Psy. D. Clinical Psychology Practicum
Practicum
Each student is required to complete 6 terms (two years) of practicum. Training entails integration of theoretical knowledge through its application in clinical practice. The experience includes supervised practice in the application of professional psychological competencies with a range of client populations, age groups, and clinical problems.
Psy.D. clinical students complete their two years of required practicum while they are taking courses in the program. The practicum experience includes a minimum of 500 training hours per year, of which approximately one-third to one-half are in direct service, one-fourth in supervisory and training activities, and the remainder in administrative/clerical duties related to the above. The practicum experience typically involves approximately 16 hours per week of supervised experience in a clinical setting, and affords the student the opportunity to integrate theoretical knowledge, research, and clinical skills. Depending upon availability of site, students also may participate in additional, non-required clinical training experiences for credit.
Possible Sites
Many students gain some practicum experience at the program's own training clinic, and other community sites in the Portland area are also available, allowing for exposure to varied sites and populations.
More than 40 sites are used, and include these examples:
- Children's center, serving children and adolescents of varying ethnicity with severe emotional disturbances requiring psychiatric treatment in a day, residential, or intensive outpatient treatment setting.
- Several community mental health centers serving children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric populations, primarily Caucasian, although all minority groups are represented. Client problems include moderate to severe family and individual dysfunctions. Services provided include assessment and individual, family,and group therapy. Some agencies focus on specific populations, such as patients with life-threatening illnesses or sexual minority clients.
- State hospital with multicultural clients from every age group, and including forensic populations. Diagnoses include any of the major mental illnesses, and treatment includes intermediate and long-term inpatient treatment. Trainees may be involved in providing individual and group psychotherapy, behavioral treatment, assessment, and working with an interdisciplinary treatment team.
- Student counseling centers where clients range in age from late adolescence through 60's. Counseling centers are in both small town and urban settings and serve college students from diverse backgrounds, multicultural populations, and a wide variety of diagnoses (adjustment disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, alcohol/drug problems, career decision making, learning disabilities). Trainees may participate in individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, outreach consultation, vocational testing and counseling, psychological assessment, and learning disability assessment.
- University health and psychological service center in downtown Portland serving clients of all ages, primarily Caucasian and Asian American, generally of low socioeconomic status. Client problems include mood disorders, dysfunctional relationships, child abuse, personality disorders, interpersonal problems, physical and sexual abuse and eating disorders. Students participate in offering individual, group, and family therapy, as well as psychoeducational groups, consultation, and psychological assessment.
- State Department of Corrections at multiple sites, servicing inmates with problems ranging from adjustment issues to severe persistent mental disorders, to crises. Students may do assessment, consultation, and group and individual forensic interventions.
- Residential treatment center for boys serving about 50 residents and almost 20 day treatment clients, ages 10-18. The most common diagnosis is ADHD, with conduct disorder and oppositional, defiant disorder being the next two most common. In addition, a number of the clients are diagnosed with mood disorders and/or PTSD. Currently, 14 of the residents are classified as juvenile sex offenders. The programs generally employ a cognitive-behavioral treatment model (not a medical model). The primary treatment modality is group therapy, but individual, family, and psycho-educational interventions are also used.