Graduate Training Overview

A practicum/internship in Psychology and/or Social Work at Connecticut College Student Counseling Services provides supervised clinical experience within a college counseling center setting. The focus of the training site is mental health issues of late adolescence and adulthood.

Connecticut College is a highly selective, coeducational, private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. It offers academic excellence in a community shaped by a student-run honor code. Connecticut College occupies 750 acres on a hill overlooking the Thames River and Long Island Sound. Many of its early buildings are constructed of native granite and limestone, while more recent additions harmoniously blend contemporary with traditional architectural styles.

The primary training experience is comprised of diagnostic assessment, individual and group psychotherapy, outreach, and psychoeducation to the campus community. Mental health issues range from adjustment problems and problems in living to severe psychopathology. Specialized training experiences, including suicide prevention, and multicultural counseling, are available to practicum students depending on their interests and level of experience. Neuropsychological testing is not available.

Supervision

Supervision is provided by the Student Counseling Services staff. Individual supervision is provided 2 hours per week for a 20-24 hour trainee. One hour is provided by the Director of the Student Counseling Services, Janet Dee Spoltore, Ph.D., ABPP, and another hour by another staff clinician. A two-hour Professional Seminar (one hour didactic, one-hour case discussion) occurs weekly and is facilitated by the staff. Additionally, trainees are encouraged to attend staff clinical and training meetings, where additional group supervision is gained.

Organization

Students typically perform an (academic) year-long training experience. This typically includes 20-24 hours per week and is done over at least three days. This involves one primary location throughout the year.

Training experience:

  1. Ongoing psychodiagnostic evaluations of incoming student patients.
  2. Clinical caseload of student patients, including individual and group psychotherapy.
  3. Outreach and psychoeducational responsibilities.
  4. Weekly Staff Clinical Meeting to discuss clinical cases, treatment planning, and high-risk cases.
  5. Didactic presentations by staff and selected professionals in the college/community on clinical and professional issues regularly occur.
  6. Training in multicultural issues related to treating diverse student population.
  7. Weekly individual supervision with Director and one other clinical staff member (two hours).
  8. Weekly Professional Seminar facilitated by Director and staff (two hours).
  9. Administrative tasks that incorporate professional role in service delivery.

Goal of training

To provide to trainees supervised clinical work with a population of diverse college students and to provide clinical and didactic training in the ethical practice of outpatient mental health, diagnostic assessment, treatment, prevention, referral, and crisis management.

Payment

Practicum and internship trainees will be offered a $2,000 stipend per year.

To apply, contact:
Janet Dee Spoltore, Ph.D., ABPP
Director, Student Counseling Services
Connecticut College
270 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT 06320

 

Postdoctoral Training Overview

Student Counseling Services (SCS) at Connecticut College has a robust identify-focused postdoctoral training program which is comprised of two, two-year long postdoctoral positions. The LGBTQIA (not open at this time) and Multicultural (presently open) Counseling fellowships provide opportunities for early-career professionals to hone and employ identity-focused skills and competencies to meeting the needs of emerging adults in a campus setting. These positions speak to the field of college mental health’s growing understanding of the implications of aspects of identity on psychological functioning, the impact of sociopolitical factors on well-being, and the ethical mandate for counselors to attend to all of the aforementioned skillfully.

Supervision and Training Supervision and training of the postdoctoral fellows is provided by the Director for Student Counseling Services and Student Health Services, Janet Dee Spoltore, Ph.D., ABPP, and the Assistant Director and Identity-Focused Specialist, Bryana White, Ph.D. Training for these positions is oriented in a social justice and identity-related competence framework which encourages fellows to develop the knowledge, insight/awareness, and skills requisite for providing identity-focused and informed services. The program spans two academic years (the present open position ends in May 2022) and is geared toward training early career professionals to work within a campus community providing a range of individual, group, and campus community-based services. Postdoctoral fellows are expected to engage in the full range of activities typical of professional staff members at SCS while receiving supervision from licensed psychologists. The fellows may have the opportunity to provide supervision to doctoral-level practicum students at SCS. The postdoctoral fellows will have the opportunity to accrue requisite hours (practice and supervision) for licensure and support in preparing for the Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology.

The 2019 Multicultural Counseling Fellow will be expected to provide evidence-based culturally responsive individual and group psychotherapy. In addition to having a general expert knowledge of mental health and psychological functioning, the ideal candidate for the multicultural psychology focused postdoctoral position will have specialized training in multicultural psychology and experience with and proficiency in addressing issues of culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical functioning, and other aspects of identity within the context of psychotherapy with emerging adults. The fellow will engage in targeted outreach efforts and provide psychoeducational programming to underrepresented populations at the College. SCS postdoctoral fellows must have completed doctoral degrees in clinical or counseling psychology as of the start of their work at SCS. Experience working in a college counseling setting and with emerging adults is strongly preferred. Excellent professional, interpersonal, communication (both oral and written), and counseling skills are required. Successful candidates will demonstrate experience in one of the above-mentioned focus areas and investment in developing further expertise.

Application Instructions

Thorough applicant credentialing, including criminal records check, will be conducted on the selected applicant. Submit materials (including resume, cover letter, and three letters of references with the contact information of each reference) via the position link which is accessible at https://conncoll.hiretouch.com/staff-openings.

Accepting resumes until the position is filled.