We offered our first predoctoral internship training

in 1973-74 and have trained interns for the past 30 years. We currently offer three intern positions in Professional Psychology, and our program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association.  The American Psychological Association Committee On Accreditation can be contacted at 750 First Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20002-4242; 202-336-5979; www.apa.org.  The internship offers a 2000-hour, twelve-month experience open to Ph.D. and Psy.D. candidates in counseling and clinical psychology.

The purpose of the internship program

is to train psychologists who will be able to function as knowledgeable and skilled professionals in a university counseling center environment as well as in a variety of mental health service delivery settings. Consequently, training is composed of learning experiences focused on the developmental issues of university students of all ages and on mental health issues related to students, faculty, and staff. The major components of the internship include individual and group therapy, career counseling and testing, outreach programming, consultation to the University community, and, when available, supervision of practicum students.

We believe that interns learn best

in a congenial, supportive and yet challenging atmosphere, where they receive continuous instruction, supervised hands-on experience, frequent feedback and encouragement to move steadily toward greater independence. We operate from a developmental framework, recognizing different challenges at each of the phases of the internship year. Training needs and goals are identified early in the year, and activities are chosen to help interns meet these goals. For example, early in the internship year the intern’s level of competence and experience will be determined and then training activities and areas of emphases will be tailored to the individual intern’s specific training needs. Internship experiences are graded and sequential in nature, increasing in depth, breadth and intensity and giving interns an opportunity to develop skills and to increase in competencies over the course of the year.

Staff members serve as mentors and models

for interns, available to provide instruction, supervision and feedback as needed. Interns grow in autonomy during the year, serving first as staff members-in-training and eventually as more independent team members. Over the course of the year, interns develop stronger identities as psychologists and greater clarity about their professional senses of self. Throughout all of these experiences, we work to help interns develop awareness and appreciation for the rich sources of diversity in themselves and their clients. We subscribe to a multicultural training model that focuses on deepening self awareness, building multicultural skills, and applying this awareness and skill set in training activities and in psychological practice.   We see this as one of the key learning experiences of internship, and we are committed to helping interns grow in their abilities to work with clients who present with diverse perspectives related to culture, race, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, physical ability, and gender.

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The internship training program at the Counseling Center

is based on the practitioner-scholar model of training. This model emphasizes continuous instruction and integration of the interplay between practice and scholarship.  We emphasize the application of science in professional practice through didactic instruction in training activities and seminars, through the encouragement of use of scientific methods of hypothesis testing in diagnosis and treatment planning and clinical intervention choices, and through the use of research data to inform clinical decisions.  We define scholarship broadly to include theory, empirically-based research and analysis of current trends in the profession, and the use of scientific methods and critical thinking in the process of clinical decision making. Internship experiences are designed to integrate this base of scholarship with the practice of psychological intervention.

From this philosophy and model, we have developed three broad goals toward which we work during the internship year:

1) to produce graduates who have the requisite knowledge and skills for entry into the practice of professional psychology;

2) to produce graduates who are skilled in the interface between science and practice; and

3) to produce graduates who are able to contribute to the profession of psychology.

From these goals come a broad array of objectives and competencies expected of interns by the end of the year, including those related to the attainment of specific clinical skills, to the development of multicultural competency, to the making of ethical and well-informed decisions and to the use of scholarship to inform all aspects of practice.

Interns achieve proficiency

in these competencies via our twelve-month, 2000-hour internship, consisting of three components:

(1) Service activities,

(2) Training activities, and

(3) Professional development.

Service Activities

Individual Counseling and Psychotherapy

Interns spend twelve to fifteen hours each week providing individual counseling to students and staff. The Counseling Center works within a short-term therapy framework (12 sessions per academic year) but interns also have the opportunity to see two clients on a longer-term basis. Counseling Center clients bring both personal and career-related concerns to sessions. Interns have the opportunity to broaden their clinical experience base through work a variety of client issues ranging from developmental concerns such as adjustment to college to more psychologically challenging clinical issues such as working with eating disorders, bi-polar and mood disorders and trauma concerns.   Of clients presenting with personal concerns, a wide variety of problems are represented, with the most common involving relationship concerns, stress/anxiety management, and depression.

Intake Interviews and Assessment

Our center provides daily intake and on-call coverage to screen new clients and to provide consultation to the university community. Interns participate in this important service by providing four hours of intake per week. Intakes involve meeting with each client, obtaining a brief history, assessing current needs, and making the appropriate referral/assignment of the case. During second semester, interns provide on-call coverage where they assume primary responsibility for managing emergencies, crises, and walk-ins on a rotating schedule during business hours.

Psychological Assessment

Although we do not provide extensive training in the use of psychometrics, interns can obtain additional experience in the objective assessment of personality, intellectual functioning and career decision-making processes. Instruments commonly used with our specific population include the MMPI-2, NEO-PI, Wechsler scales, MBTI, BDI, BAI, TAT,and the Strong Interest Inventory. Interns are required to complete two assessment batteries during their internship year. Each test battery will include a minimum of three testing instruments.

