Counseling: Internship Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. John Lemoncelli, Ed.D.
Phone: 570-348-6211, Ext. 2317

Description:

Field work experience in an approved work setting, compatible with career goals, under the direction of an Internship Supervisor from the Department of Psychology and Counseling and a qualified professional from the cooperating internship site. The student will become familiar with the setting, its operation, systems and organization, as well as, with the population served.

This experience follows the formal educational and preparation program. It is at this point that practica, field experiences, and the whole preparation program come together and the intern is given the freedom and independence to demonstrate acquired competencies in a real counseling situation. The internship includes activities that a regularly employed staff member should be expected to perform.
Each term must be covered by an agreement signed by the President of the University and the Administrator of the agency or institution in which the internship is to be completed.

Required Text:

Boylan, John C. Boylan, Patrick Malley, Eileen Reilly Practicum and Internship: Textbook for Counseling and Psychotherapy, Second Edition, Taylor and Francis, Publishers, Inc. Philadelphia and London.

Objectives:

• To engage in realistic counseling and related on-the-job experiences under Supervision.
• To demonstrate skill in the use of counseling techniques and procedures appropriate to one's philosophy of counseling.
• To demonstrate awareness of the relationship of theory to practice.
• To gain knowledge of referral agencies and resources appropriate to the internship site.
• To demonstrate an ethical and professional attitude toward the practice of counseling.
• To develop professional relationships with staff members in the work setting.
• To obtain concrete feedback concerning the intern's demonstrated behavior as a counselor.

Group Supervision Topics:

• Individual internship site information/overview
• CACREP standards
• Ethical/Administrative issues
• Career opportunities
• Case management issues
• NCE and COMPS signing up and preparation

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Strategies:

The Internship Supervisor will make arrangements for the internship and will submit a written contract to the on-site administrator prior to the beginning of the internship experience. Both parties must sign the contract between the University and the Internship Site, covering the actual time span of the experience and appropriate legal issues, before the internship can formally commence. The Internship Supervisor will meet with the interns on a weekly basis throughout the semester and with individual interns, by appointment, as often as deemed necessary.

The Supervising Counselor will be responsible, with the approval of the Administrator, for providing opportunities for the intern to engage in a variety of appropriate counseling activities under supervision, and will evaluate the intern's performance throughout the internship experience.

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Requirements:

Individual Counseling - Approximately 40% (360 hours) of the internship experience should consist of direct service to clients. Developing a counseling relationship with student over time is expected.

1. Group Counseling -- A minimum of six sessions with the same group, if appropriate, based upon the training background of the interns and the needs of the internship site.
2. Participation in Case Conferences/Consultation -- Involvement with other professionals in the counseling of clients. (Ex. Psychologist, social worker, crisis worker, therapist etc.)
3. Additional Experiences -- These activities can be most appropriately recommended by the Supervising Counselor, who is in the best position to see that the intern receives an overall picture of the counseling program and a repetitive sampling of experiences within it. The following is a list of suggested experiences:
   1. Administration and interpretation of tests
   2. Career education
   3. Consultation with other helping professionals such as:
   4. Psychologist
   5. Social worker
   6. Employment counselor
   7. Child welfare worker
   8. Juvenile probation officer
   9. Consultation with medical staff
   10. Learning of other duties the counselor performs in this specific setting. (i.e., required reports, home visits, referral processes, case reporting, consultation, treatment planning, etc.)

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Guidelines:

Selection of the Internship Site:
After consultation with the student, the Internship Supervisor will contact the Administrator at the preferred site to obtain permission for a student to do his/her internship there and to request the assignment of a Supervising Counselor. The student will then visit the site to finalize arrangements. A counselor-trainee who is currently employed in a counseling position in a university, school, or agency setting may complete his/her internship "on the job" providing that he/she fulfills all the requirements. Note: Arrangements are entirely subject to the approval of the school, university or agency.

Selection of Clients:
Clients are selected with the cooperation of the Administration and the assistance of Supervising Counselor.

Length of the counseling sessions:
This cannot be specified, other than generally. Twenty to forty minutes would be typical. Shorter sessions usually do not allow for the establishment of a real relationship. Longer sessions are common as the counselor gains experience.

Counseling Ethics:
The ACA Code of Ethics must be complied with in all phases of the internship.

Insurance:
Interns must be enrolled in the American Counseling Association (ACA) Professional Liability Program or with another appropriate insurance carrier prior to the start of their internship experience.

Practicum:
Practicum must be completed successfully before the counseling internship begins.

Time Required:
Each counseling intern will be expected to invest a minimum of 600 or 900 (School or Mental Health Programs respectively) hours in his or her internship experience.

Internship Log:
A log of dates, amounts of time involved, and nature of the client involvement should be recorded, and a typewritten copy submitted to the Internship Supervisor at the completion of the internship experience. (Details regarding format will be discussed in class)

Evaluation:
The intern will submit evaluation forms to the Internship Supervisor. The Supervising Counselor will be asked to give an oral evaluation of the intern's performance in addition to the Final Evaluation Form that he/she will complete during and at the end of the internship experience.

Class Meetings:
Interns will meet with their Internship Supervisor weekly throughout the semester. This time will be used to provide group supervision of cases as well as to discuss issues that arise during an internship experience. The Internship Supervision will present additional topics for discussion (see above section titled "Group Supervision Topics").

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Class Requirements:

• Each intern is required to keep an internship binder, which will include: Title page, Placement information, Forms, Resources/References/Tools, Hours/Internship Activity Log and Evaluations.
• Each intern is required to create a professional portfolio.
• Each intern will be required to give a brief presentation regarding their internship site's facilities, treatment services, job opportunities/positions and overall operations.
• Each intern will be required to complete an individual Case Report on one client they are counseling individually. (Details to follow)
• Each intern is to be prepared to present to tapes of their work with clients at the Internship Site. These tapes will serve as the basis for group supervision.

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Internship Forms Used

1. Student/Practicum/Internship Agreement
2. Internship Log; Direct & Indirect (must be completed with weekly and monthly totals, each sheet must be signed by your Site Supervisor)
3. Daily Activity Log (must be completed everyday, should provide the reader with a running account of all professional activities carried out during the experience) **Remember to log 1.5 direct hours of group supervision time at Marywood**
4. Site Supervisor's Evaluation of Student Counselor Performance (submitted 2 times at 300/450 hours completed and 600/900 hours completed)
5. Student-Counselor Evaluation of Faculty Supervisor (submitted one time at the end of internship experience, does not need to be signed by Site Supervisor)
6. Site Evaluation (submitted once at the end of internship)

*Completed binder to be submitted one week prior to the end of the internship experience

Note: CACREP requires that we maintain your completed Internship log for a period of 3 years. After that time your log will be shredded. Therefore you need to keep copies of any important documents in your personal binder and portfolio.