University Counseling Center
Advanced Clinical Practicum
Clinical Graduate Assistantship
Brochure and Application Information
Academic Year
2015-2016
THE UNIVERSITY of WYOMING
UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER
The UCC is part of the Division of Student Affairs and acts as the mental health center for the campus. The UCC has four program areas: 1) counseling services, 2) consultation and outreach services, 3) the professional mental health training program, and 4) the AWARE (Alcohol Wellness Alternative, Research & Education) program. Through these four areas, the UCC serves students and the university community.
MISSION
The University Counseling Center (UCC) and AWARE Program support the University of Wyoming mission by providing proactive and responsive wellness services to students, empowering them to develop their identity and to realize their full academic and personal potential.
We cultivate partnerships to build community across campus and throughout the state and region in order to foster a culture of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Our services are guided by our devotion to provide a safe environment for all differences among all people. We honor diversity by accepting, supporting, affirming, empowering, and being open minded and respectful.
Our professional training program is an integral and exciting part of our mission. We work to provide a rich, varied, and challenging site for trainees to develop as professional practitioners and consultants to the university and local community.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The UCC mission and goals are drawn directly from the overarching mission of the Division of Student Affairs:
The Division of Student Affairs contributes to the learning, success, wellness, and overall development of our students so that they may become informed and contributing citizens of their communities, state, nation, and world.
Along with the Division of Student Affairs, we celebrate the diversity of the individual and the cultures that we bring together at UW. We endeavor to create an atmosphere inwhich individuals are respected and encouraged to pursue excellence and to achieve their potential. The University Counseling Center is an all inclusive agency that serves people from all beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds.
THE PRACTICUM/INTERN TRAINING PROGRAM
The Training Program of the University Counseling Center endorses the practitioner-scholar model for professional training in psychology and counseling, and is designed to provide a bridge between the present role of the graduate student and their entry into the profession. It is a time to refine basic professional skills and move toward establishing an integrated professional identity. With supervision provided by licensed professionals, the integration of the trainee’s personal and professional growth is a major focus of the program. In addition to supervised work in individual psychotherapy,(which addresses a broad range of clinical concerns and diagnoses)trainees receive training in the following areas.
- Crisis intervention
- Outreach development and delivery
- Professional development
- Group therapy—when possible
At the completion of training, trainees should be able to provide quality services and practice in accordance with the standards and ethical principles of his/her relevant professional association (e.g., APA, ACA, NASW).
Furthermore, UCC recognizes that most of our clients are exploring identities, values, and choices. A commitment of training at UCC is for clinicians to recognize their own areas of growth, especially those that might impedethe client’s discovery process, regardless of the issue.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES include developing conceptual knowledge, applied skills, and self-confidence in the following areas:
- Intake, assessment, and diagnostic skills
- Case presentation skills
- Brief individual psychotherapy
- Crisis assessmentand intervention
- Administrative and clinical record-keeping
- Use of supervision
- Outreach services
- Management of professional relationships
- Professional ethics and decision making
- Diversity issues/Multiculturalcounseling
- Group psychotherapy and group facilitation—when possible
SUPERVISION and evaluation are on-going processes at UCC. We believe that, in preparing to be a professional, the trainee should systematically increase his/her assurance and skill in providing a range of interventions to clients with a variety of presenting concerns and from a variety of backgrounds. Furthermore, cases are typically processed through the client’s “lens,” which involves examining the context formed by interpersonal, cultural, and familial factors. These objectivesare pursued through collaborative work with experienced staff and supervised clinical practice.
Recording of sessions is mandatory at the start of the training program and may become more discretionary dependent upon the trainee’s development and supervisor recommendation.
Primary, weekly, face to face, supervision will be provided by a licensed professional.
Additional supervision is provided through our Case Conference seminar. Trainees may have the opportunity to co-facilitate a process and/or psycho-educational group with a senior professional, and receive an hour of group on group supervision, plus a ½ hour of face-to-face supervision with the co-facilitator.
COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION of the trainee’s professional development is an integral part of the training process. In addition to the on-going feedback provided in individual supervision, the trainee will participate in a formal assessment on a quarterly basis. A copy of the evaluation is placed in the trainee’s training file, and the trainee receives a copy of the evaluation. Communication is also maintained with the academic program concerning the trainee’s development and growth.
TRAINING SEMINAR (PROFESSIONAL TOPICS) provides advanced training on a wide variety of professional and clinical issues. The weekly 90 minute seminar is lead by UCC senior staff members. The seminar will prepare students to work in collaborative settings and focus on building clinical skills in working with a variety of Axis I and Axis II disorders. The seminar will also focus on professional development issues such as identity, therapeutic relationship, and preparing for independent practice.
IN-SERVICE TRAININGS,also known as our Brown Bag series, are held on a monthly basis to provide all staff the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skill in a given area. A special emphasis on diversity is planned with presenters addressing issues of religion, LGBTIQ, and multiculturalism. Practicum students and graduate assistants will be asked to take responsibility for scheduling and development of these monthly in-service trainings. Each trainee will be responsible for two dates, or the entire trainee group can plan eight together.
Additional meetings are listed below:
UCC Administrative Staff Meeting: The entire UCC staff convenes for one hour per week to review the week’s agenda, relevant UCC and university news, or general information for the staff’s use.
Training Team Meeting: Once per month, the trainees and the coordinator of training meet for on-going assessment of the training program, discussing topics such as supervisory relationships, training topics, progress, administrative and systemic concerns.
