety of mental health, substance abuse, and hospital-based settings before joining us in 1997. Her clinical interests include family systems theory, women's issues and working with international students.

Shawn Bubany has his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Kansas. Prior to joining the counseling center in 2011, Shawn worked as a counselor at colleges and universities in Minnesota, Kansas, and Oregon. Shawn also provided counseling at a VA medical center, a community mental health center, and a community career exploration clinic. Shawn’s professional interests include relationship difficulties, life transitions, career decisions, men’s issues, counselor training and supervision, multiculturalism, and mindfulness meditation.

Brandon Roman received his Master’s degree in mental health counseling from SUNY New Paltz and is a NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). In addition, he holds a trainee certificate as a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC-t). Brandon has worked with a range of people and issues both as a substance abuse counselor and as a wilderness therapist. As the college’s AOD counselor, Brandon specializes in helping students modify their alcohol and drug use. Other clinical interests include: relationship difficulties, family problems, group dynamics, and experiential therapy.

For more information about the Counseling Center Staff follow this link.

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The College at Oneonta is a liberal arts college with a pre-professional focus. With 5700 students and 260 faculty, the 250 acre campus overlooks the scenic Susquehanna River Valley in Central New York and is nestled in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains.  The College at Oneonta is located midway between Albany and Binghamton in the midst of one of New York's most scenic and historic upstate areas. The College has had impressive positive trends in admissions profiles the past 5 years and is becoming an increasingly selective institution in the SUNY system college. The College is located in the City of Oneonta, a friendly community with 15,000 residents. Oneonta is also home to Hartwick College. In addition to being an educational center, the city offers a variety of housing, shopping, cultural, and recreational opportunities. The College at Oneonta contributes significantly to the cultural and intellectual life of the community.

Within a 30-minute drive are two state parks (Glimmerglass and Gilbert Lake) and several popular ski areas.  Oneonta offers a distinctive downtown business community, a range of shops and restaurants, and convenient public transportation. Local attractions include the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Doubleday Field, and the Glimmerglass Opera.

The James M. Milne Library supports the College's mission by providing the resources and services to meet the academic needs of its staff and students. The five-story building houses a 40-station computer lab and affords space for both individual and group study. In its collection, the second largest of the 13 SUNY colleges of arts and sciences, the library has books, journals, audiovisual materials (including videos, CDs, and tapes), and other resources. As part of the State University of New York system, the college library also gives staff members access to materials from all over the state through interlibrary loan.

The College at Oneonta has received national recognition from Kiplinger's Magazine as one of "100 Best Values in Public Colleges." The College has also been recognized by U.S. News and World Report and CosmoGirl. To read more about these distinctions click on this text.

For more information about the university see our website at: www.oneonta.edu. For more information about the city of Oneonta see the city website: http://oneonta.ny.us/ .

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Required: Enrolled doctoral student in a counseling, clinical, or professional psychology program; completion of practicum placements as required by program; completion of doctoral qualifying exams (before applying), completion of coursework (by internship start date),  800 hours of supervised practicum, statement of readiness for internship by program’s training director.

Preferred: Experience in a higher education setting; experience with diverse populations; and experience with outreach programming;.

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The 1,900 hour full-time internship begins August 2 and ends August 1. The stipend will be $20,000, subject to change according to union contract negotiations or other budgetary changes.  Interns are entitled to full NY State benefits including vacation, sick time, holidays, health insurance, dental and vision. The interns will meet with Human Resources staff for an orientation to their benefits package. Benefits include 1.25 days per month (total 15 days, i.e. 3 weeks) vacation accrual.  Sick time accruals are the same (1.25 days per month) as vacation days. 

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The College at Oneonta Counseling Center is participating in the APPIC Match Service as an APPIC Member.  Interested students should submit application materials via the APPI online service which include:

1. Completed application form (standard APPIC form)
2. Verification of internship eligibility and readiness form signed by your training director
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. Transcripts of graduate coursework
   

Applications are due by December 15th. Applicants will be notified by phone or email of interview status by January 10. Applicants will be interviewed individually and the number of interviewers may vary. Interviews will typically be by phone or Skype but on-site interviews are optional. Requests can be made to speak or meet with specific staff, including current interns.

Interested students should direct application materials to:

Melissa Fallon, Ph.D.
Director, Counseling Center
State University of New York, College at Oneonta
Oneonta, NY 13820-4015
melissa.fallon@oneonta.edu
Fax (607) 436-3368

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Melissa Fallon, Ph.D.
Counseling Center
SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, NY 13820-4015
607-436-3368
melissa.fallon@oneonta.edu
http://www.oneonta.edu/development/counseling/

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