The Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center (EKUCC) Doctoral internship is a member of the Association of Post-doctoral and Psychology Internship Centers (APPIC). Our program adheres to APPIC Match policies and participates in the APPIC Match. Therefore, we abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.

Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center’s (EKUCC) Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology is not currently accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The mission of EKUCC is to foster the psychological development and emotional wellbeing of students. We do this by providing confidential psychotherapy and other psychological services for currently enrolled EKU students. EKUCC also provides psychoeducational events and programs to increase mental health awareness within the EKU community through prevention, education, and stigma reduction. We all provide consultation to members of the campus community. EKUCC seeks to support the academic mission and values of the University by providing high-quality psychological services to students to enhance their academic functioning. All services are offered by EKUCC staff: mental health professionals specializing in college mental health.

A detailed description of the University’s mission and values is found on EKU’s Vision, Mission and Values.

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) utilizes an integrated approach between the various units and training programs on campus focused on mental health. EKU’s Integrative Behavioral Health System is comprised of the Counseling Center, the Psychology Clinic, and Student Health Services.

The Counseling Center serves as the primary provider of psychotherapy and counseling services. The Psychology Clinic is a training clinic for the doctoral (Psy.D.) program in Clinical Psychology at EKU, as well graduate students in the Social Work and Mental Health Counseling program. The Psychology Clinic provides treatment and assessment services for the University and greater community. Student Health Services (SHS) includes several psychiatric providers who offer medication treatments. Staff and trainees across these three units work together to provide integrated behavioral healthcare. 

Doctoral Interns have the opportunity to work within this integrated framework to provide clinical and outreach services at the EKUCC, supervision to doctoral practicum trainees, and psychological assessments in the Psychology Clinic under the supervision of doctoral-level faculty members in the Psychology Department. They also have the opportunity to collaborate with Student Health Services medical providers to coordinate psychological and psychiatric care of clients. Additionally, being part of an integrative Behavioral Health System allows for multidisciplinary collaboration and allows for greater exposure to diverse perspectives, mutually benefitting both trainees and staff.

Overview

The Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center (EKUCC) Doctoral internship is a 12-month, 2,000-hour capstone experience for doctoral students in clinical or counseling psychology. At least 500 hours, or at least 25% of the interns’ total hours, are spent engaging in direct clinical services. Although only 1,800 hours of supervised professional experience are required for licensure in Kentucky, we have set our internship requirements to enable interns to meet the licensure requirements in all states. The internship begins the first Monday of August each year and ends exactly 12 months later.

The aim of the program is to produce professional psychologists who are proficient in the provision of a broad range of clinical and scholarly psychology functions, which span a variety of professional settings, in a manner consistent with APA Ethical standards. Additionally, all interns receive strong training in both Trauma-Focused Interventions and Suicide Prevention and Intervention, as these skills are integral to the work we do on a large university campus, with opportunities to further specialize in either of these areas. We ensure that our interns are equipped with the essential intervention and assessment skills required to improve the mental and behavioral health of clients who present with a broad range of psychosocial configurations. The doctoral internship provides interns with the opportunity to develop and refine their skills and prepare for entry-level practice in health service psychology.

To foster interns’ professional identities and help them develop their clinical skills, graduated and structured training experiences are integrated into their weekly schedules in the form of individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, outreach and education to the campus community, and consultation within an integrated behavioral health model. Interns also have opportunities to explore areas of specialized interest related to their future clinical practice. Their skills are refined and knowledge is expanded through engagement in individual and group supervision, supervision of group therapy, supervision of supervision, and didactic trainings, among other activities.

The mission and intention of the Doctoral Internship training program at Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center (EKUCC), is to train and mentor the next generation of psychologists thereby giving back to the profession, while simultaneously providing the highest level of care possible to the students, faculty, and staff of Eastern Kentucky University. The Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center upholds a Developmental/Mentor or Apprenticeship model of training according to which, interns enhance their professional performance and development through apprenticeship, support, modeling, guidance, and collaboration with more advanced or experienced clinicians, and thus become socialized into the profession.

