The aim of the WSU CAPS internship program is to provide the professional training and experience necessary for independent entry-level work as a health service psychologist in a wide variety of settings, including university counseling centers.

CAPS is invested in helping interns develop a range of competencies through which they may implement a broad set of skills, theoretical and clinical knowledge, and methods of inquiry in the practice of psychology. Common to these competencies are the further refinement of ethical decision-making and the proficiency to effectively provide services to diverse clientele in multiple settings.

Following the APA Standards of Accreditation, CAPS trains and evaluates interns across nine profession-wide competencies:

1. Research
2. Ethical and Legal Standards
3. Individual and Cultural Diversity
4. Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors
5. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
6. Assessment
7. Intervention
8. Supervision
9. Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills

CAPS understands that professional growth in health service psychology is an ongoing process, with varying degrees of oversight and scaffolding needed at different points in time. It is expected that interns will enhance their skills and be able to function more independently as the year progresses.  The nature of supervision and support offered is adjusted accordingly.

Interns receive ongoing feedback regarding their professional strengths and growth areas across the profession-wide competencies. The Training Committee meets quarterly to discuss and provide feedback to the clinical supervisor and Training Director about each intern’s performance. The clinical supervisor completes the related evaluation form and reviews it with the intern.

Assuming there are no “below expected level of competence” ratings as defined in the evaluation form, the supervisor and intern sign the completed form indicating that it has been reviewed by both parties. Quarterly evaluations are forwarded to the Training Director, and the 6-month and 12-month evaluations are additionally forwarded to the intern’s Director of Clinical Training in their academic department. If an intern receives a “below-expected level of competence” rating during a quarterly evaluation, the Training Director will follow intern evaluation and due process guidelines outlined in the Intern Handbook to address the concern. These guidelines are provided to interns on the first day of their internship.

The internship year is a time to consolidate existing skills and knowledge, develop new competencies, and transition from a graduate trainee to an entry-level practitioner.  Following the internship match, or at the onset of the internship, the Training Director contacts interns’ academic programs to invite their guidance in working with individual intern needs.

Over the internship year, CAPS facilitates interns’ process of systematically increasing their skill and self-assurance in providing a range of direct services to a diverse clientele.  CAPS supports interns’ growth in delivering these services through supervision, sequential didactic training, mentoring, modeling, and feedback. Following a developmental approach, early in the training year interns are provided with more didactic training, modeling, and close oversight of their activities. As the year and their skills progress, interns gain more independence such that by the end of the training year, interns successfully completing the program are ready for entry-level practice in a variety of health service psychology settings, including university counseling centers.

Internship training starts several weeks before the academic year begins. This allows for a structured summer orientation period with a gradual increase in direct service delivery.

Summer orientation emphasizes learning about  CAPS policies, procedures, and services. Training introduces interns to the Point and Click electronic medical records system, initial consultations, risk assessment, crisis management, diversity attunement, telehealth principles, and logistics, Motivational Interviewing-based AOD interventions, logistics of group and workshop facilitation, individual therapy, outreach programming, biofeedback, LD/ADHD assessments, record-keeping, provision of supervision, diversity liaison work, and ethics.

During summer orientation, interns also connect with CAPS and WSU staff, increasing their familiarity with potential supervisors, campus partners, referral resources, and diversity liaison options. Individual CAPS providers meet informally with the intern group to get to know each other better. Interns also have orientation meetings with colleagues from Cougar Health Services, the Dean of Students office, Health Education, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Multicultural Student Services, the LGBTQ+ Center, the Academic Success and Career Center, the Center for Civil Rights, Student Accommodations and Disability Resources, and International Programs, among others.

Interns, therefore, begin the academic year with knowledge of the work environment, an outline of their training year, and collegial contact and support.

CAPS uses a contracting process at the start of each semester. Each intern and the Training Director collaborate to develop a 40 hour/week schedule specifying general responsibilities as well as those unique to each intern. The table below outlines the training and service delivery activities an intern can expect on a weekly basis:

With the end of the fast-paced academic year comes a notable decrease in clinical service delivery and didactic training. Interns can expect smaller client caseloads and limited group and outreach responsibilities. They may have the opportunity to provide supervision and extend their clinical minor rotations. Other summer activities include receipt of supervision, intern process meetings, and staff meetings. Summer is a great time for interns to complete testing cases and reports, work on dissertation research, or if their dissertation was completed prior to internship, a small-scale CAPS research project and presentation.

