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Student Health and Well-Being

Professional Training Programs

We offer hands-on professional training for graduate and post-graduate students going into counseling, social work, psychiatry, and health services psychology. Call 803-777-5223.

Welcome

Welcome to the University of South Carolina’s Student Health and Well-Being’s, Counseling and Psychiatry Services (CAPS), Training Program. We are grateful for your interest and consideration for choosing us as a potential training site for your clinical and professional growth.  We provide several training opportunities from pre-professional training practicum to postdoctoral training. As an integral mission to serve our students, we pride ourselves on creating an environment conducive to training compassionate, conscientious, competent, and culturally sensitive clinicians. Our Developmental-apprentice-practitioner (DAP) model focuses on experiential learning through supervised scaffolding appropriate to trainees' competence and builds on their expected level of growth as trainees develop through the training year. Our entire professional and support staff are involved in the supervision of our trainees and seek to mature our trainees into early career professionals' post-completion of training at CAPS 

Our training program values and is committed to the cultural competency and development of humility for all groups. We believe that it is vital for all clinicians, counselors, and mental health professionals to be equipped with this training and integral to trainee's development as practitioners of health services. This training is incorporated into all areas of supervision, training seminars, evaluations, and professional activities. 

We strive to maintain the highest standard of our discipline’s ethics and of our national and accrediting organizations. Our trainee's willingness to explore biases and be challenged in personal and professional growth while serving students from all walks of life is foundational to trainee success and completion of training with CAPS.  Thank you for considering our training programs. Please click on the links below to learn more about each training opportunity as you consider your training year. 

Dr. Sterling P. Watson, Psy.D. 

Director of Training  

 

APA-Accredited Doctoral Internship in Health Services Psychology

Our Counseling & Psychiatry Department is proud to offer a doctoral internship in health services psychology.  

The internship has been in existence since 1985 and received initial accreditation from the American Psychological Association in 1989. We are pleased to announce that the APA’s Commission on Accreditation has granted continued accreditation to the University of South Carolina, Counseling and Psychiatry’s Doctoral Internship in Health Services Psychology through 2029.

For information regarding our APA accreditation, please contact the APA Committee on Accreditation with the following information:

Phone: 202-336-5979 or 202-336-6123 TDD
Web site: http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
USPS: 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242

NOTE: This internship site agrees to 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. 

The University of South Carolina, Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychiatry is a participant in the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers’ (APPIC) Match for Psychology Internships through the National Matching Services. Our program agrees to 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. As such, we utilize the APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (AAPI).

APPIC Match Program: Match Code: 1553

Candidates must meet the following criteria to be considered:

  • Current enrollment in an APA-accredited (or CPA-accredited) doctoral program in counseling or clinical psychology.
  • Successful completion of doctoral comprehensive exams.
  • Completion of a minimum of 450 intervention experience* hours from practica by November 1 and a minimum of 1,200 total practicum hours. 
  • Approval by the academic training program verifying readiness for internship.
  • Completion of all required coursework and practica prior to the starting date of the internship.

Favorable consideration will be given to applicants who will have completed or made substantial progress toward completion of their dissertation by the start of the internship year.

Applicants should be prepared to work with clients presenting with a wide range of emotional, behavioral and well-being challenges and clinical diagnoses (ex: mood and anxiety disorders, interpersonal or personality disorder traits, trauma or abuse recovery, eating disorder and body image disturbance, alcohol and other drug use concerns, identity issues including sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural identity, etc.). Applicants must be comfortable working with a diverse clientele. College counseling experiences is preferred but not required.

*What Is Intervention Experience?

Refer to the AAPI for what is included under "Intervention Experience." These hours may also include practicum training accrued during a terminal master’s program. On the other hand, although we value applicants' non-practicum clinical work in mental health services (e.g., jobs, volunteer work) as a helpful indicator of applicants' overall background and experience in the field, hours of non-practicum services should not be counted towards this criterion.

Step One:
Complete the APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI) online.

Deadline:
Online applications must be completed by Nov. 15, 2024.

