The Training Program at UCSD operates out of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and it is an APA*-accredited, full-time, twelve-month internship in Clinical and Counseling psychology. It offers the opportunity to gain a broad-based training experience and to work with staff that is highly trained and richly diverse in theoretical and cultural backgrounds. Over several decades it has evolved into a program both dynamic and multifaceted in service delivery and theoretical models and treatment approaches.  As the only mental health service at UCSD for students, CAPS provides individual, couples, and group counseling and psychotherapy, crisis intervention, psychological testing and assessment, paraprofessional training, and psychological consultation and outreach services.

*The pre-doctoral internship in Professional Psychology is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, 750 First St., NE, Washington, D.C., 20002-4242 (202) 336-5979.The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services is a unit of Student Affairs.

To go to the APPIC online application for the 2010-11 internship year, click here.

The training program at CAPS is based on the belief that people are integral with the systems in which they function. It is vital for psychologists to understand the relationship between a client's capacity to cope and the environmental setting and social systems in which he or she functions. In addition to having a role in their family-of-origin, students usually function within several social networks which are nested within the larger academic institution. The training program prepares interns to address problems at all of these levels and to use system-oriented models of intervention as well as intrapsychic ones.

This philosophy leads to a program in which outreach services are integrated with the more traditional services. In support of this integration, the training program teaches both the use of proactive models, which lend themselves to preventive interventions, as well as remedial models of service delivery. Interns also develop flexibility in applying these models at the individual, group, and administrative levels of the system.

Use of developmental theory for both preventive and clinical work is another feature of the training program. At CAPS, clinical work is often conceptualized as helping young adults reorganize their lives or their identities in the process of contending with developmental crises. Additionally, preventive as well as remedial work often involves the teaching and strengthening of cognitive, emotional or behavioral skills needed to successfully negotiate the current, pressing demands of the academic and social environment. In this regard, CAPS has a particularly strong group program in which Interns can proactively plan, design and implement workshops and outreach groups which focus on critical areas of self and relational development.

Finally, consistent with our commitment to multiculturalism and social justice, the training program is designed to help new professionals enhance sensitivity and respect for human diversity. An integral part of this process is learning about one's own uniqueness and its potential impact on others.

The overarching aim of the training program’s integrative practitioner model is to develop clinical and counseling psychologists who are competent and skilled in the delivery of both clinical and preventive services.  In other words, the primary goal is to train Interns to become both clinical and preventive interventionists.

To accomplish this, Interns will need flexibility on four different levels: (1) conceptual flexibility in the use of different models for the assessment, planning, and delivery stages of professional service; (2) flexibility for intervention at the individual, group, and organizational levels of the system; (3) flexibility to competently engage in crisis intervention, and both short-term and long-term forms of psychotherapy; and (4) flexibility to vary therapeutic style depending on the problem or the characteristics of the individual client.

These general objectives of clinical/preventive competence and flexibility in professional response need to be formulated into more specific training objectives.  For this purpose, fifteen integrative-practitioner competencies have been constructed for the program. Each of these competencies subsume a set of more specific professional skills and expectations which form the operational objectives and guidelines for training and supervision.  Meeting these expectations and performance criteria is necessary for the successful completion of the internship.  The competencies are described below.

CLINICAL/COUNSELING COMPETENCIES

1) Intake and Assessment.  The Intern establishes good rapport, structures productive information gathering and makes appropriate use of available resources as needed, i.e. psychological testing, professional consultation or referral, and institutional and community resources.  The ability to develop a therapeutic contract and establish appropriate expectations for the working phase of therapy is also included here.

2) Psychological and Vocational Testing.  The Intern is competent in applying the psychological tests commonly used by clinical or counseling psychologists (e.g., WAIS-3, MMPI-II, Rorschach, TAT, BDI, etc.).  This includes integrative use and interpretation of the information for diagnosis, disposition, and treatment.  Competence in using tests for career guidance and decision making is also included here.

3) Psychological Reports. The Intern is able to integrate all the necessary assessment data, interpretations, and recommendations in writing professional quality reports.  This includes the following administrative forms: Intake Summaries, Termination Reports, Medication Summary Reports, and Psychiatric Referral forms.

