Advanced Practicum

Description

We typically have 3-5 trainees each year and seek doctoral students who have completed at least one prior counseling practicum during masters or doctoral level training. Priority is given to those with more extensive training. Experience is expected to include personal counseling; experience with career or academic counseling is valued. Trainees will see the full range of presenting issues-including personal, career, and academic concerns. In addition to counseling, trainees are expected to complete two outreach activities in collaboration with an intern or staff member.

Because the University has college-specific career centers where students get help with pursuing internships and jobs, the types of career issues we address are more generally conceptualized as "who am I and I and where am I going?" Academic counseling includes helping students address how personal concerns, such as perfectionism or anxiety, affect their academic pursuits. Training in UCCS's approach to career and academic counseling will be provided in the orientation. Orientation takes place in late August and attendance is required.

Learning Objectives in Advanced Practicum Training

Trainees and supervisors share two common goals in advanced practicum:  to build strong counseling skills and begin fostering a sense of professional identity.  Since trainees are at different levels of expertise and have varied background experiences, the particular goals for each trainee will vary.  Developing a personally effective counseling style will require each trainee to actively participate in planning and evaluating his/her own progress toward the common goals.  Trainees are expected to use supervision to discuss and refine their objectives and expectations, as well as to discuss general counseling issues or personal reactions to the training experience.  Supervisors believe that training is best accomplished through learning conditions that embrace individual involvement, a climate of respect, acceptance, and trust, direct communication, and valuing of diversity.   The following Learning Objectives serve as a developmental guide for setting individual goals or for clarifying expectations for advanced practicum performance.  The UCCS Learning Objectives are separated into four areas:

Hours

15 hours per week with 8 openings for counseling, 1.5 hours of individual supervision, 1.5 hours of group supervision, 4 hours for paperwork, case review, outreach, etc.

Eligibility

UCCS advanced practicum students must be currently enrolled in a doctoral program and have completed at least one prior practicum training experience. Placements are decided during spring semester and students then complete their practicum during the next fall and spring semesters.

Application Deadline: February 8, 2012

Application Process

Please collect all application materials and submit them at the same time, so that a complete application is turned in all at once.  Application materials may be e-mailed or sent via regular mail service.

Prospective applicants should submit the following:

  • Cover letter
  • Curriculum vita
  • Two letters of recommendation (at least one of the letters must be from a former or current direct clinical supervisor who can comment on the applicant's clinical skills)
  • Academic transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable)

Applications should be sent to:

Mark Groberski, Ph.D., LP
University Counseling and Consulting Services
340 Appleby Hall
128 Pleasant Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0213

Email address: grobe011@umn.edu