Applications must include: 

  • Letter of intent/application 
  • Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's clinical performance  
  • Graduate school transcripts 
  • Current curriculum vitae 

Step Two: 

Intern applicants to be interviewed will be notified about selection as finalists on Dec. 13, 2024 by phone with instructions for interview date and time options. This year’s interviews will be held January 7th, 6th, and 8th, 2025.  Candidates will select the date that fits best with their schedule on those dates.  

Step Three: 

The third step is Zoom interview. Candidates are interviewed by 2 different groups of 2-3 staff members and current interns in 2 back-to-back 45-minute interview segments for 90 minutes total. Each interview team has a different list of questions for the candidates, and little time is afforded for questions from the candidate. Candidates will also have a 15-minute question and answer session with our current intern’s post interview. Interviews are only offered via Zoom.  

Step One

The first step is a review of application material. Following this review, our selection committee identifies a list of 24 applicants who are judged as having experiences and goals that are a "good fit" with the training expectations and opportunities at our site.

Step Two

Intern applicants to be interviewed will be notified about selection as finalists by phone with instructions for interview date and time options. Candidates will select the date that fits best with their schedule on those dates.

Step Three

The third step is a virtual interview. Candidates are interviewed by 2 different groups of 2-3 staff members and current interns in 2 back-to-back 45-minute interview segments for 90 minutes total. Each interview team has a different list of questions for the candidates, and a little time is afforded for questions from the candidate. Candidates will also have a 15-minute question and answer session with our current intern’s post interview. Interviews are only offered via virtually.

Onsite visits are encouraged, however onsite visits do not in any way affect final ranking or selection decisions. Intern applicants are encouraged to visit us post interview. If interested in visiting please contact the Training Director by phone or e-mail to coordinate an hour block where intern can tour the center and meet available staff. 

After the Match Results

Upon a successful match, entry into the CAPS Psychology Internship Program is contingent upon completion and acceptance of the University of South Carolina employment application. Matched Internship candidates will be accepted into the CAPS Psychology Internship Program pending favorable application and background investigation results. For more information or questions about this policy, please contact the University of South Carolina, Student Health Services Office of Human Resources.

Internship is a time to continue developing professional skills and transition from graduate student to early career psychologist. The internship program offers training in a variety of areas related to the profession of psychology. We attempt to provide an atmosphere that is conducive to learning by providing interns with an appropriate blend of support and challenge. We see interns as emerging professionals and treat them, accordingly, giving a great deal of autonomy and responsibility – consistent with the role of an apprentice. Our expectation is that Interns arrive ready to meet the challenges of the clients while working flexibly and adaptively to meet the level of competency consistent with their evolving developmental level. As interns meet expected levels of growth through the program, they are expected to function and practice more autonomously and will be charged with the responsibility to function with increased independence.   

The philosophy of Counseling and Psychiatry’s psychology internship program is a Developmental-Apprentice-Practitioner (DAP) Model. Counseling and Psychiatry’s internship program aims to build upon the theoretical, empirical, and clinical foundations that interns receive from their respective academic psychology programs. 

Specifically, the doctoral internship program at the University of South Carolina Student Health and Well Being (SHWB) -Counseling and Psychiatry’s Aims are: 

  • Provide a training/practice environment that prides itself on the utilization of collaborative care, and integrated service-delivery program to the students at the University of South Carolina.
  • Provide core training that attends to the development and utilization of evidence-based practice through research;
    • encouraging ethical practice, 
    • grow in individual and cultural humility and competency, 
    • practice professional attitudes, refine communication and interpersonal skills, 
    • improve diagnostic assessment and intervention skills, 
    • learn supervision theory and consultation 
    • and develop skills to work within an interdisciplinary team. 

Throughout the different facets of our training program, we assess the level of skills — strengths and growth edges — and make commensurate goals for each trainee. We require all interns to participate in ongoing didactic, skills-based, and process-oriented seminars. In addition, they must complete tasks that demonstrate their diagnostic assessment, intervention, and other professional skills. Specific aims for professional development are addressed in individual supervision, group supervision, and professional peer relationships.  