4) Conceptual Integrative and Application.  The Intern demonstrates a good knowledge of scientifically-based concepts and models of counseling and psychotherapy, and can translate them effectively into treatment objectives. S/he also can use more than one theoretical model, and is demonstrating movement toward conceptual integration.

5) Crisis Intervention.  The Intern demonstrates competence and flexibility in performing crisis therapy and handling clinical emergencies in general.  This includes the ability to assess suicide lethality, violence potential, and potential for decompensation.  It also involves the ability to adapt one’s intervention style to the problem and to the sociocultural characteristics of the client.

6) Individual and Couples Therapy.  The Intern conducts effective short-term and long-term psychotherapy using a variety of techniques or interventions appropriate to each.  This includes sensitivity to, and effective use of the therapeutic relationship, as well as knowledge and effective use of empirically supported treatments when appropriate.

7) Group Work.  The Intern is able to translate clinical and scientifically-based knowledge and skills into a group setting, and this competence is demonstrated in more than one kind of group (psychotherapy, support, and workshop).  Also, s/he is sensitive to common group process issues, and is able to adjust interventions to the different stages in the life of a group.

8) Therapeutic Range and Flexibility.  The Intern demonstrates comfort and competence in working with clients differing from his/her own race, culture, gender and life style. S/he also works effectively with different types of clinical problems, e.g. academic and vocational issues, addictions, affective disorders, personality disorders, etc. and is able to create or adapt interventions to the personal needs and uniqueness of the client.

OUTREACH AND CONSULTATIVE COMPETENCIES

9) Consultative Skills.  The Intern is adept at initiating and developing an individual consultative relationship, and functions effectively as a college consultation team member, and/or as a co-leader of an outreach program.

10) Outreach and Preventive Services.  The Intern is able to plan and competently implement outreach programs or organizational development efforts, including psychoeducational workshops and multicultural support groups.  This also includes training, supervising, and providing consultation with peer educators.  Also, the Intern demonstrates sensitivity and skill in conducting multicultural classes, groups, or workshops.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT COMPETENCIES

11) Professional Ethics.  The Intern is cognizant of and abides by the guidelines as stated in the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists, Standards for Providers of Psychological Services, Specialty Guidelines.  S/he is also cognizant of and abides by the California laws and regulations governing the practice of psychology, e.g., Tarasoff requirements, reporting child abuse, etc.

12) Professional Conduct and Personal Functioning. The Intern demonstrates the appearance and conduct appropriate to her/his professional role.  A sense of commitment and responsibility is also manifested toward one's colleagues (includes good working relationships), to one's work (including administrative duties), and to the mission and goals of CAPS as delineated in this training manual. An awareness of and ability to cope with personal problems or issues which might interfere with professional performance and/or responsibilities is also included here.

SUPERVISION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMPETENCIES

13) Response to Supervision. The Intern demonstrates openness and responsiveness to supervision by sharing problems, concerns, and ideas with the supervisor, and by utilizing supervisory feedback and seeking consultation when needed. Also, s/he carries out formal training assignments, tries alternative interventions or strategies formulated in supervision, and accepts constructive criticism in a reasonably non-defensive manner.

14) Individualized Training Goals.  The Intern accomplishes or makes significant progress on her/his list of individual training goals as formulated in primary supervision.

15) Professional Identity.  The Intern is developing an effective professional identity appropriate to her/his level of training--one that integrates the unique needs, style and characteristics of the individual with the standards and norms of the profession.

 

While a broad exposure to a variety of clinical and preventive services is advocated for the internship, a genuine and strong commitment to training and supervision exists as the foundation of the program.  Approximately twenty percent of the Intern's time is spent in the formal learning structures of the program. They are arranged to ensure that each Intern receives intensive individual training supplemented by small group supervision, full-staff training sessions, and special training modules. This was accomplished by creating nine training structures: Primary Supervision, Secondary Supervision, Case Review Team, Multicultural and Social Justice Seminar, In-service Training, Professional Development, Clinical Rotations, Special Topics Seminar, and the Psychotherapy Seminar. While the training experiences are centered on and built around primary supervision, the other structures provide different formats of learning as well as exposure to different members of the training staff.

