Individual and Couples Counseling
Psychology interns typically see 8-12 clients per week. After an initial assessment of the trainees’ needs, supervisors work with each intern to garner cases that will facilitate development in particular areas. Clients are referred to clinicians via brief consultation and referral assessments (BCRs). The Counseling and Wellness Center endorses a short-term model and incorporates a variety of theoretical orientations, such as humanistic, feminist, psychodynamic, internal family systems, somatic experiencing, cognitive-behavioral, etc. All interns are expected to provide couples counseling each semester (Fall through Summer). Interns receive focused couples counseling training during seminars, where several sessions are devoted to working with couples. During the first semester, interns will do co-therapy with a clinical staff member. Oftentimes during the spring semester interns will continue providing co-therapy with the supervisor they worked with in the fall. Interns have the option to do co-therapy in the spring and/or summer with a fellow intern, or on their own, and obtain supervision from a clinical staff member on the couples’ team.
Group Counseling
Interns are very involved in providing group counseling during their time at the Center. During the Fall semester, it is ideal that interns co-facilitate two groups with a staff clinician, one of which must be an interpersonal process group (i.e., Understanding Self and Others). Interns are expected to facilitate one group in the Spring semester and are encouraged to consider facilitating different group(s) (from the Fall semester) to broaden their competency across a variety populations and group type. As interns gain confidence and competency with group counseling, they will have more facilitation options. That is, interns may facilitate a group with a staff clinician, another trainee (i.e., another intern or an advanced practicum student) or independently.
The Center’s group program is very successful and we typically run -30-40 groups each semester. These groups cover a broad range of topic areas. Some of our groups are process oriented but we also have a number of psychoeducational and support groups. Interns are encouraged to be involved in running both types of groups. Interns receive focused group counseling training within intern seminar, where several sessions are devoted to working with groups. Supervision of group counseling occurs with the licensed clinician co leading the group or a designated supervisor.
Outreach
The Counseling and Wellness Center is very involved in outreach activities to the UF community. Like all staff members, interns are expected to respond to outreach requests as needed. Each intern is required to present a minimum of three outreach programs (this does not include tabling) each semester for a variety of campus groups. We encourage interns to develop and present programs in areas of special interest to them and to work with new topics and populations. Interns and staff often work in teams in presenting such programs. The outreach leadership will provide interns with 4-5 outreach seminars on how to effectively create outreach programs and will provide feedback and training in this area.
Clinical Assessment
The first method of assessment at the CWC is the brief consultation and referral assessment (BCR). Clients are assessed for urgency and acuity of need, appropriateness for Center services, recommended mode of treatment (individual, couples, group counseling, etc.), and referral options.
If the client is referred for group or individual therapy at the CWC, a group screen or new client appointment is scheduled in which continued assessment of the presenting issues takes place. The BCR session helps inform and direct the nature of this assessment. Interns receive training in conducting brief consultations and new client interviews and are then assigned three brief consultations per week.
Interns receive training in psychological assessment via a series of assessment seminars and providing assessment services to clients. In the seminars, interns are introduced to the various aspects of psychological assessment. During Fall and Spring semester, interns are required to complete at least one comprehensive psychological assessment using a test battery within one of the following areas: (LD/ADHD and ADHD brief assessment) , with a choice to complete more in the same semester and/or Summer based on their professional goals and concentration.
Crisis Intervention
Interns provide both daytime on-call and after-hours on- call consultation and crisis intervention services. Interns receive several seminars during orientation and over the course of internship with regard to assessing and responding to varying levels of crisis situations. Crisis intervention strategies and techniques are also discussed with a CART member who oversees the interns’ on call training and work. A licensed clinician is always available during on-call hours. Interns engage in multiple role-plays with the CART team to prepare for phone consultation and crisis intervention. Interns begin shadowing CART members during orientation and the beginning of the fall semester. They begin covering daytime on call independently (with BCR/On-Call and licensed clinicians available for consultation/backup) in the mid-fall and through the summer semesters. A clinician is always available for crisis consultation. Throughout the year, interns travel to Peabody to do a 4-hour on-call shift in the afternoon. A CWC Service Drive parking pass, electric car and bikes, and campus bus are available for interns to use for travel to and from Peabody.
Supervision of Practicum Trainees
Each intern will have the opportunity to supervise the work of a doctoral level or master’s level trainee for the Spring semester with an option of supervising a trainee in the summer. These trainees see 4-6 clients per week. The interns serve as their primary clinical supervisors during the Spring term. Their responsibilities include supervising their case management and clinical work. Interns receive supervision of their supervision from: (1) their individual supervisor, and (2) a group supervision of supervision seminar that meets bi-weekly.
Our Center provides training for second-year UF Counseling Psychology students in a required practicum sequence. We also receive doctoral students from the Counseling Psychology Program and doctoral and master’s students from the Counselor Education Program.