Training Goals
- To provide advanced, in-depth training in the planning, delivery and evaluation of professional and comprehensive psychological services to urban university and general outpatient populations. Additional focus on client subgroups other than AOD (e.g., couples, personality styles/disorders, abuse/trauma, gender and/or minority issues) will be negotiated.
- To provide in-depth supervised experience in an Integrated, Interdepartmental Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) program between the CTC and Student Health Promotion. The post-doctoral fellow works with the AOD Coordinator to assist with assessment and treatment of students referred and/or mandated to the program.
- To provide the Fellow with those specific experiences that will prepare him or her to function in a university as a clinical faculty and staff or an academic clinician. The post-doctoral fellow who graduates from this program will have advanced general clinical training and a sub-specialty in AOD assessment and treatment. The fellow may be involved in the teaching/supervision of practicum trainees. The fellow works with faculty and staff mentors/supervision of practicum trainees. The fellow may also work with faculty and staff mentors/supervisors on a research project for publication and /or presentation during the year.
- To provide professional socialization experiences to help prepare the fellow to function primarily in a clinical setting. Individual clinical supervision, preparation for the national licensing examination, instructional and administrative mentoring, and other professional development experiences are designed to realize this goal.
The training goals and objectives for the fellow are based on the competencies expected of postdoctoral level graduates in order to reach entry-level, independent professional activity in a university counseling center. These competencies are represented by proficiencies in ethical conduct, multicultural sensitivity and expertise in the areas of clinical intervention at the individual and group level with personal and AOD issues, clinical supervision and psychoeducational programming. These competencies are consistent with the university’s mission and the training program’s philosophy of encouraging life-long learning as well as integrative and developmental approaches to training based on the values of mutuality, respect and appreciation for individual and cultural diversity, and use of self-as instrument of therapeutic change. The ultimate training goal is to facilitate the skill acquisition and professional maturity needed to function as a self-regulating, ethical, competent, and effective licensed psychologist.
Goal 1: To Advance Proficiency in Clinical Interventions and Use of Self with Diverse Clients
Objective 1: To advance the fellow’s proficiency in the effective use of a broad range of interventions.
Objective 2: To advance the fellow’s effective use of interventions with a broad range of client populations found in an urban setting, including clients who represent diversity in age, ethnicity, gender, race, and lifestyle.
Objective 3: To advance the fellow’s use of effective assessment and treatment of AOD issues in a university population.
Objective 4: To advance the fellow’s use of effective psychological crisis interventions.
Objective 5: To advance the fellow’s use of effective group therapy interventions
Goal 2: To Advance Proficiency in Assessment
Objective 1: To advance the fellow’s initial and ongoing skills in assessment and conceptualization through diagnostic interviewing
Objective 2: To advance the fellow’s skills in the use of psychological testing to aid in the clinical assessment and diagnostic process
Goal 3: To Advance Development as a Professional Psychologist
Objective 1: To advance the fellow’s ethical decision-making skills
Objective 2: To further develop the fellow’s professional identity, including increased appreciation and understanding of the fellow’s cultural identity and impact
Objective 3: To provide opportunities for the fellow to interact with other professionals and fellows on professional topics of interest (e.g., through introduction to the Georgia Psychological Association, staff development with invited guest speakers, case conferences)
Goal 4: To Advance Development of a multicultural perspective, appreciation of diversity, and skill acquisition across ethnic, racial, gender and class categories.
Objective 1: To provide opportunities for the fellow to work with clients of diverse cultural backgrounds
Objective 2: To provide opportunities for the fellow to further understand the socio-political psychological influences that impinge upon the lives of racial and ethnic individuals such as issues of integration, poverty, racism, stereotyping, and powerlessness
Objective 3: To provide opportunities for the fellow to become more comfortable with the differences that exist between him or herself and clients with regards to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and sexual orientation
Objective 4: To provide opportunities for the fellow to become aware of how his or her own cultural background, experiences, attitudes, values, and biases influence the clinical processes with clients
Objective 5: To help the fellow become more proficient at using cultural self as instrument to further the therapeutic process with diverse clients
Goal 5: To Advance development of the fellow’s skills in clinical supervision
Objective 1: To help the fellow refine applications of ethical standards to work with supervisees
Objective 2: To provide opportunities for the fellow to provide doctoral practicum counselors with clinical supervision for their individual therapy cases
Objective 3: To facilitate the fellow’s further awareness of his or her own strengths and weaknesses as a supervisor
Objective 4: To facilitate the fellow’s further refinement of his or her own theory of supervision
Goal 6: To Advance development of fellow’s skills in consultation, outreach, and psycho-educational programming and implementations
Objective 1: To further familiarize the fellow with the basic principles and concepts, consultation, outreach and psycho-educational programming services typically needed on a university campus
Objective 2: To provide the fellow with opportunities to provide consultation, outreach and psycho-educational services to individuals, groups, departments and organizations on campus and in the surrounding Atlanta community
Goal 7: To Provide opportunities for the fellow to refine and expand his or her scholarly skills.
Objective 1: To provide the opportunity to attend or present at a national conference
Objective 2: To Provide the opportunity for fellows to complete all requirements for licensure.
Goal 8: To provide appropriate opportunities for the fellow to tailor his or her supervision contracting and training experiences to meet his or her individual needs based on experience, expertise, interests, and readings.