The internship also employs a developmental training approach that incorporates graduated experiences and skill-building, experiential learning, and self-reflection to enhance professional competence. Within this developmental model, mastery of tasks is a process that is sequential, cumulative, and graded in complexity. When developing a new skill, interns learn by observing how professional practice is conducted, then by conducting an activity or clinical service with a staff member or under direct observation. Finally, when the intern and senior staff mutually determine the intern is ready, they provide services more independently while under supervision.

As interns advance through the Internship program, expectations of minimum competency gradually increase as professional tasks expected of interns increase over time in intensity, frequency, complexity, and difficulty. Through supervised experience, ongoing feedback, didactic instruction, and mentorship, interns assume greater responsibility and independence. Interns progress from a position of dependency on the knowledge and guidance of supervisors to interdependency to independent practice that is collegial and collaborative.

Upon completion of the internship, interns are expected to be able to function as competent and ethical Psychologists, who are strong generalists providing psychological services to individuals, groups, and organizations. Interns graduate from the internship with entry-level skills in all of the profession-wide competencies, as well as specialized knowledge and experience in two clinical areas: Trauma-Focused Interventions and Suicide Prevention and Intervention.

As a school of opportunity, Eastern Kentucky University fosters personal growth and prepares students to contribute to the success and vitality of their communities, the Commonwealth, and the world. Eastern Kentucky University is committed to access, equal opportunity, dignity, respect, and inclusion for all people, as integral to a learning environment in which intellectual creativity and diversity thrives.

As reflected in its mission statement, Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center (EKUCC) is committed to the promotion, celebration, and understanding of diversity in all of its forms. We seek to provide a safe, welcoming, and affirming environment for all persons that seek our services. Further, the Counseling Center greatly values diversity in its staff because multiple perspectives enrich our ability to understand and contribute to the community we serve. EKUCC is dedicated to actively fostering a respectful and affirming climate in which all its staff and students it serves feel valued and accepted, and are inspired to develop their skills and talents and achieve their full potential. Similarly, EKUCC’s Doctoral Internship program values diversity in training.

The Internship Program adheres to the principles of Eastern Kentucky University’s Non-discrimination statement. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, the University affirms a commitment to promote the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational enterprise, and prohibits discrimination against any employee, student, or applicant for admission or employment on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or socioeconomic status, or other legally protected characteristic. EKU is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability and quality of performance, without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved. Similarly, the Doctoral internship program at EKUCC welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds to be considered on the basis of their educational qualifications, experiences, and fit with internship goals, instead of their background characteristics irrelevant to their ability to be successful on internship. Also, following University policy, EKUCC provides reasonable accommodations for individuals pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

To foster understanding and appreciation of diversity, EKUCC is committed to continuously enhancing its self-awareness of multiculturalism and the impact of sociocultural influences on EKU students’ mental health difficulties. This constant pursuit of understanding in order to support the mental health of students is especially critical at EKU, a school of opportunity in an Appalachian region. Understanding is achieved through fostering continuous self-reflection, and constant pursuit of enhanced multicultural competence.

EKUCC’s commitment to understanding and fostering diversity is reflected in all the workings of our center: staff and interns trainings in multicultural diversity, collaboration with campus partners such as the Center for Inclusive Excellence and Global Engagement (CIEGE is a specialized office focusing on retention of traditionally underrepresented/marginalized students by creating an inclusive environment where they can thrive by celebrating their national and international cultures and supporting their personal and professional development), and Center programming such as offering weekly drop-in support groups focused on offering a validating space for students’ diverse identities (e.g., LGBTQ, international, First generation college students, students with a health disability, and students of color).