Interns will engage in mentoring experiences with second-year Counselor Education (Ed.S.) practicum/internship trainees who are part of the supervision of supervision seminar. The chance to work with therapists at an earlier developmental stage provides perspective and clarity of professional abilities and further facilitates participation in our training program's different facets. 

Apprentice  roles and relationships become the vehicle to develop skills in a supportive environment. Interns may be involved in co-therapy, co-leadership, and consultative relationships throughout the internship. In addition, individual supervision focuses on the management of the intern’s caseload so that each client receives supervisory attention. These mechanisms help to calibrate your professional autonomy based on your skill attainment along with the complexity of the case.  

Clinical  practice through direct face-to-face client contact  is the medium for our apprentices to learn about the complexity of providing services. We work with students from different ethnic groups, countries, sexual orientations, cultures, races, geographical regions, physical attributes, socio-economic groups, religions, and many other distinctions. Doctoral Interns will be challenged to respect and learn from their clients and to adapt their models and therapeutic techniques accordingly. Your clients will be your best teachers, and the guidance you receive from staff will help you develop your best practice. 

While there is a basic core program of training, interns are encouraged to tailor their training experience to meet their specific needs. If we can provide training in your area of interest or help you to cultivate that interest, your individual supervisor will assist you in generating your requests. Interns have some opportunity to customize their training in terms of the types of clients that they work with, the types of community outreach and engagement services and consultation projects they undertake, and the types of therapeutic groups they run. For example, it is a possibility to work specifically with our mood-and-food group, stronger together group, our social anxiety group, and other offerings that we may launch during the semester. Dcotoral trainees will also be able to respond when crisis events occur on campus and/or in the center. 

Evaluation and feedback are important parts of the training experience. Clinical supervisors, group supervisors and training staff members evaluate and provide informal feedback across the year and formally at the end of the fall, spring and summer semesters. This feedback focuses on the development and progress of each trainee, with the focus always being on helping each trainee to identify areas of strength and areas for growth. Interns, in turn, evaluate their clinical supervisors, training director, and the training program. 

Interns are expected to fulfill the multiple roles of a university health service psychologist, which includes counseling services (individual, couples and group therapy), diagnostic assessment, crisis intervention, referral, consultation, outreach workshops, providing mentorship up to Master's level trainees. If applicable, participation in training seminars and professional development activities and participation in administrative functions. Roles and Responsibilities are delineated in the Training Manual and Internship contract. Interns are also encouraged to present at regional and national conferences, to complete work on their dissertation research and to pursue projects (e.g., writing for publication) for their professional development as psychologists.

Individual Counseling

Interns typically see 18 – 24 individual clients per week. Counseling and Psychiatry operates within a brief psychotherapy model that focuses on brief therapy. Interns can gain experience in crisis and walk-in treatments, which involves solution focused and client centered treatment modalities to address the current needs of clients. Interns are expected to incorporate a variety of theoretical orientations, such as humanistic, feminist, family systems, interpersonal, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioral that are evidenced based practice. Interns are expected to conduct thorough initial evaluations, develop treatment plans with short- and long-term goals that address the presenting problem, monitor client progress and outcomes, and demonstrate clear concise well-documented notes. Interns will develop solid case conceptualizations that will serve as the vehicle for their practice and modification of services as needed.   All interns will see a range of cases that include work with individuals who require short term (1-6 sessions) problem-oriented interventions and brief psychotherapy. Longer term clients (7-10 sessions) involving more complex therapeutic interventions are also a part of the training experience though limited to our scope of care.  Interns are encouraged to identify and service three to five individuals on their caseloads whose clinical needs require longer-term care (more than 10 sessions). These longer-term cases must be approved by the individual supervisor and review by the utilization review team. 

