Predoctorial Internship in Clinical Psychology

Family-Based Rotation

The Family Based Track is rich with experience in systems therapy, as the intern offers a variety of interventions which address family dynamics: individual, group, family therapy, case management, and opportunities for psychological assessment. The intern partners with another therapist and works within the context of the family's home and/or community. As opposed to treating only the identified patient, the Family Based approach utilizes the Structural Family Therapy model (SFT), developed by Salvador Minuchin, et. al, which treats the entire system and focuses on altering rigid and negative patterns of interaction. The family focused goals of home based services are to prevent unnecessary out-of- home placement, to maintain the integrity of the family, connect the family with appropriate community support systems, and strengthen the family's capacity to cope and functioning effectively in the community.

The aim of the team is to create receptivity for healthy adaptation in the family environment, by forming a strong therapeutic alliance with their families, keeping a clear treatment focus, and creating experiences which facilitate growth and change. Services are time-limited, lasting between 1 to 32 weeks, and are intensive. The therapeutic rationale is that children grow up best in their own homes, and the Family-Based treatment is designed to prevent hospitalization or out-of-home placement for children and adolescents with emotional disturbance.

Interns in this track will work in the Family Based setting approximately 30 hours a week, and the remaining 10 to 15 hours will be spent in Outpatient work, training and supervision. Formal course work in Family Therapy is a requirement for this internship, and prior experience performing family therapy is desirable.