1) Primary Supervision

Each Intern is assigned a California licensed, senior staff member for primary supervision.  The main function of the Primary Supervisor is to supervise the overall professional development of the Intern with special focus on managing therapy cases. It involves two hours each week and includes reviewing videotaped therapy sessions, discussing therapist-client dynamics, learning different therapeutic interventions, and general case planning and management.  In addition, the Primary Supervisor should be the "first-line" person with whom problems with clients, staff or program are expressed and solutions sought.  It is also their responsibility to formulate a final list of individual training goals, track notes, evaluate Intern performance and complete progress evaluations.  In general, the Primary evaluates the training needs and collaborates with the Intern in recommending professional learning experiences throughout the year.

2) Secondary Supervision

During the year each Intern is required to work with at least four other senior staff members in secondary supervision.  This kind of supervision can take four different forms as follows:

1. Co-Leadership Supervision is created when professional staff co-lead therapy groups, Summer Bridge classes, couples, or families with Interns, or they work together on an outreach project.  This is a kind of experiential apprenticeship in which both Intern and supervisor are engaged in delivering the same service together.  Following each segment of their work, the supervisor and Intern meet for processing and supervisory discussion.  This form of secondary supervision ends when the work they are engaged in is completed.
   
   
2. College, Consultation, and Career (CCC) Supervision exists when an Intern is assigned to a specific college location and becomes part of the consultation team for that college.  One of the senior staff members of the team will serve as a Secondary Supervisor for the Intern's consultation and college outreach work for the year.  This entails doing some initial college outreach work together and meeting one hour a week at least through the first quarter.
   
   
3. Outreach and Consultation Supervision occurs when a senior staff member supervises an Intern who assumes leadership in one of the four outreach and consultation rotations.
   
   
4. Special Assignment Supervision can arise when the Intern needs training in a specific area, such as psychological testing, or in a certain approach or technique of therapy.  It could also involve learning a particular theoretical model for clinical work.  For this purpose a specific staff member, often recommended by the Intern's Primary Supervisor, is selected for the training. Then the supervisor and intern meet for one hour a week for a time-limited period, often selecting one or two therapy or assessment cases as a focus for discussion.

The major way in which secondary differs from primary supervision is that the former is usually based on a more specific training project or professional experience, and therefore is time-limited.  Secondary supervision usually ends when the group, couple, seminar, or project ends, or after the Intern feels sufficiently trained in a particular approach or theory.  The college-based, outreach supervision and peer program supervision are exceptions to this in that they continue throughout the academic year and some form of supervision should be maintained.

3) Special Topics Seminar

Throughout the summer the Interns meet in multiple training experiences.  This training series serves multiple functions.  One function is to hold didactic training modules and workshops in those areas that are important for professional development and clinical work.  The second function of this training series is to provide a base for peer support and learning.  Additionally, it is an opportunity for the interns to get acquainted with the CAPS staff as a basis for selecting secondary supervisors.

Many of these training sessions are conducted during the summer and fall months by different senior staff members.  Although a certain number of topics need to be covered every year, some variations do occur depending on intern experience and training needs.  Most training topics fall under the following two modules:

1. Clinical Topics and Interventions Module, usually includes presentations such as Eating Disorders, Dialectic Behavior Training, Sexual Assault, Psychopharmacology, and Professional Ethics.
   
   
2. Outreach and Consultation Module, includes didactic training, identification of two year-long consultation relationships, planning for outreach delivery, and ongoing mentoring by Career, College, and Consultation supervisors.

4) Clinical Rotation

Interns also participate in a biweekly seminar that is comprised of four quarterly rotations. Each rotation provides in-depth training, case consultation, and clinical supervision. The rotations will focus on increasing knowledge and skill through didactic learning and application of the topic. Where applicable, interns will be asked to bring video examples of their work.

1. Psychological Testing, is designed to be consultative in nature.  It is assumed that interns have basic/working knowledge of psychological assessment and that the testing seminar will provide an opportunity to synthesize and integrate these skills as well as provide an experience with tests with which the Intern may not yet have had exposure. Each Intern is responsible for completing one full psychological battery with integrated report and feedback to the referring therapist and student.  This report should be designed to address the specific referral question/s relevant to the student’s presenting issue/s.
    