Interns meet weekly with an individual supervisor and group supervisors to review caseloads. Both individual and group supervision provide ongoing monitoring of case conceptualization, treatment planning, and interventions utilized. Individual supervisors, however, are the primary individual counseling caseload supervisors for assigned interns and will co-sign interns' notes. 

The Training Director functions as a manager of your time, allocation of services, monitors development and ensuring that training needs are being met. The Training Director also serves as supervisor of record for Doctoral interns and maintains interns' files, communication with the Intern's parent university and other agencies, meets with Trainees once a month for group check in and individually in the beginning middle and end of the semester to assess training needs and growth. 


Couples Counseling

All trainees are encouraged to co-facilitate couples counseling with senior staff when the opportunity is available. Couples may be obtained through consultation with the couples counseling coordinator. All trainees are invited to work with couples utilizing a co-therapist with senior staff for training purposes. More focused couples counseling training will occur during the training seminar. The clinicians who facilitate the couple's training are also available for consultation on specific cases throughout the year. The couples counseling policy will be available to you through Microsoft Teams.  


Group Counseling

All interns will co-lead agroup therapy with senior staff. If an intern has further interest in providing group therapy, they may arrange more group experience during the spring and summer semesters. There are opportunities to co-facilitate a variety of group offerings that may include interpersonal process, structured skills-based groups and support groups.

Interns will co-lead a group with a professional staff member during the first semester. As they gain confidence and competency with group counseling as a treatment modality, they may also co-lead with another intern or practicum student in the summer semester. Supervision of group therapy occurs within the context of weekly supervision post group with senior staff co-facilitator, for a half-hour debriefing and co-facilitator group planning. Interns will be assigned to groups for the fall semester; a list of available groups for the spring semester will be made available for interns to request involvement in/or create offerings. 


Clinical Assessment

The first method of clinical assessment utilized by Counseling and Psychiatry is the initial consultation. Clients are assessed for clinical severity, appropriateness for services, recommended mode of treatment (individual, couples, group counseling, etc.), and referral options.  

If the client is being referred for continued services, the clinician will determine the severity of the presenting issue and make the appropriate recommendations for care. If their needs can be serviced through other campus partners such as Student Health and Wellness, Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Prevention, the Career Center, etc. a referral will be made. Trainees receive training on how to complete initial consultations and new client appointment assessments. All Interns will perform an initial evaluation using initial information to gather more pertinent information, conceptualize the case, develop a clear diagnosis, and generate treatment plans to address the presenting problem. 


Crisis Intervention

Crisis intervention strategies and techniques are discussed by individual supervisors, in group supervision, and in the intern seminars. Senior staff clinicians are always available for crisis consultation. Crisis intervention service provision may emerge from walk-ins, initial consultation, on-going psychotherapy, or on an as-needed basis. Interns are asked to make their individual supervisor or other available supervisor aware of a developing or in-process crisis before the client leaves CAP. 

Interns are expected to develop de-escalation and referral skills as an appropriate extension of assessment and counseling techniques. During orientation, interns become familiar with the supportive resources available on the campus and in the community. A directory of such services is made available, and the procedure for referral is discussed. All intern referrals are monitored by the individual supervisor. 

All staff and trainees are provided with wireless panic buttons that signal USC Law Enforcement and Safety that an emergency situation is in process and law enforcement presence is needed. 


Community Outreach and Engagement Services

Counseling & Psychiatry supports Community Outreach and engagement through collaboration with Healthy Campus Initiatives (HCI) and Mental Health Initiatives (MHI) within services for Student Health & Well-Being currently. These services occur outside of the traditional counseling center setting and in the USC Community where mental health issues often first arise. Outreach programming focuses on preventative efforts that include problem-solving, support, psychoeducation, advocacy, and resource enlistment and utilization towards the goal of improving the mental health and well-being of USC Students. Counseling & Psychiatry services broadly consist of Prevention Services, Community Support Meetings in response to traumatic campus events, and Web-based services.  

While there are some prescribed community outreach and engagement services that interns will be involved with, communication with supervisors and the Training director to request engagement with other community-based programs can enhance intern's outreach and campus engagement experience.  