The constant pursuit of enhanced multicultural competence is reflected in our Doctoral Internship program and infused in all facets of training including individual and group supervision, staff meetings, and training seminars. Interns are expected to achieve competency in APA’s Profession Wide Competencies including Individual and Cultural Diversity, which is defined as: “Awareness, sensitivity, and skills in working professionally with diverse individuals, groups and communities who represent various cultural and personal backgrounds.” Interns develop cultural humility and competence through self-reflection and cognitive flexibility in understanding self and others as cultural beings with unique personal/cultural histories and world views. Interns work to become aware of their values, attitudes, and biases and how they interact with or get in the way of competently serving a diverse public. To expand their knowledge base and awareness about certain diverse populations, interns work with diverse populations and receive feedback and support as they develop their competency in this area.

The aim of the EKUCC Doctoral Internship Program is to produce professional psychologists who are proficient in the provision of a broad range of clinical and scholarly psychology functions, which span a variety of professional settings, in a manner consistent with APA Ethical standards. Additionally, all interns receive strong training in both Trauma-Focused Interventions and Suicide Prevention and Intervention, as these skills are integral to the work we do on a large university campus, with opportunities to further specialize in either of these areas. Training in APA’s nine Professional Wide Competencies (listed below) helps to achieve these aims, and interns are directly evaluated in each of these competency areas. Interns are made aware of these expected competencies at the beginning of the internship year through a review of the program’s evaluation form.

APA Profession Wide Competencies

• Research
• Ethical and Legal Standards
• Individual and Cultural Diversity
• Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behavior
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Assessment
• Intervention
• Supervision
• Consultation and Inter-professional / Interdisciplinary Skills

Interns are evaluated in each of these competency areas twice during the internship year and are provided feedback on an ongoing basis during supervision. In the event that an intern does not meet the required level of competency in any area on the evaluation, the program will implement its due process policy to ensure an unbiased approach to supporting the intern toward developing competency and completing the program successfully.

The Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center (EKUCC) offers the opportunity to develop a specialization by engaging in additional training activities in one of two areas: Trauma-Focused Interventions and Suicide Prevention and Intervention. Because of the high prevalence of psychological trauma and suicidality in the college student population, all interns receive a significant amount of training in these areas through didactics, supervision, and clinical cases. However, interns can also choose to develop a specialization in one of these areas by pursuing additional training opportunities, which may include:

• Specialization in Trauma-Focused Interventions
• Work with 30-50 clients whose main presenting issue is trauma over the course of the year.
• Administer 20-30 Trauma specific psychological assessments.
• Receive additional professional development training in an evidence-based trauma treatment (e.g., CPT, EMDR).
• Co-facilitate the Integrate to Regulate (EMDR) group or a Trauma-coping psychoeducational workshop at EKUCC at least once during the internship year.
• Develop or/and provide at least 1 outreach program with a trauma component to the University community.
• Develop psychoeducational handouts based on reviewed psychological literature for the trauma group or workshop or to disseminate with individual therapy clients.
• Specialization in Suicide Prevention and Intervention
• Attend one or more CAMS (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality: a therapeutic framework for suicide-specific assessment and treatment of a patient’s suicidal risk) trainings in Dr. Moore’s PSY 869 Understanding Suicide class.
• Participate in at least 1 CAMS Consultation Call, where trainees learn to present high-risk cases and receive consultation and support.
• Participate in at least one class discussion session on non-suicidal self-injury, diversity and suicide issues, and other topics presented by experts in suicidology.
• Become a QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer: an evidence-based crisis response training) Trainer and co/facilitate QPR trainings in the community. Facilitate at least 5 suicide outreach programs during the internship year.
• Co-facilitate the suicide bereavement group offered through the EKU Psychology Clinic.

The annual stipend for all interns at Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center (EKUCC) is $35.568. The internship begins the first Monday of August each year and ends exactly 12 months later. The 2024-2024 Internship year will begin on August 5, 2024 and end on Tuesday August 5, 2025. As exempt employees of EKUCC, Interns are eligible for health, dental, and vision benefits and receive 10 days of vacation time for the year, as well as 10 sick leave days, Spring break, a 2-week-long Winter break and 7 paid state holidays observed by the University during the year. More information about resources and benefits can be found at EKU Human Resources. 