Training seminars and group supervisions are scheduled throughout the academic year, with some starting during summer orientation. Many involve preparatory reading along with expected engagement during the seminar itself. Occasionally seminars will include online webinars as a training tool. Below are recent topics addressed in seminars, diversity trainings, and group supervisions.

o    Diversity Seminars– Trans and Non-binary Affirming Therapy, Men and Masculinity, First-Generation College Students, Native American Students, Undocumented Individuals, Military Culture and Therapy Implications, International Students, Working with BIPOC students, Anti-Fat Stigma and Fat-Phobia, Ability Status, Spirituality

o    CAPS Diversity Trainings– Anti-Capitalism in Psychology, Model Minority Narratives, Liberation Psychology, Intergenerational Trauma, Body Neutrality, Decolonizing Multicultural Counseling, How to Navigate Differences in Belief Systems in Therapy, Religiosity and Spirituality, Microaggressions and Stereotype Threat, Neurodiversity, LGBT Affirming Therapy, Gender Affirming Care, Undocumented Students

o    Special Topics Seminars– Suicide and Risk Assessment, Sexual Assault Response, IFS, Shame, Cognitive Processing Therapy, CBT for Trauma, Single Session Therapy, MI/AOD Interventions, Teletherapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Eating Disorder Treatment, Consultation and Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Skills, OCD/ERP for Sexual Fears, Treating and De-stigmatizing Psychosis, Job Search Preparation, UCC Administration,  Psychopharmacology,  Licensure and EPPP Preparation, Private Practice, Use of AI in Practice

o    Testing Seminars – Overview of commonly utilized PVT, CPT, personality, cognitive, neuropsychological, and achievement measures; Learning Disabilities; Dyslexia; ADHD; Evaluating English Language Learners; Multicultural Considerations in Assessment; Therapeutic Assessment; Special Topics (as determined by cohort): ASD, Expert Witness Testimony, Projective Assessments, Assessment in Private Practice, AI

o    Group Therapy Seminars – Risk Assessment; Group Orientation Interviews; Fostering Yalom’s Curative Factors through Group Leadership; Facilitating Groups Online; Therapist Response Options to Group Therapy Events; Correlation between Verbal Participation and Group Success; Incorporating Social Justice Interventions; Reflective Practice in Group Co-leadership; Power, Reflection and Dialogue in Gestalt Group Therapy

o    Ethics Seminars– Supervision, Risk Management, Boundaries and Small Communities, Feminist Ethics, Self-Care, Telesupervision, Self-Disclosure

o    Group Supervision– Therapist Identities and Experiences in Relation to Clinical Work, Theoretical Approaches, Presenting Cases and Providing Feedback, Managing Caseloads, Referring to Groups and Other Resources, Developing Critical Consciousness, Self-Care, Program Feedback, Working with Diverse Clients

o    Supervision of Supervision– Supervisor Competencies, APA Guidelines/Ethics, Supervision Logistics and Records, Telesupervision, Models of Supervision, Supervisory Relationship, Addressing Diversity within Supervision, Giving Feedback, Managing Conflict, Providing Group Supervision

The provision of direct services is central to interns’ training experience at CAPS. Direct services include initial consultations, brief, focused individual therapy, groups and workshops, crisis intervention, alcohol and other drug interventions, LD and ADHD assessments, biofeedback, outreaches, consultation, liaison work with a diverse student population, and the provision of supervision. Interns do not have after-hours on-call service responsibilities.

All direct service experiences count toward the required 500 direct service hours needed for successful completion of the internship. CAPS offers reduced clinical service hours during student breaks, which are good times for interns to take annual leave or work on research or administrative tasks.

Assessment

Assessment is integral to interns’ training and CAPS service delivery. To develop and refine skills in assessment, problem formulation, and diagnosis, interns regularly conduct initial consultations and risk assessments. CAPS uses the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-62) as initial consultation data to inform treatment, and the CCAPS-34 to track client progress and treatment outcomes.

Assessment learning is addressed through case formulation, diagnosis, and presentation within weekly individual and group supervision. This includes discussion on theoretical and diagnostic issues and guidance in the use of the DSM-5-TR.

CAPS’ comprehensive testing services offer interns the opportunity to gain experience administering and interpreting ADHD and learning disability (LD) test batteries, as well as exposure to personality and some neuropsychological testing..

Interns receive testing supervision and participate in an assessment seminar that addresses questions of test interpretation, diagnostic formulation, and report-writing. Interns complete four full ADHD/LD batteries over the year and may choose a minor rotation in assessment to gain further experience.

Initial Consultations and Individual Therapy

Interns share fully in CAPS’ provision of therapy services designed to help WSU students improve their mental health and wellness. Clients present with a full spectrum of concerns, from the more frequent anxiety, adjustment, relationship, identity, or developmental experiences to more complex affective, trauma, eating disorder, substance abuse, personality, or psychosis presentations. Couples therapy cases are infrequent.