 

Interns are responsible for coordinating  Mental Health Initiatives  with permission of their supervisor to work on traditional outreach programming and innovative work done by this Student Health department. Each intern is required to present a minimum of three Community Outreach and Engagement programs throughout the year though they are welcome to engage in other opportunities. 


Supervision of Experience

The purpose of supervision is to provide education and training around the provision of supervision. Weekly supervision seminars include didactic education, experiential activities, and mentorship. Supervision of supervision seminar is intended to scaffold learning experiences throughout the year towards enhancing an intern’s confidence and competence with the provision of supervision and identification of a supervisory model. The fall semester takes a seminar approach primarily through didactic means with some experiential activities, to include observation of supervision and participation in a reflection team. Training in the spring semester focuses on mentorship with the Counselor Education (Ed.S.) practicum/internship trainees with creative approaches for observation, live supervisory oversite, debriefing, and direct feedback. 

Intern Seminars

Training seminars are an integral part of the training program, and consistent attendance and active preparation for and participation in them is required. The format is both didactic and discussion/process oriented. A wide variety of topics are covered that pertain to major areas of knowledge needed to be a competent clinician. Fall seminars are foundational, while Spring seminars focus on more specialty topics. The Intern Seminar is typically scheduled for 1 hour each week. Cultural humility and Appreciation are infused in all presentations; however, the weekly Cultural humility Appreciation Seminar will also take place with specific focus on issues related to providing Service to students who may be different from the clinician. Interns will evaluate each seminar series anonymously by using the seminar evaluation form sent to them by the Training director through Qualtrics. This helps provide the training program with important evaluation and feedback to improve the quality and application of intern seminar topics. 


Professional Development and Continuing Education

Interns may attend Counseling and Psychiatry staff development programs, workshops, webinars and conferences offered by other university departments and community groups. Interns participate fully in continuing education workshops conducted regularly through Counseling and Psychiatry. Consideration may be given to local, regional, or professional conferences. Interns may also participate in relevant University Human resources training upon approval of the Training Director.

ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES

Staff Meetings

Staff  meetings are held once a month and are intended to provide staff with a forum to disseminate information, discuss new initiatives, problem solve, and discuss other pertinent information. Interns and trainees are a vital part of the CAP team and are encouraged to be active participants in meeting discussions.

Meeting with the Training Director

The training director meets with the interns once a month throughout the year as a cohort. In addition to focusing on clinical and training issues, this is a time to clarify questions, address problems and discuss ongoing concerns. It provides an important opportunity to keep lines of communication open between interns and the training director. An individual progress meeting will be conducted at the middle and end of each semester to ensure progress toward Goals identified at the beginning of the internship are working towards. Additional meetings with the training director and/or the director may be scheduled at any time at the request of any intern.  

Weekly Intern Meeting

Interns are encouraged to meet as a group at least once a week for lunch or during a meeting time to discuss any issues relevant to their experience as an intern, to get support from one another and to have an opportunity to bond as a group.  

The general requirements listed below are both manifestations and outcomes of the nine (9) Competency Areas defined within the CAPS Internship and do not include many of the various supervisory, administrative and agency-related requirements that interns are also expected to complete (e.g., completion of all documentation in a timely manner, attendance at and participation in supervision and training seminars, etc.). This list is subject to change during the Internship year, depending upon agency demands and the individual progress of each intern. 

  • 2000 hours of overall service, full-time, 40-42 hours (5 days a week) per week 
  • Satisfactory performance in the internship activities listed below, as indicated by the consistent formal and informal evaluation of interns completed throughout the year 
  • A minimum of 500 hours of Direct Clinical Service, including individual, couples, and group counseling, initial assessment, assessment, on-call contacts, outreach, consultation, and provision of supervision 
  • Completion of at least seven (3) Outreach Activities. Outreach activities include tabling events, screening days, presentations and debriefings. 
  • Creation and implementation of an Advocacy Research Project, Interns are encouraged to deliver the original program Spring/Summer semester. 
  • Participation in the Internship Match process to select the following year’s Psychology Interns.
  • Active participation in consultation.

