Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology
Letter to Prospective Applicants
Ohio University's Counseling and Psychological Services is accredited by the American Psychological Association.
Thank you for your interest in the Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at Ohio University Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). Our internship program is a 2000-hour, 12-month contract.
The CPS mission is to foster a generalist practitioner training in the areas of psychological counseling, education, and consultation to the Ohio University community. We strive to offer services that promote emotional, physical, and social well-being for Ohio University students facing adjustment and developmental challenges while respecting and appreciating all cultural identities of our student population. Further, our goal is to prepare generalist practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed for successful entry-level practice in the field of psychology.
I hope you find the following information provided on this website informative. I'd like to take a minute to highlight a few aspects of our training program that may be helpful to you in your decision-making process.
The CPS training program utilizes a developmental mentorship training philosophy. Our program is designed to build upon previously acquired skills and knowledge while fostering the competencies necessary for delivering professional psychological services. We provide graduated learning opportunities with increased responsibility as the year progresses, and focus on the developmental process and transitions of interns as they move from student/learner in the classroom, to learner/practitioner in the field, to an early-career professional psychologist. As a staff, we are committed to providing ethical, culturally competent mentoring throughout the internship training experience. Intern growth and maturation occur under the guidance of licensed psychologists and other licensed mental health professionals, who value the reciprocal nature of learning within supportive mentoring relationships.
Our staff members are strong generalists with a variety of specialty areas. As part of their professional development, interns will not only have individual supervision with a licensed psychologist, but they will also choose an area of clinical/theoretical focus during the internship year, and apprentice with another staff member in a supportive relationship marked by an individualized pace of learning in their area of focus. This arrangement allows for our interns to gain both a breadth and depth of experience and develop important relationships with members of our staff to foster their professional development.
An important aspect of our philosophy, which is infused throughout our training, is our center's commitment to celebrating and honoring diversity in our relationships, practices, policies, and procedures. We strive to foster an environment of respect for differences and continually work toward creating a safe, affirming, and inclusive environment for all individuals.
You will find a complete description of our training program, including links to our internship handbook and policies and procedures for training on this web page.
Selecting an internship site is an important decision. As you learn more about our internship program, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns – we are here to help in any way that we can as you are making decisions about this important stage of your career!
Rebecca Conrad Davenport , Ph.D.
Training Director
conraddr@ohio.edu
740.593.1616
Program Mission
The mission of Counseling and Psychological Services' Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at Ohio University is to provide a generalist practitioner training in the areas of psychological counseling, education, and consultation to the Ohio University community.
We strive to offer services that promote emotional, physical, and social well-being for Ohio University students facing adjustment and developmental challenges, as well as a broad range of psychological problems while respecting and appreciating all cultural identities of our student population. Further, our goal is to prepare generalist practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed for the successful entry-level practice of careers in psychology.
Philosophy of Training
At Ohio University's Counseling and Psychological Services, interns engage in structured training and professional practice designed to provide a sequence of increasingly complex professional experiences, roles, and responsibilities. As confidence and competency increase, interns learn by becoming progressively more independent while retaining access to consultation, training, and support. By the end of the internship year, interns are expected to be ready to function as autonomous, entry-level practitioners with an intermediate-to-advanced level of competency in all professional areas.
To accomplish this, the training program at Ohio University uses the Developmental Mentorship Model. We help interns build on previous skills and knowledge with hands-on learning opportunities as full-time practitioners in training under the guidance of skilled clinicians. We emphasize the dynamic relationship between the larger conversations going on in the scientific field of psychology and the more intimate conversations going on between the mentor and the mentee.
The basic components of our training program are a strong emphasis on the growth process of the interns throughout their experience of socialization into the field of professional psychology and the amount and quality of supervision and mentoring the intern receives from experienced clinicians.
Program Goals
Goal 1
To promote the development of an identity as a professional psychologist through the integration of science, theory and ethics in professional practice.
Goal 2
To promote the development of skills and competencies as an entry-level generalist psychologist in professional practice.
Goal 3
To promote the development of knowledge, skills and awareness of the role of cultural and individual diversity in the professional practice of psychology.
Training Guidelines
See the handbook for more information on competency areas for evaluation and exit criteria, as well as evaluation, disciplinary actions, appeals, and grievance procedures.
CPS Doctoral Health Service Psychology Internship Manual [PDF]
Also available are the CPS Training Policies and Procedures.