Treatment starts with an initial consultation, after which a client is referred to appropriate services. CAPS’ treatment model assumes that most students who seek services can benefit from brief, focused counseling in either a group or individual therapy format. Most individual therapy clients meet their treatment goals in 1-6 sessions.

Individual therapy interventions are evidence-based, rooted in theory, and tailored to each client’s lived experiences and needs. Interns receive training in cognitive processing therapy for treating PTSD, and biofeedback for treating a range of anxiety concerns. Interns learn to be intentional with their therapy work, facilitating effective treatment and clinical service delivery, and providing referrals to community resources for those students who need or want longer-term or more intense individual therapy.

Crisis Intervention

Interns can expect to work with clients who present in crisis or exhibit moderate or chronic risk. Risk is routinely assessed during initial consultations, crisis appointments, and as relevant, over the course of therapy. CAPS providers offer empathic support and facilitate safety planning, helping clients access hospitalization, if needed. Consultation with senior clinical staff is readily available for interns as they manage client crises.

Groups and Workshops

CAPS views groups and workshops as primary treatment modalities, offering long-term group and workshop attendance to WSU students.

Each semester the Groups Coordinator leads senior staff and interns in choosing which groups and workshops to offer. These are determined by clinical needs, requests from specific client populations, therapist interests, and clinician expertise. Frequently offered groups include undergraduate and graduate process groups, Sexual Assault Survivor Support, and Trans* Student Support. Standard workshop offerings include Mindfulness, Getting Unstuck (ACT-based), Mood Management Skills (DBT-inspired), Anxiety Management (CBT-based), and Increasing Motivation.

Intern pairs or Intern-Senior Clinical Staff pairs co-facilitate groups. Interns are also involved in groups and workshops by co-facilitating Mindfulness, Getting Unstuck, Mood Management, CBT for Anxiety, or other skills-based workshops with Senior Staff or practicum trainees. They additionally may be able to co-facilitate another group of interest. Interns participate in a bi-weekly group therapy seminar and may also receive supervision for their group and workshop work from a senior co-facilitator or a designated CAPS provider.

Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Interventions

During summer orientation and over the course of the year, interns receive Motivational Interviewing and AOD training to provide 1:1 harm reduction- interventions for sanctioned students who have received AOD violations through WSU’s Center for Community Standards. These interventions are typically single sessions although may lead to follow-up AOD counseling appointments. It is also common for clinicians to address substance concerns with their therapy clients.

Outreach

Outreach Programming facilitates early intervention and service access, especially by traditionally underserved students. Interns provide outreach services to the WSU community throughout the year. They may facilitate some outreaches during their first summer of internship as well as three to four additional outreaches per semester. Specific experiences reflect a combination of the interns’ training interests and student or university needs.

Outreach topics vary and may include such presentations as stress management, self-care, time management, test anxiety, attachment styles and healthy relationships, safe dating, depression, anxiety, bereavement, sleep, physical and mental wellness, anger management, and advocacy. Some outreaches may be held outside of business hours, for which facilitators receive flex time. Interns also oversee practicum supervisees’ outreach on a limited basis.

Consultation

CAPS interns receive introductory didactic training on consultation and have multiple opportunities to serve as consultants for individuals and groups during the year. For example, they may provide consultation to Residence Life staff, academic departments, and other campus partners on issues relating to service coordination and student welfare. Interns also frequently collaborate and consult with Cougar Health Services medical and psychiatric providers to facilitate effective service delivery. As supervisors to practicum counselors, interns may be approached by supervisees for clinical consultation.

Interns also benefit from receiving consultation. Through group supervision, group supervision of supervision, and various training seminars, interns are given space to discuss their clinical experiences and questions with each other and staff. CAPS clinicians maintain an open-door consultation policy to facilitate accessible consultation. Interns are encouraged to consult with each other, their supervisors, and senior staff regarding clinical and supervisory questions.

Provision of Supervision

During the academic year, interns receive hands-on experience co-supervising practicum students from WSU’s APA-approved doctoral program in Clinical Psychology. They help train and supervise these students in individual therapy, providing outreaches (when needed), and co-facilitating skills-based workshops.

Interns begin group supervision of supervision during summer orientation and receive weekly group supervision of their supervision during the academic year. They also regularly address supervision of supervision with their individual clinical supervisor.

