Counseling Center

Home »  Training »  Graduate and Post-graduate Students » Internship »  Internship Activities » Training Activities

Direct Clinical Services

Individual and Group Psychotherapy (approximately 12-14 hours individual therapy and minimum of 1.5 hours group therapy per week). Interns' caseloads are comprised of a combination of brief and longer-term psychotherapy cases. Decisions about the duration of therapy and frequency of sessions are based on the assessed needs of the client and are made by the client and therapist in consultation with the therapy supervisor. In group therapy, interns participate as co-therapists with a staff member in at least one ongoing group over the course of the year. Recent groups offerings have focused on general interpersonal issues, returning students, women's issues, LGBTQ issues, and self-esteem/empowerment, among several others.

Assessment (up to two hours regular and one hour emergency intakes per week). Interns conduct evaluative initial intake assessment interviews throughout the year.

Couples Therapy (at least one hour per week during the second semester). All interns provide couples therapy to at least one couple starting spring semester. Interns may have the opportunity to provide therapy to an additional couple, with supervisory approval.

Outreach and Consultation (variable hours throughout the training year). All interns are expected, individually and/or as co-facilitators, to implement at least three psycho-educational outreach programs as well as design at least one original outreach program. Topics addressed by interns have included grief and loss, concerns of older and returning students, and population-specific Safe Zone trainings

Administration (variable). All interns serve on the Selection Subcommittee for reviewing, interviewing, and selecting the following year's interns and/or externs. At times, there are other opportunities to serve on Counseling Center committees that deal with organizational matters, such as preparation for accreditation review or the Multicultural Staff Meeting Committee, in order to provide experience in the management and decision-making processes of an educational and mental health agency.

Supervision and Training of Externs (one hour per week). Interns provide individual supervision for the psychotherapy work of externs and contribute to their evaluations, under the supervision of the training staff.

Professional Presentation: Each intern also makes a scholarly presentation to their fellow trainees and the staff in the Professional Issues Seminar.

Rotations: Paraprofessional Training, Outreach and Consultation, Community Service Rotation, and Commuter Center Rotation (three hours per week, for approximately six months). Interns participate in at least one specialized placement for a half year concentration. Following the first six month rotation, interns may indicate preferences regarding continuing the rotation, beginning a new one, or ending rotation involvement. Descriptions of the choices follow

• recruitment, training, and supervision of volunteers who work on the InTouch Crisis Hotline;
• additional outreach and primary prevention efforts on campus as well as involvement in the administrative functions of outreach services;
• involvement in community services, such as counseling at a refugee treatment clinic for survivors of political torture;
• outreach and primary prevention efforts specifically geared toward the unique needs of UIC commuter students.

Crisis Services Interns share responsibility for after hours on-call coverage to the residence halls and the InTouch Crisis Hotline by carrying a cell phone dedicated for that purpose. The coverage rotates among staff members and so each intern is likely to rotate through this responsibility two times (for the period of one week each time) during the spring and summer semesters.

[ Back to Top ]