Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development

Pre-Doctoral Internship Program in Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Child/Adolescent Psychology

PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Psychology Pre-Doctoral Internship Program at the Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development involves supervised clinical work in our outpatient child and family clinic and observation in our therapeutic preschool to provide a focus on work with children and families from a psychoanalytic/psychodynamic orientation. 

Graduate students receive an intensive introduction to knowledge and skills in clinical and child development theory and research, and are provided and in-depth introduction to clinical practice. 

Our internship is planned to be the continuation of the preparation of a doctoral student in clinical psychology - as an entry level professional psychologist - with emphasis on the development of clinical assessment, treatment, and consultation skills, while utilizing knowledge of theory and research.  In this approach, the preparation of a professional psychologist includes the continuous integration of psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory, research, and practice with each of these sources informing the others.  It is a practitioner-scholar model with a strong underpinning of dedication to community psychology - accessible and affordable clinical services, community consultation and community education.

In the practitioner-scholar model of Intern training at the Hanna Perkins Center the practice of clinical psychology is informed by scholarly inquiry.  Embedded in this model is the understanding that learning to be a clinical psychologist is a complex, challenging and exciting process.  A variety of training experiences contributes to development of our Interns.  These experiences include various seminars and clinical meetings (including staff meetings and Intern presentations), substantial clinical experience, and an unusually frequent and in-depth schedule of individual and group supervision.  We also greatly value the sense of common purpose and community shared by members of the HPC staff.  This shared feeling provides support and pleasure as we work together to help our patients and to learn about doing psychotherapeutic work.

The goals of the program include the mastery of basic assessment, treatment, and consultative skills enabling the graduate intern to provide these services to work with children and families.  It is expected that at the end of the internship year, interns will be able to function independently in clinical situations with limited supervision or staff backup.  They will also be able to provide consultation as a psychologist/child development specialist to early childhood educators, caregivers and other professionals working with young children and families.

In order to attain these long-term, large-scale goals, specific objectives have been developed within each area of professional functioning as follows:

Evaluation, Diagnosis, & Treatment Formulation & Recommendation

• Conduct an evaluation of a child/adolescent/adult/parent case including establishing a rapport with parents that is based on helping them understand and identify with the aims of the work and with the ultimately recommended treatment modality.
• Formulate a diagnosis using both a metapsychological framework and the DSM IV five axis guidelines.
• Formulate treatment recommendations with regard to mode and frequency and based on an understanding of the child’s developmental status, presenting difficulties, their origin and impact on the child and family, the family’s capacity to support a treatment, and the overall treatment goals and objectives.

Psychological Assessment

• Accurately administer, score, and interpret comprehensive psychological test batteries.
• Write reports of psychological assessment in a clear, concise, and timely manner.
• Make appropriate recommendations and referrals based on these assessments.
• Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to individual and cultural diversity in all phases of assessment activity.

Treatment

• Choose and recommend an appropriate therapy modality that considers cultural and individual diversity in planning and implementing treatment.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills associated with effective case management.
• Incorporate family and community resources in treatment planning and case disposition.

• Establish an appropriately warm, empathic, accepting relationship with the child patient and with his/her parents enabling them to begin and remain involved in treatment and to resolve blockages and difficulties in entering into the therapeutic work.
• Promote self-observation in the child so that he/she becomes an ally in the therapy.
• Recognize affects, conflicts, defenses, and recurring themes and fantasies.
• Understand the child’s significant relationships with others and current difficulties light of prior experience.
• Show ability to interact effectively with personnel from community agencies regarding case coordination

Consultation

• Develop an understanding of Organizational Systems Theory and an ability to recognize the organizational form of a consultation service recipient system.
• Form a respectful relationship with the consultation recipients.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to utilize with appropriate timing various modes of consultation (i.e., organizational, psychodynamic, constructivist learning, diffusion of innovations, and social learning modalities).
• Utilize knowledge of the role of individual and cultural diversity in consultation settings.

The curriculum plan designed to support these goals and objectives is an extensive range of direct service experiences, in the context of ongoing seminars, intensive clinical supervision, and collaboration within the Center and the surrounding community.  The program is designed for the psychology student who must fulfill the requirements of a one year internship for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology.  It combines structured learning experiences (e.g., seminars, team meetings, case conferences) supervised clinical practice with children, adolescents, and their parents and collaboration with professional colleagues. 

Each intern carries an ongoing caseload of approximately ten to twelve child/adolescent/adult/parent patients ranging in terms of developmental level, presenting problem, and demographic variables.  Interns participate as members of an interdisciplinary intake and evaluation team and undertake psychological assessments.  Interns compile in-depth process recordings of clinical sessions and receive extensive supervision of their work, culminating in a formal presentation to colleagues of a clinical case.

It is required that each intern will have a minimum of two hours of individual supervision per week focusing on assessment and individual treatment cases. In addition each intern participates in weekly sessions of group supervision, case conferences, didactic seminars focusing on child development theory and treatment from a psychoanalytic/psychodynamic perspective. 

Since 1958, the Hanna Perkins Center has been training candidates in child psychoanalysis.  The series of seminars taken by interns is comparable to the first year of didactic coursework for qualification as a child psychoanalyst.  Thus, an intern at Hanna Perkins can simultaneously begin analytic training and may apply for candidacy at the culmination of a successful internship experience. 