Intern schedules are based on a 40-hour work week with working hours mainly occurring from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. However, at times interns may be expected to work after hours to deliver occasional community intervention activities. Interns are considered employees of Eastern Kentucky University and as such are subject to all policies and procedures set forth by the university, in addition to those developed by the Counseling Center as part of the training program.

All interns participate in a planned sequence of activities throughout the training year, including training activities, direct service activities, and administrative activities. These activities are summarized below and the sample weekly schedule provides an approximation of how interns’ time is spent. For full detail on internship activities, please review our Doctoral Internship Training Manual.

Sample Weekly Schedule: 40 hrs per week

Clinical/Experiential Activities
Individual Therapy and Psych. Assessment: 12 hrs
Group Intervention: 1-2.5 hrs
Triage/Crisis: 4-4.5 hrs
Outreach/Community Intervention: 0-1 hr
Provision of Individual Supervision: 1 hr
Total: 18-20 hrs

Training Activities
Individual Supervision: 2 hrs
Supervision of Supervision: 1 hr
Supervision of Group Counseling: 0.5 hr
Group Supervision/Assessment Supervision: 1 hr
*Intern Summer Project Supervision (During Summer Months): 1 hr
Didactic Seminar: 2 hrs
Case Conference: 1 hr
Total: 7.5 hrs

Administrative Activities
Staff Meeting: 2 hrs
Indirect Clinical/Case Management: 5 hrs
Indirect Group/Prep: 0.5 hrs
Research, Professional & Scholarly work:1 hr
Indirect Supervision (review supervisee notes): 1 hr
*Intern Summer Project (During Summer Months): 5 hrs
Tape review (supervisee and own): 2 hrs
Planning & Consultation: 2.5 hrs
Total: 13.5 hrs

Clinical/Experiential Activities

Triage/Initial Assessments, Consultation, and Crisis Intervention

Each intern is assigned a weekly 4 to 4.5 hour Triage/Initial assessment shift per week to provide Initial Assessments, Consultations, and Crisis Interventions. Students or consultees can initiate services by completing a Triage/Initial Assessment (IA). During Initial Assessments, interns gather information about client concerns, assess client needs, and recommend services inside and outside the center. During a Crisis Intervention, a thorough risk assessment and crisis management is provided. In case of a life-threatening crisis, hospitalization may be facilitated. Finally, Consultation services to members of the campus community are also offered during Initial Assessment. During consultation, recommendations regarding how to provide support or connect an individual of concern to EKUCC are offered. Additionally, consultations are provided to students seeking referrals to outside providers.

Individual Psychotherapy

Interns typically provide approximately 12 hrs of Individual Psychotherapy per week. Individual Psychotherapy appointments are scheduled if recommended during the Triage/Initial Assessment appointment. Individual Psychotherapy is primarily individual, although some exposure to couples’ therapy is available. Sessions can be weekly, biweekly, or less frequently depending on client needs. Although the Center’s orientation is toward briefer therapy, Interns may retain 2-3 long term therapy clients. Interns are encouraged to seek case assignments that facilitate clinical growth and contribute to their training in areas of specific interest or areas of specialization. Interns’ Individual Supervisor, Training Director, and Clinical staff provide input on appropriate case assignments.

Group Intervention

The Counseling Center offers a variety of appointment-based (scheduled, screened), process-oriented therapy groups and specific identity-based drop-in support groups. Each intern has the opportunity to co-lead at least one 1.5-hr process-oriented psychotherapy group during the internship year with a Senior Staff member. Examples of process-oriented groups include: Grief Group, Cleaning House: A Group for Students Impacted by the Substance Abuse of Others, Start from Now: Addressing Body Image and Disordered Eating, Integrate to Regulate: Coping Skills for Trauma Survivors (EMDR Group), Understanding Self & Others/Interpersonal Process (USO), andLeveling Up: Support through D&D Gaming. Drop-in support groups have been offered for first-generation students, students with a health disability, international students, LGBTQ+ students, and students of color.