Group Counseling and Psychotherapy

Our group program has grown in recent years to include process-oriented psychotherapy groups and numerous structured groups (ex. stress management; coping with depression; assertiveness; anger management; survivors of abuse). Interns co-lead groups, both structured and process-oriented, with a senior staff member. During second semester, interns typically co-lead a structured group with a Masters level practicum student and serve as the primary group leader providing supervision and feedback to the practicum student.   Interns are required to lead or co-lead a minimum of two groups per semester.

Outreach and Consultation

Interns are required to participate in fourteen outreach and consultation programs per year, depending on intern interest and university need. Examples of possible outreach/consultation activities include programming in the residence halls, the Health Center and academic departments; consultation with the Office of Residence Life; presenting career exploration topics in freshman seminar classes; and consultation with the student judicial system. Additionally, interns develop a liaison relationship with one of the residence hall coordinators, serving in a consultant role as well as presenting programs in their respective halls.

Practicum Supervision

Interns will provide individual supervision for a counseling or psychology practicum student in the Spring semester. This supervision is in turn supervised by a senior staff member.

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Training Activities

Supervision

Staff members are committed to provision of quality supervision. Interns are supervised closely and in a number of formats:

1. Individual Supervision--Each intern is supervised two hours per week by a senior staff psychologist. To allow exposure to alternative styles, interns switch supervisors at midyear.

2. Case Conference--For one hour each week, interns meet as a group with a senior staff member who provides additional supervision in a case-presentation format.

3. Supervision of Group Therapy--Interns meet weekly with their senior staff co-therapist to process their groups. Additionally, all group leaders meet weekly to discuss group progress, issues common to the various therapy groups and group therapy readings.

4. Supervision of Supervision--During Spring semester, interns who are supervising practicum students meet for 1 hour per week with a senior staff member. These meetings involve case management, discussion of assigned readings and discussion of personal and professional issues that arise as a result of doing supervision.

Please note that it is the responsibility of the intern applicant to contact the licensing boards in the states in which they desire to practice to determine the specific requirements for supervision.

Professional Development

Bi-weekly, all staff members ( senior staff, interns, and practicum students) meet for 1 1/2 hours for professional development. These meetings include case presentations, discussions on recent clinical literature (both research based and theory based), and presentations by outside speakers (recent topics have included Use of the NEO-PI, Supervision, and Eating disorder issues). Interns participate in staff in-service training by writing up and presenting a case for discussion each semester.

Training Support Group

Interns meet as a group with the Training Director every other week to discuss issues related to their experiences over the course of the year. Common topics include how to move into the role of a professional, job search strategies and licensure issues, dealing with difficult clients, and how to manage paperwork demands.

Intern Training Seminar

Interns meet weekly with staff for more in-depth training on clinical topics of interest and relevance to a counseling center population. Typical topics include developmental issues in college students; interpersonal treatment of depression; cognitive treatment of anxiety; substance abuse; sexual assault and working with individual and cultural diversity.

Research, Professional Writing, and Presentations

The internship sets aside four hours per week for work on doctoral dissertations, research related to Counseling Center services, and preparation for presentations to professional groups.

Staff Meetings

Interns participate in weekly meetings of the professional staff throughout the year.

Committees

Interns may be assigned to some committee work within the Counseling Center or the Division of Student Affairs, depending on the needs of the Division and the interests of the intern.  Interns are members of the Outreach/Consultation committee, meeting every other week, and participate in discussions about Outreach requests, Counseling Center responses, and exploration of O/C theory.  Interns participate in selection process of the next year's intern group by reviewing applications and by having contact with prospective intern applicants.

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Application

Internship applicants must have completed at least one year of supervised practica, all required doctoral coursework, have completed a Masters degree and comprehensive examinations in counseling or clinical psychology,  We prefer candidates who have had a practicum placement in a university counseling center and who may be interested in working in this setting in the future. Applicants with varied personal and professional backgrounds are also encouraged to apply.

The deadline for applications for the 2010-2011 class is November 15, 2009.

This year the application process will occur on-line.  See the APPIC website for more details and instructions.  We will not accept any paper materials.  The electronic application includes:

• Completed AAPI

• Curriculum vita

• Cover letter explaining your interest in this site, how this internship fits with your experience and training goals, how your experience would contribute to our program and how this training experience fits with your longer-term career goals.

• Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which address your recent clinical experience.

We participate in the computer match program

through National Matching Services. Our match number is 141111. Intern applicants who wish to participate in this match must complete and send to NMS an "Applicant Agreement" form, which can be obtained from the NMS web site. Just click on "Applicant Registration" and you will be taken to a form where you can request an application on-line.

