Practicum Training Program

A training program at the Lewis & Clark Counseling Service is provided for doctoral students in clinical or counseling psychology (PsyD & PhD).   These students have completed at least one year of supervised training, and have interests in serving individual clients who are often young adults in a college setting. The goal of Lewis & Clark’s training program is to prepare doctoral program trainees with a focused, intense experience in providing ethically informed clinical services to a college population while gaining self-awareness and working with a professional staff. The professional staff includes psychologists, administrative staff, and a psychiatrist. Students might also work to some degree with health profession providers such as nurse practitioners and faculty/professionals of the LC community (e.g., Deans, Campus Living Staff).

Training Philosophy: The staff adhere to a developmental model of supervision, in which trainees are gradually given assignments that seem appropriate for their level of training and professional identities. Sensitivity to diversity and multiculturalism are highly valued by our staff. Thus, trainees are also expected to value self awareness as they meet a variety of clients and work with LC’s professional staff to meet students’ needs. Staff pay attention to ethics, and give ample opportunity for trainees to learn about various issues as they progress throughout the academic year.

Expectations of our program are as follows:

• Complete a +550 hour (18-20 hrs/ x 32 week) commitment as follows:

Duties                                      Hours per week

Direct Client Contact                8-10

Individual Supervision              1

Group Supervision                    1

Staff Meetings                            1 hr minimum

Preparation for Supervision      1

Outreach/Prof. Presentation     2 activities/events total over the +550 hour experience

Administrative time                    5-6

• Orientation: Students are expected to coordinate their academic schedules with the LC calendar to optimize their ability to participate in transitional activities. Thus, at the onset of the year, students are expected to communicate as needed to ensure that they are able to orient to LC. This might include participating in a campus tour or learning about how the Counseling Service clinically functions to provide care for its clients. Students will also be alerted to their resources, such as the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct as well as the APA Multicultural Guidelines (published in 2017).
• Direct Client Contact: Students are expected to conduct brief initial consultations of “first time” clients of the LC Counseling Service. Orientation time will be geared towards preparation for this role. In addition to providing brief initial consultations throughout the academic year, students will be expected to provide counseling services for clients. Sessions are expected to adhere to a short-term model of mental health services; however, to provide a well rounded training experience, some clients might be seen over the course of the academic year.
• Individual Supervision & Preparation for Supervision: The hallmark of our training program is quality supervision. It is highly valued by our Service, and students are expected to attend weekly individual meetings with their supervisor. In addition to weekly meetings with a primary supervisor, students are encouraged to consult with other staff as needed or as appropriate. Given that some sessions may be reviewed in supervision, students are expected to video-record their sessions and spend time reviewing sessions, such that growth in self-awareness, client care, and ethics are noted. Reading relevant research and consulting with staff is encouraged, to help students learn to integrate research and theory with their clinical experiences.
• Group Supervision: To address professional roles, identity, clinical topics, and to provide additional support for clients’ welfare, students are expected to participate in weekly meetings with various staff. The goal of these meetings is to provide additional supervision and to help students meet the demands of the academic year. Multiculturalism is a primary value of a variety of the staff, and group supervision is a medium to provide structured training in this theme. Thus, in addition to processing various clinical challenges, students are expected to participate in assignments related to multiculturalism as they continue through the academic year.
• Outreach/Professional Presentation: Given that a college environment provides ample opportunities to work with a variety of students, a trainee is expected to provide some type of service to students or to professional staff at LC. This service is to be outside their clinical duty (e.g., individual/couples, group). For example, a presentation to students in a residence hall, or even to the LC staff on a special topic, could be a way to provide a “service” to the LC community. Trainees may opt out of this service by choosing to complete a project related to multiculturalism.
• Professional/Appropriate Attire: Trainees are expected to pay attention to the college environment and represent a professional attitude, appearance, and demeanor when at LC doing official business.
• Logs/Records: Students are expected to keep logs of their hours and activities as needed for progress through their program. Furthermore, case notes are to be signed by a trainee’s supervisor; no files or case notes, nor recordings are to be taken off the premises of the LC Counseling Service. These specifics of training will be reviewed during orientation.
• Evaluation: Both formative and summative evaluations occur at our site. In addition to the evaluation form of Pacific, students are expected to receive feedback via a document that is specific to Lewis & Clark’s Training Program: the Lewis & Clark College Counseling Service—Practicum Student/Advanced Fieldwork Placement Competency/Training Objectives Evaluation Form. By the end of the year, trainees will receive feedback from clients, LC staff, and their supervisors in an effort to have a varied perspective on their training experience. In addition to summative feedback during the year, trainees will be given an opportunity to provide an evaluation of the training site and their individual supervisor by the end of the year.  Written feedback about their progress in the training program will be given in time to align with Pacific University’s calendar.

There are other guidelines to our training program that are further detailed once a trainee is selected for placement.

If you have questions related to the training program offered at the Counseling Service, please contact Cindy Marino, Training Director and Staff Psychologist at cmarino@lclark.edu or by calling 503-768-7160.

Application Process:

We look forward to resuming our doctoral practicum training and will accept inquiries and applications for the 2023-2024 academic year.

To be eligible for training at our site, applicants need to coordinate their application and interview with the Practicum Coordinator or Training Director at their respective graduate program.

Applicants typically start this process in the winter or spring term of the year prior to when they intend to complete a practicum training.