Intern Seminar Series
Interns receive two hours per week didactic training, which alternates between Intern Seminar, which interns attend alone, and In-Services, which are also attended by staff.
The Intern Seminar Series is a two-hour activity designed to meet interns' training needs by addressing topical areas germane to employment as a counseling center psychologist. Topics addressed assist in the interns' movement from graduate student to entry level professional. Seminar topics may vary depending on staffing, clinical or training needs. The following is a list of topics and instructors which have been offered for the Intern Seminar Series.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Assessment Seminar covers methods of assessing substance abuse.
Assessment Seminar focuses on developing interns’ skills in cognitive and personality assessment. This seminar begins in or shortly after orientation and continues throughout the academic year.
Characteristics of Effective Therapists reviews the literature on the therapist characteristics that contribute to sound therapy.
Eating Disorders reviews treatment issues pertinent to eating disorders.
Ethics and the Law reviews ethical principles and guidelines, as well as legal issues, pertinent to psychological practice.
Group Therapy Seminar discusses principles and strategies of group psychotherapy.
Interpersonal Therapy reviews the protocol for the empirically supported IPT model.
Multicultural and Diversity Issues addresses the impact of diversity in clinical practice. This seminar takes place at varied times during the intern year and with different areas of focus. Self-awareness in the diversity realm, as well as racial and ethnic identity development are addressed. In addition, several population based seminars are provided and may include: African-American clients, Asian-American clients, GLBT issues, International students, Latino/a clients, and Religion and Spirituality.
Psychologist Career Development focuses on intern career development issues, with specific focus on the job search process.
Research and Program Evaluation. This seminar overviews the basics of program evaluation. In particular, attention is focused on how psychologists serve as program evaluators in applied settings, use social science methods to conduct formative and summative evaluations, and intervene at the community level.
Sexual Attraction in Therapy reviews the literature on this common experience as well as strategies for dealing with it.
Supervision reviews theories and principles of clinical supervision.
Therapeutic Mistakes provides time for participants to reflect on therapeutic mistakes and what we learn from them.
Time-Limited Dynamic Therapy Seminar introduces the concepts and strategies of time-limited dynamic psychotherapy, as well as the empirical support for it.
In Service
In-service is a two-hour, monthly training activity attended by all clinical staff members. Didactic information relevant to psychological practice at the university counseling center is presented. Formal case presentations also serve as part of in-service.
Additional training opportunities
The USDCC is certified as a provider of accredited continuing education for psychologists by California’s Mandatory Continuing Education for Psychologists Accrediting Agency. Programs attended by all clinical staff are sponsored periodically. Recent topics have included Critical Incident Training, Eating Disorders, Managing Multiple Relations in Supervisory Relationships, Competency Based Supervision and Training, Domestic Violence, and Ethics. In addition, the USDCC at times pays for all staff including interns to attend other local continuing education programs. Interns have a limited professional development budget, often used so the group can attend the Southern California Training Directors and Interns conference.