Outreach/Community Intervention

Outreach activities and programs allow EKUCC to extend its expertise to the broader university community. Outreach activities include targeted programming that raises awareness of the Counseling Center and services offered, encourages help-seeking and prevention, reduces stigma, and responds to the University community’s needs and concerns. Interns have the opportunity to be involved in the Center’s community intervention services and further develop their skills in providing this important service.

Interns are expected to facilitate at least 5 outreach programs during the internship year.Interns gain outreach experience in multiple ways: (a) though involvement in RA trainings, (b) Counseling Center presentations during student and parent orientation at the beginning of the academic year, (c) by providing programs requested by members of the university (interns are free to develop programming with guidance from the Outreach coordinator), (d) co-facilitating suicide prevention QPR regularly offered by the center, and (e) participating in annual campus outreach events (e.g., mental health screening day, eating disorder screening day, meditation at the ravine or planetarium, play-day for relaxation). Interns are also expected to lead at least one psychoeducational group workshop during the year. The Center regularly offers “Feel Better Fast” Psychoeducational/Skills-Based seminars, which teach Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Mindfulness, and “Peak Performance” workshops, which address common challenges among college students, such as organization, motivation, and test anxiety.

Psychological Assessment

EKUCC utilizes psychological assessment measures for diagnostic clarification, to support therapeutic treatment plans and approaches, to deepen a clinician’s understanding of client personality and interpersonal dynamics in and outside the therapeutic relationship, and to connect the client with other campus offices and services (e.g., Center for Student Accessibility for disability accommodations, Student Health Services for medication management, etc.). Interns provide Psychological Assessment to clients at the EKUCC as needed as part of their ongoing treatment.

Interns also receive training on a number of psychological assessments and conduct ADHD and LD assessment batteries through the EKUCC’s partnership with the Psychology Clinic on campus. The Psychology Clinic is a training clinic for the doctoral (Psy.D.) program in Clinical Psychology at EKU and provides assessment services to the University and greater community. During the year, Interns are responsible for completing at least 4 integrated assessment reports (i.e., test battery including at least 2 psychological assessments) in addition to administering other psychological assessment measures.

Provision of Individual Supervision

Interns formally provide individual supervision for one hour per week to a Masters’ level or Doctoral practicum trainee during the Fall and Spring semesters. This supervision takes place under the supervision of a Licensed Psychologist Health Service Provider (HSP) who is ultimately responsible for the clinical cases being supervised. During supervision, Intern and practicum trainee discuss clinical cases, watch session recordings, conceptualize cases, and explore interventions.

Intern Summer Project

The intern Summer Project is an opportunity for interns to leave a legacy with the Center. The Intern Summer Project is determined by intern interest and Center needs. The primary training goal for this activity is for interns to engage in program development to respond to the betterment of the mental health of EKU students. If interns work together on this project, an additional goal is to negotiate working together as a team. The project requires interns to identify a need in the centerand engage in review of current literature to support the proposed plan to address the need. When the Intern Summer Project is completed, Interns present their findings to the EKUCC staff during the 2 hour weekly staff meeting. Some examples projects include:

• Compile the self-help section for students on the EKUCC website covering a wide range of psychological topics and coping resources.
• In collaboration with a campus partner, develop a program to address college student mental health needs.
• Create a series of psychoeducational materials on a mental health topic (e.g., eating and body image, sleep, meditation).
• Revamp materials for an existing seminar such as FBF (Feel Better Fast).
• Put together psychoeducational materials booklet (e.g., coping skills, what happens in trauma) for the Trauma Group.

