Training Program
Orientation to Internship
All interns participate in comprehensive orientation activities for three weeks prior to the beginning of the Fall Semester. All major SCC services, the training program, and major university agencies are reviewed in a sequence that fosters knowledge and adaptation. The intern has the opportunity to become acquainted with all senior staff and support staff. Staff will provide training seminars on different topics during orientation. Adequate time is provided to settle into the intern's office, visit informally with staff and other interns, and explore new surroundings. Interns also attend a 2-night retreat out of town to facilitate group relationships.
Training Model
The Texas Tech University Student Counseling Center subscribes to a Practitioner-Scholar model of training for the doctoral internship. The primary training modality is experiential, with these experiences informed by scholarly research and activity. Interns are encouraged to incorporate scholarly findings into their practice via didactic seminars, the clinical supervision they receive from staff members, and through their own research activities. Training experiences are structured sequentially and build upon the knowledge and experience gained in previous training experiences. Training experiences prior to internship are also considered in structuring the training program for each intern. Expectations regarding intern competence increase as the year progresses, with the expectation that graduating interns can perform as generalists in entry-level postdoctoral positions in a variety of settings. Training guidance throughout the internship year is delivered at a level which matches each intern's developmental needs. Supervisors and other professional staff recognize that beginning interns may require more instruction and hands-on guidance initially. Over the course of the year, interns are expected to gain more autonomy in their functioning – likewise, supervisory relationships with interns are expected to become more consultative in nature as the intern gains in experience.
In addition to growth in clinical skills and experience, internship is also a time of significant growth for interns in their identity as psychologists. Supervisory relationships are expected to change as interns' need for specific clinical guidance shifts to a need for more collegial mentoring.
Program Description
The internship program at the Texas Tech University Student Counseling Center is accredited by the American Psychological Association. The program received full reaccreditation after a site visit in 2019. Internship training is conceptualized as a logical extension of academic and practicum training. The professionally supervised training activities, however, are characterized by greater depth, breadth, duration, frequency and intensity than practicum training. Applied experiences, supervision, and the various training components are organized with the understanding that interns need greater guidance initially, but can assume more autonomy as the year progresses. Delivery of psychological services to the Texas Tech community is guided by the application of current scientific knowledge, principles, and theories aimed at maximizing effectiveness.
Furthermore, the training program maintains that training considerations will take precedence over service delivery while assuring that client welfare remains a priority.
Policy on Personal Disclosure by Interns
During the internship year, many training activities involve opportunities for personal exploration and reflection that include disclosure of personal information. These activities are seen as essential in promoting interns' development and skills as a psychologist, and it is our intention that personal disclosures are done in a training environment characterized by trust, safety, and respect. Training staff are careful to avoid misuse of this information. While there is not an expectation that personal disclosure needs to occur at every opportunity, there is an expectation that the intern will participate at a level that furthers his or her professional development.
Goals for Internship Training
The SCC Internship program is committed to preparing skilled psychologists. The SCC provides a wide range of services and activities that give the interns a realistic view of the practice of psychology. The broad composition of the staff, as well as variety in professional interests, allow for this goal to be met. Furthermore, the program strives to attain the following goals:
- Provision of training aimed at development of intern competence in clinical skills, assessment, supervision, and consultation.
- Facilitation of the development of professionalism, personal functioning, and ethical behavior.
- Promotion of knowledge and awareness of issues related to individual differences and development of skills in working with people from a variety of backgrounds.
Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
*Updated on 8/31/2023
Contact Us
RELATED LINKS
- Note from the Training Director
- Texas Tech University Info
- Diversity Statement
- Training Program
- Training Components
- Optional Rotations
- Weekly Activities
- Current/Past Interns
- Testimonials
- Application & Selection Procedures
- Internship, Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data
- Pictures of the Counseling Center
Student Counseling Center
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Address
201 Student Wellness Center -
Phone
806.742.3674 -
Email
StudentCounselingCenter@ttu.edu