Developmental Programming Externship

CAPS Developmental Programming:
The developmental programming area is a CAPS service which delivers training and skill building to the Northwestern University community to promote psychological resiliency and life skills. Northwestern University has recognized the importance of building community, connections, and relationships, and is aware that students struggle when significant difficulties arise in their lives. The developmental programming area, through workshops and other media, will provide training and opportunities to practice skills in the areas of Health and Wellness and Relationships and Emotional intelligence. Some examples of these areas include the Stress Management Clinic, Emotional Intelligence and Intimate Relationships Workshops, Communicating with Confidence Workshops, and Self-Esteem Workshops.

The Developmental Programming Practicum
This specialty practicum is a focused professional training opportunity for masters and doctoral level students to acquire knowledge in the design, implementation and evaluation of psychoeducational interventions offered to the Northwestern University community. Externs will learn to provide workshops on a variety of topics and life skills within the primary areas of Health and Wellness and Relationships and Emotional Intelligence. Utilizing an apprenticeship model, externs learn by initially observing and/or assisting senior CAPS clinicians as they develop and conduct psychoeducational workshops, then subsequently the extern will assume primary responsibility by conducting the workshop independently or with another facilitator. Externs would be expected to participate both in the workshops of the developmental programming area as well as some off-site outreach presentations (on campus) that relate to developmental programming.

In addition to these workshops, externs will learn to design passive programming on various psychological issues. This could include, but is not limited to, design of brochures or web pages on psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, healthy relationships, and self-care.

Finally, externs will have the opportunity to provide brief counseling (12 sessions or less) with up to 4 individual clients per week. This may be as follow-up to the client’s attendance at a workshop series, or work with NU students who present at CAPS with developmental and/or situational concerns.

Training Activities:
1. Developmental Programming Seminar: Externs will meet 2 hours per week with the Coordinator of Developmental Programming to receive training and supervision on workshop design, facilitation, and evaluation skills. Theories and models of workshop design will be reviewed, as well as theory and empirical support behind the life skills being taught in the developmental programs.
2. Brief Therapy Seminar: DP externs will join Advanced Therapy externs in this seminar held one hour weekly to learn concepts, models and techniques of brief therapy.
3. Clinical Supervision: Externs will meet with a clinical supervisor 1 hour per week to discuss cases and structured interventions with clients seen in individual counseling. Audio- and/or videotapes of externs’ counseling sessions will be utilized to provide supervisory support and guidance in extern skill development.

Application:

Applications are invited from graduate students in masters and doctoral programs in counseling and clinical psychology.

Applications should include:

• A cover letter explaining your interest in this particular practicum--applications will only be considered if the cover letter addresses your interest in this particular practicum
• Your curriculum vita
• Two letters of recommendation

Very Important: CAPS has two separate practicum programs. To ensure you are considered for the correct program, please do the following:

• state clearly in your cover letter that you are applying to the Developmental Programming Externship
• make sure you put the name of the practicum in which you are interested in the address on the envelope (see directions below)

Deadline for applications for the 2008-2009 academic year is February 14, 2008. Application must be received by CAPS by 5:00 p.m. of that day.

Send application mateials via US Mail (or Fed Ex, UPS, or another carrier). No electronic applications will be accepted.