Training Activities

Orientation

Interns spend the first two weeks of the internship getting oriented to the internship program, the Counseling Center, and the university community. Interns meet with professional and support staff within the center to become familiar with each staff member and their responsibilities and are matched with individual supervisors. They also meet with campus partners/university staff with whom the center has frequent and critical contact, including Psychology Clinic/Psychology Department staff and Assessment Supervisors, the Executive Director of Integrative Behavioral Health System, and Student Health Services (SHS) staff. Interns learn about the Center and services offered, policies and procedures, use of Titanium Scheduling, the Center’s EHR, Referrals and Resources, and the activities that will be required of them as they begin to see clients. The training manual is provided and reviewed.

Individual Supervision

Interns are assigned an individual supervisor with whom they meet 2 hours per week. All primary individual supervisors are licensed as psychologists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Weekly individual clinical supervision is used to discuss interns’ intakes/initial assessments, individual psychotherapy, crisis intervention services, consultation, and case management. Supervisors also provide training and oversight for administrative activities. Supervisors typically utilize case discussion and review of video recordings. They provide interns with ongoing feedback and offer verbal and written evaluations of interns’ work. Supervisors review and sign-off on all interns’ clinical documentation and maintain ultimate responsibility for all of the intern’s cases.

Group Supervision

Interns receive 1 hour of group supervision per week for all but one week of the month. Group supervision is facilitated by the Training Director and is an opportunity for the interns and Training Director to touch base regularly about their experience at the center, and discuss clinical and professional development topics, such as transitioning to the internship, current events, and applying to post-doctoral programs. Clinical cases are discussed, including review of session recordings, case conceptualization, and treatment planning, and interns are expected to engage in peer supervision with one another. Interns are required to make 2 formal case presentations during group supervision, which are open to other supervisors and professional staff to attend.

Assessment Supervision

Once per month Assessment Supervisors from the Psychology clinic facilitate Assessment Supervision in a group format in place of weekly Group Supervision. Assessment Supervisors serve as Secondary Supervisors who focus on providing training and supervision in psychological assessment administration, interpretation, and report writing. Assessment Supervisors provide instruction on assessment administration during Intern didactic seminars. During Assessment Supervision, Assessment Supervisors provide supervision in assessment administration, interpretation of complex results, and report writing.

Supervision of Supervision

In both Fall and Spring semesters, interns assume the role of primary supervisor for an MA or doctoral practicum student. Interns receive weekly supervision of supervision for 1 hour in a group format from August through May. This supervision is provided by the Training Director and includes multiple activities such as a review of various theories and models of supervision, discussion of interns’ experiences as supervisors, video review for feedback, and exploration of interns’ evolving personal approaches to supervision. Supervision of Supervision is discussion-based, and it is intended to provide interns with feedback on supervision skills, help interns work through supervision challenges, and allow oversight of client welfare.

Supervision of Group Intervention

Interns obtain individual supervision of their group therapy work once a week for 30 minutes from the senior staff member with whom they are co-facilitating group. All interns co-facilitate at least 1 psychotherapy group during the academic year and lead and co-lead support and skill-based groups as well. The Group Psychotherapy Supervisor provides orientation for interns about the process of screening group therapy clients and conducts the group screening interviews with interns. Interns meet with their co-facilitator/supervisor following the provision of the therapy group to de-brief the session, discuss group process and conceptualization, and plan for future interventions.

Supervision of Summer Project

The project requires interns to identify a need in the center and engage in review of current literature to support the proposed plan to address the need. Interns meet for one hour per week during the summer months with a project Supervisor to discuss ideas, brainstorm possibilities, and discuss progress on the development of a program, psychoeducational seminar or project (see intern summer project) that would benefit the Center and the clients it serves. The supervisor provides guidance and suggestions for this project and oversight of the intern’s work.