Description of Internship Activities
Training & Seminars
Professional Issues, Clinical Topics, and Ethics Seminar
1.5 hours per week, all year
This seminar addresses ethical issues, multicultural and diversity issues, and issues of professional development and entry into the field of professional psychology. Presentations by staff members, community professionals, and interns cover a wide range of topics based on the intern group's needs and special topics that are of interest to them.
Group Supervision of Supervision
2 hours per week, fall and spring semester
Provides training and preparation for supervision of trainees in clinical mental health professions at CPS. Interns consult and process their experience with their supervisees to develop their skills and develop confidence in providing supervision.
Group Therapy Seminar/Supervision
1.5 hours per week, fall and spring semester
Provides didactic training on group theory, intervention, and facilitation as well as group supervision with the Group Coordinator. Interns will present a case presentation of their group/s therapy experience, consult with peers and the Group Coordinator, and enhance their understanding of group processes in process, support, and skills-based group therapies.
Multicultural Seminar
1.5 hours every other week
This topical seminar series addresses issues related to diversity, equity, and social justice. Interns are asked to reflect on various topics as they relate to themselves, their self-growth, development as clinicians and mental health workers. The format will involve readings, videos, presentations, and discussions. Some level of vulnerability and personal exploration is expected. Interns will integrate concepts into various areas of work during their internship year, including clinical work, outreach, and a final presentation on working across differences.
Outreach and Consultation Seminar
1.5 hours every other week during fall semester, as needed in spring semester
This seminar will provide an overview of theory, models, and techniques of consultation and outreach, including how to design and implement programming and foster collaborations across campus. The amount of supervision of these activities decreases over the course of the year as interns move toward operating more autonomously.
Clinical Team Meetings
1 hour per week, all year
All interns join with senior staff for one hour of clinical consultation weekly. This meeting provides an opportunity to distribute new clients, as well as receive support, feedback, and suggestions for particularly interesting or challenging clients, or those where some factor(s) present potential ethical/legal conflicts. This is also a forum to discuss emerging, critical clinical issues from the university community: recent university crises or emerging situations likely to lead to a crisis, such as severe conflict in a program, a student death, an attempted suicide, etc. This meeting is used, at times, for professional development topics of interest to the staff, especially those related to supervision. The meetings are informal in format, and all participants are invited and encouraged to bring in relevant information, viewpoints, or case materials.
Individual Clinical Supervision
2 hours per week
Intern supervision is a priority of the program and is geared to the intern's level of professional development. Each intern receives a minimum of two hours of individual supervision weekly. All primary supervisors are licensed psychologists. As might benefit the intern, other staff contribute supplementary supervision in areas such as group work, consultation and outreach, etc. Interns will be evaluated by their clinical supervisors at the midyear and endpoint of their internship by each of their clinical supervisors (please see the Internship Handbook for a sample evaluation form). The evaluations will include feedback from all staff members who had worked with the intern during that evaluation period and will be shared with the intern's home department.
Note: CPS does not complete additional evaluation forms from academic departments. If this is a requirement of your department, please check with your Director of Clinical Training about this policy and whether CPS would meet your academic department’s needs before applying.
Areas of Focus Supervision
2 hours per month
Interns choose one Area of Focus (AoF) for the year. The AoF pairs an intern with a clinician at CPS as a mentor to learn more about a specific topic area that the intern is interested in gaining more direct supervision and skills around. Clinicians at CPS have expertise in several areas, whether clinically (i.e., eating disorders, substance abuse), other service areas (i.e., diversity training, group therapy, outreach), or administratively (i.e., training, clinic management) for which they offer specific mentorship. The AoF curriculum and contract is developed in collaboration with the supervisor and based on the interns’ goals and interests. Please see the Internship Handbook link for a tentative list of available apprenticeship rotations.
Supervision of Group Therapy
.5-1 hour per week, and as needed
Interns co-facilitate therapy groups with a senior staff member (and later in the year, given need and availability, may also be able to facilitate with another intern). The intern will meet with each of their group co-facilitators for a minimum of .5 hours of supervision for each of their groups weekly.
Administrative & Staff Activities
Administrative Staff Meeting
1.5 hours per week, all year
All clinical staff members, including interns, meet once a week to discuss administrative issues, such as documentation, policies and procedures, scheduling, or other issues related to running a university counseling center.