Case Conference: The UCC clinical staff, including all professional staff, interns, and trainees meet to review critical UCC cases. All staff are assigned case conference responsibilities and must present one to two case presentations per semester.
GOG (Group on Groups): This is a one-hour per week group supervision session for all UCC clinicians currently serving as facilitators or co-therapists in any of the center’s various psychotherapy or support groups. Experienced group therapists with particular expertise in group work often lead this semi-free, semi-didactic training seminar by assigning selected readings from the group psychotherapy literature.
GOG is an option based on the trainee’s interest and time availability.
UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER SERVICES
The UCC serves as the mental health center for the campus, offering direct clinical services to students and consultation and outreach to the campus community including faculty and staff.
DIRECT SERVICE activities include intake, individual, group, and couples sessions as well as crisis intervention. Intake sessions offer trainees an opportunity to develop their interviewing, assessment and diagnostic skills. Trainees are expected to conduct two intake assessments per week. Write–ups will include the client’s history, mental status, brief case formulation, and treatment recommendations. All intakes will be reviewed and co-signed by a licensed supervisor who will assist in determining the case disposition.
In accordance with UCC policy, most individuals are seen for one-to-ten sessions. Trainees are expected to become familiar with the theory and application of brief therapy. In addition, trainees may carry a small percentage of longer term clients in consultation with their supervisor. Clients served at the UCC represent a broad range of presenting concerns and diagnostic types. While relationship and developmental issues are common, mood disorders, eating disorders and personality disorders can be frequent. Students are often referred to the UW Student Health Service with whom the UCC has a strong collaborative working relationship. Consultation with the local community mental health center, alcohol treatment programs, and in-patient psychiatric facility is common.
Group counseling is an integral part of UCC services. Each fall and spring semester, the UCC begins process-oriented (and occasional psycho-educational) groups. When scheduling permits, trainees are offered the opportunity to co-facilitate a group with a senior clinician.
CONSULTATION AND OUTREACH SERVICES: In college, students can learn much more than specific knowledge in their major and career field. Many times, successful students rely on factors beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic. Developing skills and confidence in areas such as communication, social interaction, and stress management can be a predictor of success in college and beyond. The UCC plays an integral role in delivering outreach/prevention programming to UW students, staff, and faculty.
Outreach programs provide educational information and resources to assist students in gaining skills to cope with everyday stress and challenges that may occur over a lifetime. Topics addressed in these presentations can include test anxiety, grief reactions, assertiveness, healthy communication and relationships, suicide prevention, body image concerns, conflict resolution, respect for diversity, and stress management. Trainees are asked to be significantly involved in providing these outreach services by completing a minimum of three outreach presentations a semester. With support and training from senior staff, trainees can develop new programming or assist in presenting established activities such as Depression Awareness Week or Body Image Awareness Week.
Weekly Time Allotment Estimates
These are only estimates. Each week will probably vary slightly. There might be some weeks where more time is needed.
15-20 hours a week are required for Advanced Clinical Practicum students.
There are two estimates below:
Based on 15 hoursBased on 20 hours
Individual Supervision11
Staff Meeting11
Case Conference11
Training Seminar 1.51.5
(Professional Topics)
Clinical Administration22-3
(review of tapes, case notes, phone calls, etc)
Direct Service 810-12
(counseling sessions, group sessions, Intakes, CIS)
Group on Group (GOG) 01
(the GOG meeting would be required when co-facilitating a group,but group sessions would only be feasible when total UCC hours near or exceed 20 hours a week)
Brown Bag and Outreach activities are a very important part of training. They will not occur every week though. Thus, the weeks that you are involved with these activities you will spend more time with them. The following is only an estimate of how much time it might take a week on average.
Brown Bag0.50.5
Outreach0.5 0.5
We hope that these estimates help with your planning and scheduling. However, they are not exact scripts for each week. Hours devoted to each area can vary week to week.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
1)Graduate Student in advanced standing in Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or Counselor Education.
2)Demonstrated interest and experience in a clinical setting. Experience in delivery of outreach or prevention programming preferred. Experience in process or psycho-educational group is helpful.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:1) Letter of interest
2) Resume/Vita
3) 2 Letters of Recommendation
4) Graduate Transcripts
APPLICATION DEADLINE: POSITION WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL FILLED
SEND MATERIALS TO:Dr. Susan Williams, LPC, ACS, NCC
Dept. 3708
1000 E. University Ave.
Laramie, WY 82071 – Phone: 307-766-2187
University Counseling Center Staff
The UCC currently has a staff of threelicensed psychologists, three licensed professional counselors, a Graduate Assistant, and two practicum/intern students. The GAs and practicum/interns are selected each spring and complete an academic year of training.
Current Staff(2014-2015) include:
Senior Clinicians
Dr. Keith Evashevski, Psy.D.,Director
Dr. Toi, Geil, Ph.D., Associate Director
Judy Johnson, M.S., LPC, Mental Health Counselor
Eirin Grimes, M.S., LPC, Mental Health Counselor
Dr. Susan Williams, Ph.D., LPC, Mental Health Counselor
Open Position: Ph.D., Psychologist
Advanced Clinical Practicum Students
Natasha Trujillo
Stevee Jones
Clinical GA
Andrew Felton, M.S., LPC
AWARE (Alcohol Wellness Alternatives, Research and Education)
Lena Edmunds, M.P.H.
GA for AWARE Programs
Amanuel Haile Asfaw
Jude Thaddeus Austin
Jason Tyser
Stephanie Bachtelle
Support Staff
Caroline Johnson, Office Associate, Sr.
Lynnda Burnison, Office Assistant, Sr.