Intern Training Seminars

Interns participate in a weekly 2-hour training seminar. Intern Training Seminars feature mental health professionals from EKUCC and EKU Psychology Department/Clinic, as well as EKUCC campus partners as presenters. The Seminars are designed to span a broad range of Interns’ training needs during the internship year. Seminars expose interns to in-depth and intensive training in the following core areas: (a) Psychotherapy and Crisis Intervention, (b) Clinical Assessment, (c) Multicultural and Diversity Issues in Psychotherapy, (e) Psychiatric consult, and (f) Professional Development. Example seminar topics include: Working with Psychological Trauma: Neuroscience, Assessment, and Therapeutic Interventions, College Mental Health and Psychopharmacology, Crisis Intervention Skills and Strategies, Addressing Mental Health Issues in the Black Community, and Psychotherapeutic & Psychoeducational Intervention Strategies for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum. At the end of the training year, Interns translate their academic and scientific knowledge into a didactic presentation for the Counseling Center staff on a clinical topic of their choice, which could be either their dissertation research or a “Developing Expertise Presentation” . All available Counseling Center staff attend these seminars and provide written feedback to the intern at the conclusion.

Case Conference

Interns participate in a 1-hour weekly interdisciplinary case conference/review meeting with the full-time EKUCC Senior staff and Student Health Services (SHS) Medical providers. The general purpose of this meeting is to present, discuss, and consult about clinical/shared cases in order to coordinate care. This meeting is an integral part of the training process for Interns, fostering the development of skills of giving and receiving constructive feedback, and deepening their understanding of an integrated approach to well-being and mental health treatmentin a professional, interdisciplinary, and collegial setting. Interns are expected to actively participate through presentation of cases and offering feedback.

Administrative Activities

Staff Meeting

Interns participate in a weekly, two-hour staff meeting attended by all EKUCC service providers. Time is devoted to the administrative business of the Counseling Center. In keeping with the collaborative philosophy of EKUCC and its developmental-mentoring model of training, interns participate in staff meetings as junior members of the training staff. These meetings offer interns opportunities to observe and participate in the management of the Center through activities such as the development of Center policies and procedures, and the planning and organization of various EKUCC services, including community intervention, groups, triage, interdepartmental collaborations, etc.

Planning and Consultation

Trainees are given 30 min at the end of each day to consult with staff or each other and plan and prepare for clinical and other activities for the week as needed. This time can also be used to respond to emails, prepare handouts, etc., as well as complete clinical documentation.

Indirect Clinical Hours/ Case Management

Interns are expected to conduct case management activities relevant to the clients with whom they are working. This includes completion of notes (e.g., intake/initial assessments, case notes, termination notes, assessment reports, necessary correspondence, and letter-writing), making necessary referrals, and contacts with faculty, administrators, treatment professionals, and parents as appropriate. It also includes other non-direct clinical tasks such as researching a specific client concern, preparation for the session, and administrative tasks such as taking care of record transfers. They work with their supervisors to conduct case management in an ethical and legal manner, and to contact relevant parties when legally required.

Research, Professional, and Scholarly Work

Interns are given 1 hour a week on average to engage in professional development activities such as attending trainings, preparing, revising, or reviewing manuscripts for publication, working on dissertation research, or engaging in original research/data collection. Time can also be spent engaged in the consumption of current research and literature in preparation for their clinical work, in specialization activities, or preparing for their end-of-year didactic presentation to the EKUCC staff on their dissertation research, area of developing expertise, or a clinical topic of their choice.

Indirect Supervision: Clinical/Tape Review

Interns are allotted 3 hours per week to prepare for supervision, both their own supervision and their supervision of a trainee. This includes preparing to discuss challenging client presentations, exploring referrals for clients, and reviewing their own recorded therapy sessions so they may arrive to supervision prepared with to discuss their client caseload, show portions of digital recordings, and ask questions. Regarding their supervision of a practicum students, interns are expected to spend time reviewing and providing feedback on psychotherapy notes and clinical documentation, reviewing their supervisee’s recorded therapy sessions, completing trainee evaluations, and other supervision-related duties.

Internship Admissions Support and Initial Placement Data

Intern Selection and Academic Preparation Requirements Policy

Application Process

Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center (EKUCC) currently offers 2 full-time internship positions. Students interested in applying for the internship program should submit an online application through the APPIC website using the APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (AAPI).