Meeting with Training Director
2 times per month, and as needed
The training director will meet with each of the interns individually once a month and as a group once a month. This is an opportunity to discuss and process any challenges, opportunities, or issues that have come up within the cohort, with supervisors, in training seminars, or in life in general. The purpose of the meetings is to keep the lines of communication open between the interns and the training director.
Professional Development Time
Variable
Interns are allowed to use professional development time to attend conferences, go on job interviews, attend home program meetings for dissertation and graduation, etc. All professional development time must be submitted in writing and approved by the Training Director.
Direct Services
Clinical Services
Interns are expected to have 25% of their time (500 hours) in the provision of direct clinical service. In order to achieve this goal, interns must maintain between 15–23 clinical hours per week. Direct clinical service includes individual, couples, and group therapy, and in-person drop-in/crisis coverage. Clients at CPS represent a wide range of backgrounds and identities, presenting concerns, and levels of clinical complexity. Each intern will be able to develop both specific clinical interests and broad generalist skills.
Consultation and Outreach
Interns will engage in regular outreach and consultation programming with the campus community as representatives of CPS. Over the course of the year, each intern must complete a minimum of 10 outreach programs (a minimum of 5 per semester). Interns will meet with the Outreach Coordinator, as necessary, to develop programs, identify opportunities, and receive feedback on their programming.
Supervision of Practicum Students
Interns are required to provide clinical supervision to at least one trainee during the internship year.
Documentation of Hours
Interns are responsible for documenting their clinical training hours. This can be done using a program like Time2Track or PsyKey, or using an Excel spreadsheet that is provided ahead of time. A copy of the spreadsheet data will be submitted to the training director on a monthly basis. Interns will be given feedback about their hours at a minimum of every three months.
Sample Weekly Time Allocation
| Clinical Services – 20 Hours | Hours Committed |
|---|---|
| Ongoing individual clients | 12–14 |
| Couples counseling | 0–2 |
| Group therapy | 1.5–3 |
| Drop-in and initial consultation | 4 |
| Outreach/Consultation | 0-2 |
| Receiving/Giving Supervision - 6 Hours | Hours Committed |
|---|---|
| Individual supervision | 2 |
| Supervision of supervision | 2 |
| Areas of Focus mentorship | .5 |
| Group therapy supervision | .5-1 |
| Provision of supervision to trainee | 1 |
| Training and Professional Development – 6 Hours | Hours Committed |
|---|---|
| Professional and Clinical Issues Seminar | 1.5 |
| Group Therapy Seminar | 1.5 |
| Multicultural Seminar / Outreach Seminar | 1.5 |
| Clinical team meeting consultations | 1 |
| Administrative/Other Activities – 8 Hours | Hours Committed |
|---|---|
| Staff meeting | 1.5 |
| Meeting with TD | .5 |
| Paperwork / preparation | 4 |
| Preparation for supervision | 2 |
| Professional development/research time | Variable |
| Total | 40 hours |
Internship Admissions, Support, and Initial Placement Data
(updated July, 2023)
Program Disclosure | |
| Does the program or institution require students, trainees, and/or staff (faculty) to comply with specific policies or practices related to the institution’s affiliation or purpose? Such policies or practices may include, but are not limited to, admissions, hiring, retention policies, and/or requirements for completion that express mission and values. | No |
Other minimum criteria used to screen applicants:
|
Financial and Other Benefit Support for Upcoming Training Year* | |
| Annual Stipend/Salary for Full-time Interns | $32,460.00 |
| Annual Stipend/Salary for Half-time Interns | N/A |
| Program provides access to medical insurance for intern? | Yes |
| If access to medical insurance is provided: | |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Yes |
| Hours of Annual Paid Personal Time off (PTO and/or Vacation) | 168 |
| Hours of Annual Paid Sick Leave | 120 |
| In the event of medical conditions and/or family needs that require extended leave, does the program allow reasonable unpaid leave to interns/residents in excess of personal time off and sick leave? | Yes |
| Other benefits (please describe): | |
| 11 paid university holidays Winter Break Closure (the University is closed from Dec 25 through Jan 1) Vision Plan Dental Coverage Employee Basic Life Insurance Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance Option to purchase additional life insurance for employee and dependents Health and Dependent Daycare Flexible Spending Accounts Access to Professional Development Funds and Time Retirement plan options Access to paid parking spaces in close proximity to workplace Paid access to fitness center | |
Initial Post-Internship Positions | ||
| Aggregated Tally for the Preceding 3 Cohorts | 2020-22 | |
| Total # of interns who were in the 3 cohorts | 9 | |
| Total # of interns who did not seek employment because they returned to their doctoral program/are completing doctoral degree | 0 | |
| PD | Employed Position | |
| Academic teaching | 0 | 0 |
| Community mental health center | 0 | 0 |
| Consortium | 0 | 0 |
| University Counseling Center | 3 | 2 |
| Hospital/Medical Center | 1 | 0 |
| Veterans Affairs Health Care System | 0 | 0 |
| Psychiatric facility | 0 | 0 |
| Correctional facility | 0 | 0 |
| Health maintenance organization | 0 | 0 |
| School district/system | 0 | 0 |
| Independent practice setting | 1 | 2 |
| Other | 0 | 0 |
Note: “PD” = Post-doctoral residency position; “EP” = Employed Position. Each individual represented in this table should be counted only one time. For former trainees working in more than one setting, select the setting that represents their primary position.