   
2. Group Therapy, is designed to increase understanding of group functioning and provide secondary supervision on group work. Its purpose is to develop leadership skills for creating and facilitating groups.  The rotation will be offered biweekly in the fall quarter and Interns will engage in group therapy activities during the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters.  Topics will include principles of group dynamics, process issues, group members’ roles and behaviors, therapeutic factors of group work, and group leadership styles, Approaches used for other types of group work, such as psycho-educational workshops and support groups will also be discussed.
   
   
3. Crisis Intervention, is designed to increase knowledge and flexibility in performing crisis therapy and handling clinical emergencies in general.  This includes the ability to assess suicide lethality, violence potential, and potential for decompensation.  Interns will receive supplemental clinical supervision on their urgent care shifts and use the forum as a place to debrief their experiences for group learning.
   
   
4. Motivational Interviewing, is a client-centered, directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence.  This evidence-based practice is useful for clients in the contemplation stage of change.   MI can be utilized with a variety of presenting problems and is often utilized as an adjunct to other forms of psychotherapy. This rotation will provide an overview of motivational interviewing skills and techniques. Additionally, interns will develop the skills to use motivational interviewing with resistant and contemplation stage clients, assess, and refine therapist specific skills.

5) Case Review Team

Professional staff, Post-doctoral fellows, and Interns are divided into teams that meet once a week to discuss new intakes, make case referrals, and seek consultation concerning problems or issues with ongoing cases. In order to increase exposure to the diversity of professional styles and interests that exist within the staff, Interns are placed on teams which do not include their Primary Supervisors. When supervisors are changed midway through the year, Interns and Post-doctoral fellows are rotated.

6) Psychotherapy Seminar

This is a biweekly, year-long sequence of multiple seminars, each of which presents an alternative model of psychotherapy or stimulates a re-examination of one's theoretical assumptions and approaches to individual treatment.  Together they are designed to increase personal efforts toward integration in both theory and method. Recent seminars include:

1. Brief Psychotherapy, is dealing with basic methods of case planning and management, short-term models of treatment, and crisis intervention.  Evaluating empirical outcome research is also part of this series.
   


2. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, presents advanced applications of cognitive therapy. Areas to be covered may include marital therapy, personality disorders, substance abuse, and some empirically supported treatments. Audio/video tapes and reports of clients in treatment are also included.
   
   
3. Self-Psychology seminar that usually takes place late Fall or early Winter quarter. A description of Kohut's developmental theory and therapeutic approach is presented first, followed by discussion of more recent developments in the field. A brief historical overview of how Self Psychology developed will be integrated in the discussion via comparisons to classical psychoanalysis, object relations theory, and humanistic (Rogerian) approaches.  Application to clinical work is an important part of this seminar. Usually, Interns are asked to informally present a current client whom they would like to understand from a Self Psychology perspective.
   
   
4. Interpersonal Psychotherapy, presented Winter quarter, examines the active, interpersonal role of the therapist and therapeutic relationship dynamics. A brief historical overview covering the development of the Interpersonal approach with comparisons to classical psychoanalysis, ego psychology and object relations will be included. Topics include: interpersonal diagnosis, the therapist's use-of-self, and an integrative approach to the change process.
   
   
5. Couple’s Therapy, integrated throughout the psychotherapy seminars, covers the dynamics and issues of working with the relationship between intimates.  Topics include a multiculturally focused way of working with couples, a developmental model, a strategic model, as well as general relationship dynamics.
   
   
6. Integrative Therapy is discussed in the Spring quarter with an emphasis on therapeutic flexibility and the incorporation of multiple models of treatment based on the client’s presenting concerns.

A central goal throughout these seminars is to stimulate individual efforts toward conceptual and technical integration, as well as to expose Interns to empirically supported treatments when appropriate, and to develop critical thinking concerning their own cases. Each of the seminars involve reading assignments and either case presentations or a video-taped demonstration of a therapy session.

7) Multicultural and Social Justice Seminar

This year-long seminar includes three features:

1. To increase knowledge and skills, this seminar provides presentations on multicultural issues and working with diverse populations as well as integrating social justice into clinical practice.
   
   
2. To increase self-awareness and personal growth, interns meet monthly with the seminar coordinators to discuss personal experiences related to multiculturalism, social justice, competencies, strengths, and challenges.
   
   
3. A year-long project where interns are asked to engage in a social justice project that incorporates advocacy for the campus community.