Our Center agrees to abide by the APPIC Internship Offers and Acceptance Match Policies (April 10, 1999), specifically, that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant. A copy of these policies may be obtained from the NMS web site.

In compliance with employment policies of the state of North Carolina, interns matched with our site are required to participate in pre-employment background checks.  Applicants for consideration will be sent a Disclosure and Authorization Statement with information and signature to facilitate this process.  The checks will be conducted by an agency contracted by the University and the results will be considered before hiring decisions are final.  Applicants are welcome to discuss any questions about this procedure with the Training Director.

The internship is a twelve month full-time position

that begins in early August.  Salary will be $24,000 for the 2009-2010 year.  Benefits include medical coverage, sick leave, eleven university holidays and 24 days of vacation per year for which payout at the end of the year of half the days not taken.  Interns have private offices with telephone and computer (with Internet access), library privilege, and access to the University computer system for statistical analysis. Some financial support and leave time for professional development is also available.

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The University Counseling Center

is housed in the Division of Student Affairs. The professional staff is composed of eight doctoral-level psychologists, all of whom are from APA-approved programs in Counseling or Clinical Psychology and are state-licensed. The Center serves the student body providing three types of services: (a) remedial services designed to address existing problems impairing the individual's ability to function successfully, (b) preventative services designed to avert difficulties before they emerge, and (c) services directed toward the mastery of developmental tasks.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

is a part of University City, a complex comprised of the University, Carolinas Medical Center, University Research Park, University Place, a shopping area, and various residential neighborhoods. The University, founded in 1946, is composed of contemporary buildings of unique design, on a 1,000 acre campus of rolling hills, forests, streams and ponds. UNC Charlotte provides a wide range of four-year degree programs and a substantial number of graduate degrees. The American Association of State Colleges and Universities presented UNC Charlotte its 1987 Mitau Award as one of the nation's most innovative universities for its leadership in the development of University City. It was cited in 1987 by U. S. News & World Report as one of the best buys in higher education in the country and again in 1994 as one of the top fifteen regional universities in the South. Money Magazine has described it as one of the ten leading universities in the nation that "give great educations and hold down costs." UNC Charlotte was listed in a 1988 book, How to Get an Ivy League Education at a State University, by Martin Nemko, published by Avon Books--one of only two universities from North Carolina making the list--and was listed in 1990 in Barron's 300 as one of the best values in American higher education--one of six from North Carolina.  Its enhanced reputation for high-quality teaching is attracting increasing numbers of students from across the state and the country. A large number of international students also are selecting UNC Charlotte for undergraduate and graduate work. Enrollment for the current year is nearly 20,000, and projections put enrollment at 25,000 by the year 2010.

Charlotte

lies in the Southern Piedmont region of the state between the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains and the popular ocean beaches of North and South Carolina. The largest city in the Carolinas, it offers a variety of entertainment including the Mint Museum of Art, Discovery Place Science Museum, Spirit Square Arts Center, the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, the Charlotte Symphony, Carowinds Amusement Park, Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association, and a host of festivals, nightclubs, restaurants, and theaters. The city is also an international gateway, offering direct air flight to Europe and the Caribbean.

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Interns, past and present

2009-2010

Ashley Boester, Counseling Psychology, Ball State University

Jacqueline Perry, Counseling Psychology, University of Miami

Elizabeth Sellers, Counseling Psychology, Ball State University

2008-2009

Suzanne McGarity, Clinical Psychology, American University

Karen Muehl, Counseling Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University

Katherine Wilson, Counseling Psychology, University of Memphis

2007-2008

Chad Corbley, Counseling Psychology, The Ohio State University

Tammie D'Anjou, Counseling Psychology, University of Miami

Amie Donah, Counseling Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University

2006-2007

Chasity Adams, Clinical Psychology, Roosevelt University

Vance Jackson, Counseling Psychology, Ball State University

Doylene Chan, Counseling Psychology, Washington State University

2005-2006

Jodi Boita, Counseling Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University

Korrine Cikanek, Counseling Psychology,  University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Katherine Kelly, Counseling Psychology, University of Memphis

2004-2005

Rodney Bragdon, Clinical Psychology, University of Mississippi

Jocelyn Buhain, Counseling Psychology, University of Denver

Andrew Miller, Counseling Psychology, Texas A&M University

2003-2004

Maribel S. Diaz, Clinical Psychology, Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Ilana D. Krakauer, Clinical Psychology, University of Missouri - St. Louis

Aaron D. Less, Counseling Psychology, University of Iowa

2002-2003

Nathaniel Hopkins, Counseling Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bethanne Jacobson, Counseling Psychology, West Virginia University

Kimberly Smiley, Clinical Psychology, Georgia School of Professional Psychology

2001-2002

Charlotte Frazier, Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia

Leila Jarrahi, Counseling Psychology, Texas A&M University

Elizabeth Smailes, Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University

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