Application Procedures
Eligibility
Candidates must be enrolled in an APA-accredited doctoral program in counseling or clinical psychology. All formal coursework and comprehensive examinations for the doctorate must be completed, including all supervised practicum courses. It is strongly recommended, but not required, that applicants have completed their dissertation proposal by the time of the internship interview, as it is required that the dissertation proposal be defended by the ranking deadline. A complete description of the entrance criteria is provided in the handbook.
Stipend
The internship is for 12 months and carries a stipend of $32,460. Health insurance, dental insurance, retirement benefits, sick leave, and vacation time are included in the benefits package.
Start Date
Internship begins on August 1
How to Apply
Applicants for internship must currently be enrolled in an APA-accredited doctoral program in clinical or counseling psychology. CPS is an APPIC member agency, participates in the APPIC Match, and agrees to abide by all APPIC policies including that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.
All applicants must complete the on-line AAPI to be considered for Ohio University's internship program. Ohio University does not require any supplemental materials to be submitted with the AAPI.
A complete application will include:
- Curriculum vitae
- All graduate transcripts
- Cover letter describing how you would be a good fit with the internship program at Ohio University's Counseling and Psychological Services. Please be specific about your goals for internship and how our particular program will help you meet these goals
- Three letters of reference, at least two of which are from licensed psychologists who have supervised your clinical work
Questions
For questions or clarifications regarding the internship program or application procedures, contact:
Rebecca Conrad Davenport, Ph.D.
Training Director
Counseling and Psychological Services
2 Health Center Drive
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-1616
conraddr@ohio.edu
Accreditation Status
The doctoral internship program at Counseling and Psychological Services is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
The Committee on Accreditation of the APA can be contacted at:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Telephone: (202)336-5979
TTD/TTY: (202) 336-6123
Fax: (202) 336-5978
apaaccred@apa.org (for general questions)
aro@apa.org (for annual report online only)
Equal Employment and Education Opportunity/ Affirmative Action
Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) operates within the context of a university counseling center that puts a high premium on valuing diversity among people. Any trainee/intern coming to CPS would work within this value. The multicultural staff at CPS recognize that many factors including race, ethnicity, range of ability, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, culture, socioeconomic status and other unique challenges are salient in students' lives. It is our commitment to welcome all people with respect and sensitivity. CPS values all identities and we value students in all their individuality.
Intern Cohorts
Current Interns
2023–2024
Hannah Esmacher
Madeline Hartline
Shira Pollack
Past Interns
2022–2023
Kateryna Kolnogorova
Sean Murphy
Ada Lin
2021–2022
Shannon Gray
Alexander Julian
Sarah Mattila
2020–2021
Heidi Binder
Andrea Cooper
Aaron Melnek
2019–2020
Amanda Knapp
Kristen Reser
Lindsay Watts
2018–2019
Shamima Akhter
Marque Griggs
Briana Weisner
2017–2018
Sierra Garthwaite
2016–2017
Michelle Barron-Wearsch
Lindsay Donofrio
2015–2016
Alexander Rowell
Bradford Meyers
Lauren Ranney
2014–2015
Paul Carbajal
Elisabeth Knauer-Turner
Mitchell Powers
2013–2014
Joseph Bennett
Joseph Bryan Conrad
Kendra Mathys
2012–2013
Melinda Honeycutt
Johanna Malaret
Amber Silverman
2011–2012
Meghan Kean
Matthew Kellar
Anna Stark