In addition to the unusually extensive and in-depth supervision offered to Psychology Interns, one of the clear advantages of training at Hanna Perkins is the extent to which trainees are exposed to a rich and diverse population of service recipients.  In fact, one of the earliest texts focusing on how young children come to understand and integrate racial differences – Not By the Color of Their Skin (1970) by Marjorie McDonald, was based on observations and research in the Hanna Perkins School. 

HPC’s commitment to providing services regardless of ability to pay and its location in Shaker Heights, an inner-ring suburb of the City of Cleveland results in a diverse and varied population utilizing all of our program services.  This diversity is reflected in our School, Clinic, and Extension programs where as many as two-thirds of the children and families served come from minority populations, representing all socio-economic levels and a wide diversity of race, religion, and family constellation.      

APPLICATION PROCESS

We value the fact that the Hanna Perkins population of service recipients represents a broad cross-section of children and families from all socio-economic levels and a diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural mix.  We hold a similar value with regard to our internship program and encourage applicants from varied backgrounds and bases of experience.

Before completing your application, please carefully review the Eligibility and Selection Criteria described below.

Eligibility

• Completion of a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised practicum experience in psychotherapy including 600 hours direct contact with clients.
• Enrollment in a Clinical Psychology doctoral program
• Successful completion of comprehensive exams prior to match date.
• At least one practicum or work experience which involved working with children.
• Some knowledge of and familiarity with psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory is preferred.

All coursework toward the doctoral degree must be completed by the beginning of the internship year.  Required courses that will be taken later in the year before internship should be listed on the AAPI form.

Application Process

  A complete application for our internship program includes the following materials:

1. A completed AAPI (APPIC Application for Psychology Internship).  This application may be downloaded from the APPIC web site.
2. The "Academic Program's Verification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness" form (also known as Part 2 of the AAPI), completed and signed by the Director of Training of your graduate program.
3. A complete, up-to-date curriculum vita.
4. Official copies of all GRADUATE school transcripts.
5. Three letters of reference, at least two of which must be from supervisors who are familiar with your psychotherapy skills. Each should be in a sealed envelope with a verification signature across the seal.

You may submit the above materials together in one packet if you wish, or they may be submitted separately.

The internship experience is for 12 months, beginning each year in mid-August. Our application deadline is December 20, 2008.  Please note that your application will not be considered until all of the above materials have been received.  Please send all materials to:

Kimberley Bell, Ph.D., Intern Training Director

Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development

19910 Malvern Rd., Shaker Heights, OH, 44122 

kbell@hannaperkins.org  

Following is a summary of our selection process:

1. Applications should be received by the deadline of December 20, 2008.  A confirmation e-mail will be sent when we have received you complete application.  Since a delay in this process may be caused by the volume of applications, feel free to call or e-mail the Training Director if you wish to inquire as to whether or not your materials have been received and are complete.
2. After December 20, 2008 selected applicants will be notified of the offer of an interview.  In accordance with APPIC policies, we notify all applicants of their interview status if they have submitted a complete application.  Please contact the Intern Training Director if you have not received an e-mail notification by that time.
3. We call applicants via telephone beginning December 1, 2008 to schedule a interview for December or early January.  In-person interviews are preferred but phone interviews may be considered.  We prefer to schedule interviews for Fridays but have a variety of dates and times available, and we will work with you to find a time that fits your schedule.
4. Interviews will be conducted during January.  A typical in-person interview will last from two to three hours and will include a tour of the facility and an opportunity to meet with a current intern (depending upon availability).  Telephone interviews will last about an hour and are semi-structured.  During the interview, we will provide you with information about our program and will ask you questions about your interests, background, and experiences.
5. After the interviews, and no later than January 30, 2009 you will receive an e-mail from us letting you know whether or not you remain under consideration for our program.
6. During late January and early February, our selection committee conducts "follow-up" calls with applicants.  This call is usually NOT another interview (although occasionally we may have a few follow-up questions).  Instead, it is an opportunity for you to find out more about our program, as well as allowing you to address any remaining questions that you might have.
7. Throughout the process, you are always welcome to contact the Intern Training Director if you have any questions or if you wish to speak to a current intern.

On-site interview policy.  We encourage on-site interviews.  However, in order to avoid giving an unfair advantage to those with the financial resources to travel, visiting our center is not a requirement and will not provide you with an advantage in the selection process. Opportunities to meet with other staff or to observe activities within the Center may be arranged upon request.

APPIC Guidelines. Our selection process follows all guidelines of (APPIC) the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (http://www.appic.org/) and participates in the APPIC Match. HPC's APPIC Program Code No. is 203211.  In particular, this internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy (Legal Notices--APPIC) that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.

Please be sure that you have registered for the APPIC Match. Registration materials are located at the National Matching Services web site.

OHIO

The Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development
19910 Malvern Road
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122

Director of Training: Thomas F. Barrett, Ph.D.

Number of Interns: two

Number Funded: two

Stipend: $28,000.00 for 2009-10

Number of Positions Pre-allocated: None

Percentages of time average intern devotes to:

1.    Psychological Assessment: 10 - 15%

2.    Psychotherapy: 40%

3.    Seminar Attendance: 15 - 20%

4.    Consultation: 5 - 10%

5.    Supervision: 10 - 15%

Theoretical Orientation: Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic

Major Theoretical View Represented by Staff: Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic

Program Specialization or Restrictions: Child/Adolescent & Family

Starting Date: August 17, 2009

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Last modified: 05/29/08