8) In-Service Training

Approximately two to three times per quarter the entire professional staff meets for an In-Service Training session.  These are divided into one-hour, “short in-services” and larger, three-hour-or-more Mandatory Continuing Education for Psychologists (MCEP) training sessions (See below).  This represents the most didactic of the program in which the training topics are determined by the interest and training needs of the full professional staff.  Either senior staff members or professional practitioners are invited to present on current topics, innovative approaches, or seminars that stimulate a thoughtful re-examination of basic clinical skills and theoretical positions. The formats are flexible and can involve lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and experiential activities. Also, joint in-services with other professional groups, such as UCSD’s Student Health Service are occasionally held.

Additionally, CAPS holds extended training sessions three to four times a year in which official MCEP credits required for licensed psychologists by the California state licensing board, are earned by the attendees.  Members of the surrounding community are invited to these sessions, which can be 3 to 8 hours in length. They typically are planned for September, early January, late March, and early June.

9) Professional Development Seminar

The Professional Development Seminar is held for the purpose of preparing Interns for their upcoming roles as practicing, professional psychologists. Presentations are made on career development and job hunting strategies, preparing for the state licensing exam, developing ethical decision-making abilities, and professional development. This forum is also used for interns to deliver their case presentations. Attending a one-day Intern retreat to meet the staff from other counseling centers in Southern California may also be included.  In addition, when the budget allows, interns attend the California Counseling Center Conference (OCCDHE).

 

For each Intern, the nine learning structures typically generate a minimum of three hours a week of individual supervision and two hours of group supervision.  This represents l5-20% of the total professional time expended per week.  While figures will vary somewhat depending on individual schedules, the minimum number of accumulated hours of licensed, individual supervision for the twelve-month training period is 140 and group supervision adds an additional 100.  Total internship hours for the year is approximately 2,000 hours for full-time Interns.

Overall, this training model exposes Interns to the varied functions and service delivery programs common to most university counseling center settings.  As they gain training and experience in these core areas there will be increased flexibility in determining individual training options. Secondary supervision, in particular, allows the Intern flexibility to pursue personal training interests and individual development goals.  A typical distribution of weekly training and supervisory activities appears as follows:

In addition to the nine regular training structures, there are several key programs that provide intensive training and experience in consultation and outreach work. To begin with, teaching Summer Bridge classes is an intensive, four-week immersion in multicultural outreach experience.  This is followed by assignment to the position of College Counselor which will provide the context for most of the Intern's consultation and outreach efforts during the year.

Summer Bridge Program

During the first week of orientation, Interns are trained to conduct psychoeducational classes for students participating in the Summer Bridge Program--an intensive, four-week residential program designed to teach a multicultural group of new students from underrepresented backgrounds how to academically and socially survive at UCSD.  Interns attend training presentations on teaching assertiveness training, cognitive restructuring and stress reduction in preparation to teach these subjects to the Bridge students. Following this training period, the Interns teach four Bridge classes, which could be co-taught with an experienced staff member. In addition to the teaching experience, Interns consult and provide supervision to the Summer Bridge peer counselors and with other UCSD staff involved with Summer Bridge (e.g., OASIS staff).  Thus, this program provides an intensive introduction to multicultural outreach work, to psychoeducational teaching, to consultation, supervision, as well as to the University as a community.

Goals in Action (GIA) Program

During the academic year, CAPS provides a 3-week workshop to students identified as under academic risk.  Utilizing a strength-based and positive psychology model of intervention, this program provides at-risk students with skills and experiences to maximize their chances for academic success.  GIA has been empirically validated as a program that significantly reduces the academic risks in students.  This program provides an opportunity for interns to work actively with their college supervisor(s), the Academic Affairs staff, and at-risk students, many of whom are from underrepresented populations.

Intergroup Relations Program (IRP)

The Intergroup Relations Program fosters the knowledge and practice of effective intergroup relations at UCSD. The purpose is for these programs and services to enhance the capacity of individuals and groups to engage respectfully across differences. Interns have the option to co-facilitate an Intergroup Dialogue class as one of their group requirements. The Intergroup Dialogue Class give students an in-depth opportunity to acquire and practice essential intergroup relations and leadership skills needed to be a productive and culturally competent citizen in a diverse democracy..

