Required Sport Psychology Training Components
(Note that the Couples’ therapy rotation not available to the sports psychology intern due to the required time commitment.)
SCC Clinical Experiences:
Training at both Sports Psychology and the Student Counseling Center (SCC) is in fulfillment of training required by our APA accreditation. Because the sports psychology track is still new, the SCC continues to provide a majority of this training not yet available in Sports Psychology.
Provision of Supervision (Currently at the SCC): Interns supervise a minimum of one practicum student each semester. Practicum students are primarily from the TTU doctoral programs in Counseling & Clinical Psychology. Supervision of Supervision is also currently provided at the SCC.
Group Therapy (SCC): Taking into account the interns' interest areas, sports psychology interns may co-facilitate one therapy group during each semester for a total of 2 groups over the course of internship.
Rotations: Sports psychology interns can choose one optional rotation per semester (each carries two individual clients). Note that the couples therapy rotation is NOT available to the sports psychology intern due to time constraints.
Provision of Individual Therapy: Interns carry a caseload of individual clients, including any SCC rotation clients. The total number of clinical intervention hours of clients from both tracks should be no more than 18 hours/week in total. Because the SCC provides more training components there may at times be more sports psychology individual clients.
Supervision is provided by the primary supervisor as well as rotation supervisors and group co-leaders. The sports psych intern will have one individual supervisor at both locations. Additional supervision is provider by rotation and group supervisors. Supervision, both in quality and in quantity, is a core strength of our program.
Sports Psychology Clinical Experiences:
Pre-Performance Evaluations: Upon arrival to Texas Tech Athletics, new student-athletes must complete a pre-performance evaluation that includes a mental and behavioral health and academic assessment. The sport psychology intern will lead these evaluations at the start of each semester for new student-athletes. There are also mental and behavioral health evaluations at the start of each team's season for returning student-athletes. The sport psychology intern also can participate in these evaluations.
Diagnostic Evaluations: New patient appointments are scheduled and assigned through Sports Medicine and Sport Psychology. Diagnostic evaluations provide the sport psychology intern with the opportunity to perform an initial assessment to address the chief complaint and history of presenting illness. The sport psychology intern will conduct a clinical interview and review of systems, assessing level of functioning, exploring patient's strengths, and determine an appropriate treatment plan for the athlete.
Assessment: In Sports Psychology, interns participate in and provide ADHD testing within Sports Psychology for TTU student athletes. This assessment protocol differs slightly from the one as the SCC and supervision for these assessments are provided by Sports Psychology. There is a requirement of two formal assessment reports and an assessment presentation by the end of the intern year.
Individual Therapy: The sport psychology intern will provide individual therapy to student-athletes, which may include both short- and long-term therapeutic relationships. The sport psychology intern's caseload is often dynamic and diverse in terms of clinical presentation and the identities of the patient. Additionally, as possible, Sport Psychology can attempt to accommodate requests by the sport psychology intern to receive certain types of clinical presentations to further expand their abilities and develop competency.
Health & Behavior Interventions: Within our primary care mental health integration model, student-athletes may request consultative services for mental and behavioral health concerns that do not require traditional diagnostic evaluation and psychotherapy services. The sport psychology intern will have the opportunity to provide brief clinical interventions with student-athletes to address various psychological, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, social, or interpersonal factors that impact well-being and performance.
Group Interventions: Sport Psychology offers various support, educational, and process groups throughout the year, depending on the interest and need of student-athletes. The sport psychology intern can choose to participate in the facilitation of these groups. Common group foci include, but are not limited to: female athlete body image; injury; gender, race, and other identities; psychological skills.
Applied and Outreach Experiences: Though the primary focus of the sport psychology specialization track is exposure to health service psychology activities, the sport psychology intern will also have the opportunity to shadow and support the applied and outreach psychology services with student-athletes, teams, coaches, and other athletics staff. These activities could include, but are not limited to: sport psychology assessments included in the player selection and development process; team mental fitness trainings; coaches' education and skill development; performance team meetings; attend practices and competitions; provide continuing education to health and wellness staff; fall and spring mental health awareness week; mental health awareness games; collaborate with student-athlete development staff.
Supervision and Consultation: A cornerstone of the sport psychology intern's experience is quality supervision aimed at increasing clinical assessment and intervention skills, expanding self-awareness, learning the athletics system and its unique ethical demands, and other professional development. Additionally, there are numerous opportunities for the sport psychology intern to consult with members from the departments under health and wellness, coaches, and other Athletics staff. These opportunities are aimed at increasing Interprofessional communication, collaboration, feedback, treatment team planning, and how to build strong working relationships while maintaining confidentiality.
Individual Supervision: The sport psychology intern will receive one hour of individual supervision per week during the internship year from their Athletics supervisor. The functions of the supervisory relationship include monitoring patient welfare, enhancing intern skills, promoting personal and professional growth, and evaluating clinical skills and professional development on a continuous basis.
Health & Wellness Staff Meetings: The sport psychology intern will have the opportunity to attend various interdepartmental meetings each week and throughout the year, which include but are not limited to: sports medicine staff meetings; performance team meetings for each sport; athletics all-staff meetings; team and coaches meetings; various committee meetings on pertinent topics such as DEIB and NIL.
Reviewed 7/3/2026
Student Counseling Center
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Address
201 Student Wellness Center -
Phone
806.742.3674 -
Email
StudentCounselingCenter@ttu.edu