Liaisons

All CAPS interns serve as Liaisons. Liaison work is carried out over the entire academic year and involves collaborating with CAPS senior providers as liaisons to campus partners working with specific diverse student populations. CAPS interns serve as liaisons for the following WSU offices or programs:  Multicultural Student Services; the LGBTQ+ Center; International Programs; and the ROAR (Responsibility, Opportunity, Advocacy and Respect) Program, which serves students with moderate limitations in adaptive behavior and intellectual functioning. 

Liaison roles typically include establishing a presence within the organization served, developing relationships with staff and student leaders, sharing information about CAPS services, offering outreach programming, attending special events, and providing consultation. Intern liaisons devote an average of 1.5 hours/week to their liaison role and receive up to 30 minutes/week of liaison supervision.

Minor Rotations

In addition to receiving a common core of trainings and experiences, each intern also engages in select training emphases through one minor rotation per semester. In Minor Rotations, interns dedicate two to three hours a week to a CAPS teaching experience or clinical area of interest. Minor rotation assignments are made in collaboration with the Training Director. Descriptions of recent minor rotation options follow. .

ADHD AND LD ASSESSMENT

The ADHD and LD assessment rotation is supervised by the CAPS Testing Director. The rotation involves conducting ADHD and LD assessments and writing integrated reports beyond the four required of all interns. The rotation may include assessment screenings, seminar presentations, and other training or clinical tasks per consultation with the Testing Director. Weekly to bi-weekly supervision is provided.

BEGINNING PRACTICUM TRAINING

The beginning practicum training rotation is supervised by the Practicum Coordinator and involves co-teaching the weekly CAPS Beginning Practicum class. Class participants are 2nd-year doctoral students from WSU’s Clinical Psychology program who are completing their first year of practicum training at CAPS. This rotation includes curricular planning, development, implementation, and evaluation, which are addressed in weekly supervision meetings.

BIOFEEDBACK

The biofeedback rotation is supervised by the Biofeedback Coordinator. Interns in this rotation learn about mind-body connections and how to help clients increase control over their autonomic nervous system through biofeedback training involving heart rate variability, skin conductivity, or muscle tension. The rotation involves some assigned readings and study, providing one to two hours of biofeedback appointments weekly, and bi-weekly supervision.

GROUP FACILITATION

The group facilitation rotation is supervised by the CAPS Groups Coordinator or another designated senior clinician. The rotation involves co-facilitating one additional group with the supervisor and engaging in reading and reflection about group process and facilitation. The intern receives supervision on a bi-weekly to weekly basis. An intern may complete this rotation while also co-facilitating other groups separately from the rotation.

OUTREACH

The Outreach minor rotation is overseen by the CAPS Outreach Coordinator or other Senior Staff. Interns participating in this rotation will learn about social justice-oriented outreach services and be involved in the development and facilitation of outreach services beyond the minimum requirement. The rotation may also include the creation, implementation, and evaluation of an outreach project to be conducted for a particular student population, within a specific university office, or more broadly across campus. Supervision is provided weekly to bi-weekly.

TRAUMA SPECIALTY

The Trauma Specialty rotation is supervised by a designated staff member. On a weekly basis, interns in this rotation see one additional client with a specific focus on trauma-focused presenting concerns, receive 30 minutes of supervision, and engage in 30 minutes of structured reading. Readings include, but are not limited to trauma-informed interventions, trauma-focused theoretical orientations, non-diagnostic frameworks of trauma and traumatic stress, and cultural-informed models of trauma. Supervision involves discussions of readings, as well as time for case consultation on clients with trauma-specific presenting concerns.

Interns have multiple opportunities to develop administrative skills as part of their ongoing CAPS responsibilities. On a daily basis, they manage their own schedule on Point and Click, maintain clinical documentation, oversee their supervisees’ work, and juggle multiple roles and tasks. While doing consultation and diversity liaison work, they navigate aspects of program development, resource planning, staffing, and follow-up services. Interns are also involved in decision-making process at CAPS. This includes participation in planning workshops and staff meetings, serving on the intern selection committee, and providing feedback about candidates during CAPS employee searches. Interns can participate on the CAPS Diversity Committee and may be able to serve on additional CAPS committees.

CAPS regards research as foundational to training and service provision. Interns engage in research as they prepare for outreaches, presentations, training seminars, and clinical work. CAPS regularly conducts a survey review of client satisfaction and other forms of program evaluation regarding both service delivery and training. Interested interns are welcome to participate in such projects.

Interns are expected to remain active in their own research during the internship year. They present to CAPS providers on current dissertation research or engage in another small-scale psychology-related research project and share the outcome of their endeavors with CAPS. Interns may use some administrative hours during less busy clinical times, such as student breaks, for these activities. Computer access, SPSS, library privileges, and consultation are available to support research.