Internship Activities
Direct Service Experience
Consultation & Needs Assessment
When a student contacts the CC to seek help for the first time, they are scheduled to meet a clinical staff for a consultation lasting 15 to 30 minutes. The clinical staff will briefly assess the student's psychosocial and mental health-related needs, offer suggestions and recommendations for the student to consider, and support the student in deciding what to do next or where to go next (e.g., try suggested homework assignment/practice, schedule an intake with a clinical staff, schedule a meeting with a non-clinical intern for further assistance in utilizing other campus/community resources, and participate in a psychoeducational/support group). Clinical interns will be trained to provide such consultation and assess for any risks for harming self or others, and in case of a mental health crisis, intervene with assitance of the senior staff. Non-clinical interns will be trained to further assist the student in meeting their psychosocial needs by providing emotional support and connecting the student with appropriate campus/community resources.
Intake Interview & Clinical Assessment
A student who has completed a consultation may schedule another appointment with a clinical staff for an intake session lasting 45 to 60 minutes. The clinical staff will conduct a semi-strucutred interview to further assess the student's mental health condition, clarify the student's psychosocial and mental health issues/concerns, offer treatment recommendations and options (e.g., individual counseling/psychotherapy, psychoeducational group program, referrals to psychological testing and evaluation or medication evaluation for pharmacotherapy), and assist the student in making their own choice/decision. Clinicial Interns will learn how to conduct the intake interview/initial clinical assessment at the CC, provide diagnostic impressions, conceptualize cases, formulate treatment plans, and write integrative reports.
Individual Counseling/Psychotherapy
Most clients are served within less than 5 sessions, although the CC does not have a session limit. All enrolled students are eligible for our services, and our student body is diverse. Therefore, interns are likely to work with clients who come from socio-cultural minority backgrounds, including students of color, gender and sexual minority students, neurodivergent students, religious minority students, international students who speak English as their second or third language, non-traditional students, and students with disabilities. Interns will be trained to provide culturally responsive care to their clients.
Crisis Intervention
Students in a mental health crisis can walk in to the CC to seek immediate help during the business hours. Students whom the clinical staff meet in consultation or intake can be struggling with a mental health crisis. Our established clients can fall into a mental health crisis. Interns are not expected to intervene students/clients in a mental health crisis indepently. However, interns will learn about WKU's emergency policy and procedure, be trained to respond to students/clients in acute distress appropriately, assess risk levels, and work with their clinical supervisor (or any other senior clinical staff) to coordinate clinically necessary care for them.
Outreach
The CC staff are requested to serve as guest speakers/presentors for academic classrooms, other campus offices, and student organizations. Topics range from anxiety, depression, trauma, stress management, psychological applications of mindfulness, and responsible bystander behavior for interpersonal violence prevention. The CC staff also offer psychoeducational groups as part of the CC's outreach programming (e.g., Introduction to MBSR, Psychological Skills for Helping Self, Relationships, and Communication). Interns will be encouraged to take part in the CC's outreach programming.
Supervision & Training Seminars
Individual Supervision
Weekly individual supervision will be provided to each intern by a licensed mental health professional of their discipiline.
Training Seminars
90-minute training seminars are typically scheduled biweekly and offered by the CC staff and guest speakers/presentors from academic departments and other campus offices. Topics range from suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention; multicultural competency and humility; professional identity development; helping clients who struggles with various mental health and psychological issues among college students, such as ADHD, substance use, grief, and trauma. Topics will be decided upon by the Training Coordinator, considering the emerging needs of interns and the staff availability. Interns will also have an opportunity to give a case presentation to the CC staff to receive feedback in the end of the spring semester.
Internship:
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