 

Philosophy of Supervision 

The philosophy of supervision at the CAP has as its focus the growth and development of each trainee. Over the course of the internship year, each trainee will work with at least three different individual supervisors (one in the fall, the other in the spring and summer). Other opportunities for supervision occur in group supervision, supervision of supervision, supervision of groups, seminars, co-therapy, weekly peer consultation, and case consultation. Interns receive a minimum of four hours of supervision per week, at least two of which are individual and two that are group supervision. Evaluation focuses upon the strengths and areas for improvement within the context of minimal competencies and behavioral anchors as outlined in the Standards of Accreditation (SOA) and our specific aims — which are outlined in the Pre-Internship Self-Evaluation and the Doctoral Intern Evaluation Form. 


Individual Supervision 

Individual supervision focuses upon developing interns' clinical skills, professional identity, and self as a  therapist. In addition, interns are asked to perform many of the roles of a university counseling center psychologist and are given feedback on their performance throughout the training year. Interns receive a minimum of two hours per week of individual supervision by a licensed psychologist. The supervision focuses most intensely on clinical work with individuals, couples and groups. Interns digitally record counseling sessions via webcam and are expected to show these recordings in supervision as cases are discussed. Observation of clinical work is essential to high quality supervision. All interns are expected to show video in both individual and group supervision. Live observation through review of digital recordings and supervision of intern clinical work is required and occurs throughout the internship year. Co-therapy and other supervision methods are also used. Caseloads are listed in our electronic medical record (EMR) and must be maintained by the intern and presented to the individual supervisor at the beginning of each individual supervision session. Supervisors keep track of cases on an ongoing basis by way of the EMR. All notes are reviewed and co-signed by the individual supervisor (instructions for sending notes for co-signature will be discussed during Intern orientation).

In addition to clinical work, supervision encompasses a broad range of training activities: work in consultation and community outreach and engagement services, supervision of trainees, ethics, professional development, and cultural humility. Interns will change senior staff supervisors at the start of the spring and summer semester, thereby giving them the opportunity to experience three different primary supervisors over the course of the year.

A Supervision Informed Consent Form is provided to the client and intern informing the client that the intern is supervised and the name(s) of the intern’s supervisor(s). This form must be filled out at the beginning of each new client appointment and when supervisor changes occur.  


Group Supervision 

In this meeting, interns meet as a group with the training director or designee and discuss cases, make case presentations, and review digital recordings of clinical work. It is also an environment to explore and develop an awareness of self as it informs interns’ work professionally. Great effort is made to make this a trusting environment so that interns can explore new and creative avenues in their clinical work. Group supervision is also developed to meet the needs of each intern cohort while maintaining the integrity of the purpose of supervision. Group supervision is scheduled each week for a minimum two hours.


Other Supervision Experiences

Interns will also receive one hour of group supervision with group co-facilitators per week, and one hour of supervision of supervision weekly. Interns will meet with the Training Director individually at the beginning, middle and end of each semester for a one-hour progress meeting. The Training director will meet with the cohort for an hour once a month.

 

Sterling P. Watson, Psy.D.  
Director of Training
Training Supervisor

Jennifer L. Cross, Ed.S, LPC 
Coordinator of Counselor Training 
Training Supervisor

Kelsey Jeffery, LISW-CP, ADC

Coordinator of Social Work Training
Training Supervisor

Sarah E. Wright, Psy.D., C.S.T   
Training Supervisor

Nicole Matros, PsyD
Director of Clinical Services
Training Supervisor

Brienne Allen Schaeffer, Ph.D.
Training Supervisor

Susan Collins, Psy.D.
Training Supervisor

Anna E. Feliciano, Psy.D.
Training Supervisor

Christina K. Jones, LPC, LPC/S, MAC
Other Agency/Institution Supervisors

Pamela Lloyd-Curtis, Mmus, MAEd., Ed.S., LPC-As, NCC
Other Agency/Institution Supervisors

Casey Fox, MA LPC, LMFT, CRC

Other Agency/Institution Supervisors

McQuinn, Malinda, LPC, LAC

Other Agency/Institution Supervisors

Financial and Other Benefit Support for Upcoming Training Year*.