A complete application consists of the following materials:

1. A completed online AAPI
2. Cover letter (as part of AAPI)
3. A current Curriculum Vitae (as part of AAPI)
4. Three Standard Reference Forms, two of which must be from persons who have directly supervised your clinical work (as part of AAPI). Please submit no more than three SRFs.
5. Official transcripts of all graduate coursework

All application materials must be received by the date noted in the current APPIC directory listing in order to be considered.

Application Screening and Interview Processes

EKUCC will base its selection process on the entire application package noted above; however, applicants who have met the following qualifications prior to beginning internship will be considered preferred:

1. A minimum of 500 intervention hours;
2. A minimum of 50 assessment hours;
3. Dissertation proposal defended;
4. Some experience or special interest in working with diverse populations;
5. Practicum experience in psychological assessment of adults
6. Current enrollment and good standing in an APA- or CPA-accredited doctoral program.

Applicants will be notified whether they have received an interview by email on or before December 22 for the 2024-2025 Internship year. Interviews are scheduled in January on a first-come, first-served basis. Tentative interview dates for the coming selection cycle are 1/11/2024, 1/12/2024, 1/18/2024, 1/19/2024. Candidates have the option to attend either an in-person or virtual interview, which are equally considered in the ranking process. Interviews are conducted using a standard set of interview questions, although members of the Training Committee may ask additional interview questions of applicants as appropriate.

Participation in the APPIC Match

As a member of APPIC, EKUCC participates in the national internship matching process by submitting applicant rankings to the National Matching Service. EKUCC abides by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.

All interns who match to EKUCC must provide proof of citizenship or legal residency and must successfully pass a background check before beginning employment. The history of a felony or misdemeanor may result in a fail in this review process and prevent the intern from working at EKUCC. Additionally, all interns must pass a drug screen prior to being employed by EKUCC. Instructions for providing this information or completing the background check will be sent out to all who match after the match process is complete.

Questions regarding any part of the selection process or EKUCC’s academic preparation requirements may be directed to the EKUCC Training Director, Andri Yennari, Ph.D., via email at Andri.Yennari@eku.edu.

Primary Supervisors (Visit Our Staff Page)

Andri Yennari, Ph.D.
Training Director, EKU Counseling Center
Licensed Psychologist-Health Service Provider

Kevin Stanley, Ph.D.
Director, EKU Counseling Center
Licensed Psychologist-Health Service Provider

Paul Morgan, Psy.D.
Associate Director of Clinical Services, EKU Counseling Center
Licensed Psychologist-Health Service Provider

Camala Steele, Psy.D.
Staff Psychologist, EKU Counseling Center

Secondary Supervisors/Assessment Supervisors for EKUCC Doctoral Psychology Internship

Dustin B. Wygant, Ph.D.
Executive Director of Integrated Behavioral Health; Doctor of Psychology Program Director (Psy.D.); Professor of Psychology
Licensed Psychologist

Myra Beth Bundy, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Doctor of Psychology Program, EKU Developmental Disabilities Specialty Clinic Coordinator
Licensed Psychologist

Michael McClellan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology; Doctor of Psychology Director of Clinical Training
Licensed Psychologist

Melinda Moore, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Doctor of Psychology Program
Licensed Psychologist

Additional Training Staff and Contributors

Theresa Botts, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Doctor of Psychology Program Director of Admission
EKU Psychology Clinic

Melissa Cozart, M.S.
Mental Health Therapist, Feel Better Fast Workshop Coordinator, EKU Counseling Center,
Licensed Psychological Practitioner

Rachel Cvengros, M.A.
Mental Health Therapist, Coordinator of Community Intervention, EKU Counseling Center
Licensed Psychological Associate

Cristin Keeling, M.A.
Mental Health Therapist, EKU Counseling Center
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

Michalle Rice, M.S.
Mental Health Therapist, Groups Coordinator, EKU Counseling Center
Licensed Psychological Practitioner