College Counselor Position

At the start of internship, each Intern is assigned an office location within the administrative center of one of the six colleges. The Intern joins one or two other senior staff members to form an outreach team for that college.  Not only will most of the Intern's clinical work take place at this location, but it will also become an entry point for consulting with college administrators, as well as serve as a base for most of the outreach work that will be staged within the college residential community during the year.

Research or Professional Presentation Activities

CAPS is engaged in three forms of investigative research:

• Program evaluations are regularly conducted to determine the effectiveness of the services.
• Data on client functioning and characteristics are gathered for potential institutional feedback.
• Basic research is conducted to answer questions which may prove beneficial to university mental health programs in general.

During the year the Interns have the opportunity to enhance their professional skills by presenting a piece of their own research or topic of interest —to the staff and/or interns.  Interns sometimes use this forum as an opportunity to present their dissertations. Whether the research is completed or just in the planning stage, by organizing the presentation and receiving the feedback and suggestions from senior staff, this meeting can stimulate the progress of a research project. Additionally, this opportunity allows the interns to prepare and rehearse for job interviews.

Interns are encouraged to consult with the Research and Technology Committee regarding interest in conducting research at CAPS.

Administrative Committee Membership

By joining a committee, Interns can learn about the administrative work of a college counseling center.  This is done by actively participating in the policy making and program development activities associated with the committee joined.  These committees include: Direct Clinical Services, Wellness,  Suicide Prevention Action Committee, Social Justice and Diversity Committee, Training, and Research and Technology.

Interns will select from one of four outreach and consultation rotations. The rotations allow Interns to gain experience building consulting relationships and facilitating outreach delivery throughout the academic year. The staff member who administrates the program becomes a program supervisor (secondary supervision) for the Intern.  This position offers the Intern experience in training, development, outreach delivery, and occasionally, peer supervision within a specialty area of treatment.

Administration Apprentice, is designed to expose and familiarize the intern to the activities and responsibilities involved in higher education administration. The Office of the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs will be the conduit by which learning will take place. The purpose of this office is to foster the intellectual, social, ethical, and personal development of students and prepare students to become engaged and constructive members of a diverse, dynamic and global society. These objectives are executed through both college-based and campus wide services and programs that are identified through this office. Interns will involve themselves in outreach planning and delivery, meeting and interviewing administrators in their diverse roles, shadowing selected administrators, and serving as consultants from CAPS.

Health Psychology, is designed to allow the intern to interface with primary providers, learn about a health services clinic, and provide outreach delivery at Student Health Services.  Additionally, the intern will hold one intake hour for Student Health patients and serve as a CAPS consultant to the staff. The intern will identify specific needs and develop and deliver services as appropriate. Possible outreach delivery can include biofeedback training, insomnia workshops, and partnering on sexual health programming. The social work and psychiatry staff on the premises will be available to the Intern for consultation in addition to the Intern’s primary supervisor.

Wellness Peer Education Program, is designed to educate fellow students about mental health and wellness, reduce stigma and spread awareness of Counseling and Psychological Services on campus. Wellness Peers plan, develop, advertise, and deliver psycho-educational workshops and interactive presentations related to mental health wellness. Topics include stress management, relaxation training, recognizing depression and anxiety, assertiveness training, how to reduce anxiety, building healthy relationships, and how to increase self-confidence.

Women’s Peer Education Program, seeks to promote gender equality by providing education and support to members of the UCSD community. The program works within a feminist framework to plan and implement programs that raise awareness around issues that disproportionately affect women in our society. Areas of focus include body image, sexual health, multiple role balance, mental health, gender bias, sexual violence, and other issues generated by the campus community. The Women’s Center is used as the location for most of the outreach delivery and is a vital partner.

Sample Listing of Peer Education Groups:

Wellness Program:

• Stress Reduction through Biofeedback Training
• Stress Management 101
• Self-Hypnosis and Peak Performance

Women's Program:

• Undergraduate Women's Support Group
• Body Image Group

The clinical staff of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) includes an ethnically and culturally diverse group of counseling and clinical psychologists and trainees.  The staff consists of 18 psychologists, two post-doctoral fellows, and four pre-doctoral psychology interns.  All of our staff are generalists and see students presenting with a variety of issues. In addition, the CAPS staff possesses a wide range of publications that deal with various psychology-related topics and issues.  To see a list of writings and research reports published by our staff, click here.