Annual Stipend/Salary for 
Full-time Interns 

32, 610 

Annual Stipend/Salary for 
Half-time Interns 

N/A 

Program provides access to medical insurance for interns? 

Yes 

No  

If access to medical insurance is provided: 

Trainee contribution to cost required? 

Yes 

No 

Coverage of family member(s) available? 

Yes 

No 

Coverage of legally married partner available? 

Yes 

No  

Coverage of domestic partner available? 

Yes 

No  

Hours of Annual Paid Personal Time Off (PTO and/or Vacation) 

15 hours accrued per year 

Hours of Annual Paid Sick Leave 

15 hours accrued per year 

In the event of medical conditions and/or family needs that require extended leave, does the program allow reasonable unpaid leave to interns/residents in excess of personal time off and sick leave? 

Yes 

 No 

For details on the university’s benefit plans  follow this link  for information. 

*Note. Programs are not required by the Commission on Accreditation to provide all benefits listed in this table 

 

Initial Post-internship Positions
Aggregate Tally for the Preceding 3 Cohorts 2021-2024

 

2021-2024 

Total # of interns who were in the 3 cohorts 

9 

Total # of interns who did not seek employment because they returned to their doctoral program/are completing doctoral degree 

0 

 

PD 

EP 

Community mental health center 

0 

0 

Federally qualified health center 

0 

0 

Independent primary care facility/clinic 

0 

0 

University counseling center 

2 

2 

Veterans Affairs medical center 

1 

0 

Military health center 

0 

0 

Academic health center 

0 

0 

Other medical center or hospital 

1 

0 

Psychiatric hospital 

0 

0 

Academic university/department 

0 

0 

Community college or other teaching setting 

0 

0 

Independent research institution 

0 

0 

Correctional facility 

0 

0 

School district/system 

0 

0 

Independent practice setting 

3 

0 

Not currently employed 

0 

0 

Changed to another field 

0 

0 

Other 

0 

0 

Unknown 

0 

0 

Note: “PD” = post-doctoral residency position; “EP” = Employed Position. Each individual represented in this table should be counted only one time.  For former trainees working in more than one setting, select the setting that represents their primary position. 

2024-2025 CURRENT INTERNS

Celeste Johnson 

Degree to be conferred: Psy.D 

Academic Program: University of Indiana, Indianapolis 

 

Jonathon Johnson 

Degree to be conferred: Psy.D 

Academic Program: University of Indiana, Indianapolis 

 

Madeliene Kloess 

Degree to be conferred: Psy.D 

Academic Program:  Mercer University  

 

2023-2024   

Kaley Gauvin, Psy.D   

Academic Program: William James College                                                        Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  Private Practice 

 

Jennifer Shirley, Psy. D 

Psychology (CSPP) – San Diego                                                                                    Position Post internship: Employed Position 
Professional Setting:  University Counseling Center 

 

Gabrielle (Bella) Weininger, Psy.D 

Academic Program: Alliant International University – Los Angeles              Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  Private Practice 

 

2022-2023  

Glory Rae Finnegan, Psy.D.  
Academic Program: Alliant California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP)                                                                                                                                        Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  University Counseling Center 

 

Miriam Millan, Psy.D. 

Academic Program: Florida Institute of Technology                                          Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  Other medical center or hospital 

 

Tiyana Chaney-Taylor, Ph.D. 

Academic Program: Tennessee State University                                                  Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  University Counseling Center 

 

2021-2022  

James Graham, Psy.D. 

Academic Program: William James University                                                        Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  Veterans Administration  

 

Rachael Gustafson, Psy.D. 

