ADULT/ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICUM PROGRAM

A practicum placement at the California Family Counseling Center (CalFam) is intended for those Psy.D and Ph.D. students who have completed psychopathology courses and who are interested in an applied clinical setting. The practicum is approximately 11 months in duration and will require a weekly time commitment of approximately 15-20 hours. Clients seen at the Counseling Center will include adults and couples presenting with a wide variety of Axis I and Axis II diagnoses. In addition to seeing clients at CalFam, students will be required to see clients at other training locations. Students will have an opportunity to treat incarcerated youth at a probation camp, where they will see the minors both individually and in group therapy. Students will carry a caseload of 5-7 clients per week, as well as complete clinical intake assessments. Students will also be required to complete two community outreach events during the training year. Other training requirements may be added to enhance the training experience.

To support and enrich training experiences, students will participate in training and didactic seminars that will focus on a variety of topics related to clinical work. They will also participate in one hour of individual supervision, and two hours of group supervision.

The practicum program begins on Monday, August 16, 2010, and concludes on Friday, July 8, 2011. Students will prepare for their training at CalFam by attending a mandatory orientation which will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, August 16, 18, and 19, 2010, from 10am - 5pm. Students are required to be available on Wednesdays from 10:00am - 5:00pm for mandatory seminars, supervision, and Center-related meetings. Specific times will be determined for individual supervision with the clinical supervisor. Students are required to see clients two evenings per week, or one evening and one Saturday. They need to have some flexibility the rest of the week in order to accommodate clients' schedules.

CalFam, a service of Phillips Graduate Institute, is an affordable, fee for service counseling center, which offers a wide range of counseling, therapy and psychological testing services to children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. Located in Encino and serving the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles communities, CalFam is committed to providing high quality training in a supportive and dynamic environment.

For more information, please contact:
Ann J. Elkin, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Director of Doctoral Clinical Training Programs
Supervisor of Adult/Adolescent Program
(818) 386-5641

To receive an application click here.

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING PRACTICUM (CLERKSHIP)

The psychological testing practicum (clerkship) at the California Family Counseling Center is designed to provide students experience in administering and interpreting psychodiagnostic testing in an applied clinical setting. Students interested in the program must be currently enrolled in a doctoral program and, by the time they begin the clerkship, they must have successfully completed all their required assessment courses.

During this practicum, students will focus on learning psychodiagnostic testing, including administering, scoring, interpreting, and preparing psychological testing reports. Students will become familiar with a variety of testing instruments and their utility in providing data for specific clinical concerns. In addition, they will be responsible for providing written and verbal feedback and referrals to clients, and making treatment recommendations as necessary.

Students will be required to commit approximately 15-20 hours per week for completing the requirements of the program. Practicum students will be expected to provide 6 - 8 hours per week administering tests, with additional time allotted for scoring, interpreting, preparing reports, and providing client feedback. Students will receive three hours per week of group supervision, one hour per week of individual supervision, and two hours per week of seminar. All testing data will be reviewed by a licensed clinical psychologist. Tests administered will include personality inventories, projective tests, intelligence and achievement tests, as well as tests specific to referral questions, such as developmental tests and neuropsychological tests.

Students are required to schedule their testing appointments in three-hour time blocks that are appropriate to meeting client needs for assessment. Students can provide testing and feedback services at any time when CalFam is open, but students must be available at least one evening during the week and/or Saturday to administer psychological testing and provide client feedback. Group supervision is held on Tuesdays from        9am - 12pm. Seminars will focus on a variety of topics related to clinical work and will be on Wednesdays from 10am - 12pm. In addition, students are required to attend an administration meeting one Wednesday a month from 12pm - 1pm.

The practicum program begins on Monday, August 16, 2010, and concludes on Friday, July 8, 2011. Students will be required to attend a mandatory orientation which will be held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, August 16, 17, and 18, 2009, between 10am and 5pm.

CalFam, a service of Phillips Graduate Institute, is an affordable, fee for service counseling center, which offers a wide range of counseling, therapy and psychological testing services to children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. Located in Encino and serving the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles communities, CalFam is committed to providing high quality training in a supportive and dynamic environment.

For more information, please contact:       
Robert Kretz, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Program Director and Clinical Supervisor                               
(818) 386-5600, ext. 463

To receive an application click here.