Salary and Benefits

Interns are currently paid a minimum of $26,000 for full-time work during the twelve-month training period. They are staff employees of the university. Benefits include health insurance, liberal time off for holidays, sick leave, a three-week vacation, access to campus library and recreational facilities, and reduced price of admission to entertainment and cultural events at the University.

The Facilities

In addition to a central office complex, CAPS occupies eight additional offices. These spaces include offices at six undergraduate colleges, the Women’s Center, and Student Life. Along with one or two senior staff, each intern has her or his own office located in one of the colleges. Thus, as one member of the college's team of consulting psychologists, Interns have the opportunity to interact closely with the faculty, staff and student leaders of a particular college. With other activities, such as group therapy, crisis intervention, training, and administration, all CAPS staff utilize the central counseling facility. This includes a group room with an adjoining observation facility, a client-resource library area, as well as a learning resource room with training videotapes, microcomputers for research, and videotaping equipment.

Qualification of Candidates

Only candidates from APA-approved or CPA-approved clinical or counseling training programs will be considered. Candidates should be advanced graduate students in clinical or counseling psychology and must have completed all required course work for the doctorate as well as comprehensive examinations. A minimum of 700 direct clinical hours are required for internship at UCSD. Clinical (or intervention) hours are hours used for individual therapy, group therapy, and assessment/testing. Additionally, the candidate’s dissertation proposal must be approved by the application deadline.

Preferential Criteria

Previous training and experience at a university or college is favorably considered.

Application Procedures

PROGRAM CODE: 112411

For selection of the 2010-2011 internship class, CAPS will begin using the AAPI Online Application as are all APPIC member internship programs. Hard-copy, mailed-in applications will no longer be accepted. In order to find out more about the AAPI on line procedure and to access the applicant portal, please go to the APPIC website https://portal.appicas.org/

COMPLETED APPLICATION MATERIALS INCLUDE:

1. A completed APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI) form which can be downloaded from the APPIC Web site. The APPIC Policy on Internship Offers, Acceptances and Match Policy is available at that same site. If you do not have access to the Internet, a copy of the AAPI and Match Policy can be obtained by clicking on the link below.

2. A cover letter of up to 500 words detailing your qualifications, professional experience, and interest in our training program.

3. A vita detailing education and employment experience.

4. Official graduate transcripts.

5. Three letters of recommendation from professional people familiar with the applicant's clinical and academic work.

6. Add the following supplemental question to the universal application form (AAPI):
   
   Please provide a list of your outreach and consultation work/presentations you have conducted during your graduate career. Please provide:
   
   (a) The name or topic of the presentation
   (b) The location/department of the presentation
   (c) The audience for each presentation or consultative relationship
   (d) The approximate number of attendees for presentations. Below is an example:
   
   
   Outreach and Consultation Table
   
   

   Name of Presentation or Consultative Relationship	Location/Department	Audience	Approx Number of Attendees
   "Incorporating Wellness into your Life"	UCSD Residence Hall	Students	30
   Athletic Department Consultant	UCSD Athletic Department	Athletic Dept Administration	n/a

APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 1, 2009

Final Selection

All selection interviews with final candidates will be conducted in December and January through a thirty-minute telephone conference call. Information obtained through the phone interview plus the application materials will be used to determine the final selections. We will have four pre-doctoral positions for the 2010-2011 internship year.

This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant. This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy which all intern applicants should review as part of their application. The entire APPIC match policy can be viewed at the APPIC website. Our internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant. Final acceptance for interns to the internship program is contingent upon meeting the University and internship program background and reference check criteria.

You can obtain instructions and download the Applicant Agreement required to register for the national match from the Matching Program website.

• Our APPIC Program Number is 1124.
• Our National Matching Service (NMS) Program Code Number is 112411.

For more information about our pre-doctoral internship program, please visit the Training-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of our website.

American Psychological Association

For more information about the American Psychological Association (APA) and accreditation, please click here. To access further information and/or reports regarding the accreditation status of the CAPS pre-doctoral Internship Training Program, please contact Dr. Christina Castro at (858) 534-3755. You can also contact APA at the following address:

American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(800) 374-2721