Academic Program: William James University                                                      Position Post internship: Employed Position  
Professional Setting:  University Counseling Center 

 

K. Olivia Trone, Psy.D. 

Academic Program:  Midwestern University                                                          Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  Independent Practice 

 

2020-2021  

Nathan Capalbo, Psy.D 

Academic Program: William James University                                                    Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  Independent practice 

 

Chrisotpher Defossez, Psy.D. 

Academic Program: Antioch University New England                                    Position Post internship: Other 
Professional Setting:  Other 

 

Kristina Nunez, Psy.D 

Academic Program:  Adler University                                                                      Position Post internship: Post Doc 
Professional Setting:  Other medical center or hospital 

 

 

Other Professional Training Opportunities

Students in Social Work and Counselor Training programs complete training in Counseling and Psychiatry (CAP) Psychiatric residents also provide medication management to students during their 3rd year rotations and 4th year electives in CAP. Post Doctoal Fellowship in Health Services Psychology is offered.  

Mission
Our mission is to provide a training environment that facilitates trainees’ transition from graduate students to professional counselors. The Counseling and Psychiatry counselor trainee program builds upon the theoretical, empirical and clinical foundations that trainees receive from their academic program.

We provide an essential practice environment that offers high quality services to students of the University of South Carolina. Since our ethical mandate is for trainees to provide professional services to our clientèle, the training staff in Counseling and Psychiatry offers an essential training program that attends to conceptual, methodological, personal and creative skills necessary for the practice of counseling.

 

Eligibility: 

Priority is given to those students enrolled in the CACREP accredited Counselor Education program at USC. Candidates from other accredited programs within the University of South Carolina who have completed required prerequisites may also apply. 

 

Time Commitment:

The training program lasts a full academic year, 36 hours per week (which includes 20 hours as a paid clinical Graduate Assistant). 

Eligibility
Open to students enrolled in an accredited MSW program who are seeking an individual, family and group concentration. Priority is given to those enrolled in the University of South Carolina's social work program. Candidates from other programs who have completed the required prerequisites may also apply.


Time Commitment

The training program lasts a full academic year, 16 hours per week. Participants typically work a Monday/Tuesday schedule. 


Mission

Our mission is to provide a training environment that facilitates trainees’ transition from graduate students to professional social workers. The Counseling and Psychiatry MSW trainee program builds upon the theoretical, empirical and clinical foundations that trainees receive from their academic program.

We provide an essential practice environment that offers high-quality services to students of the University of South Carolina. Since our ethical mandate is for trainees to provide professional services to our clientèle, the training staff in Counseling and Psychiatry offer an essential training program that attends to conceptual, methodological, personal and creative skills necessary for the practice of counseling.

Applying and Details:
See the training manual [pdf] for detailed information about the program and application process.

Counseling and Psychiatry's Psychiatric fellowship is designed in partnership with the University of South Carolinas School of Medicine for Medical Physicians acquiring clinical training in an environment emphasizes patient-centered, science-driven, team-based psychiatric care. 

Post-Doctoral Fellowship Training Program Overview

The Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of South Carolina is a comprehensive training program designed to enhance the professional skills of emerging psychologists. This program offers direct clinical service experience, focusing on providing mental health support to historically marginalized, and underrepresented student populations. Fellows engage in wellness, health promotion, and outreach programming, working collaboratively with campus units to enhance the mental health and psychological well-being of the student community. Supervision and training are provided to ensure competent service delivery, making this fellowship an excellent opportunity for professional growth in a supportive, multidisciplinary environment.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • A doctoral degree from an APA or CPA accredited program in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, or counseling related field
  • License-eligible as a psychologist (or licensed as a psychologist)
  • Completion of an APA accredited doctoral internship in health service psychology

Application Deadline:

Application materials will be reviewed continuously and will end after all positions are filled. We will begin accepting applications on December 16th, 2024, and interviews will be offered pending review. We will follow the APPIC timeline and CHD, but the positions are open until filled. Candidates will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire.  A transcript will not be considered “official” if the designation of “Issued to Student” is visible.  Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/

For more information about our program please contact Dr. Sterling P. Watson at watsonsp@mailbox.sc.edu.

 


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