Supervision
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Intake Supervision: Interns are paired with one of their individual psychotherapy supervisors for supervision of intake evaluations. Intake supervision begins as 1.5 hours weekly, and shifts to one hour weekly as the intern becomes more proficient with intake and report-writing skills (typically four to six weeks). The intake supervisor discusses intake assessments with the intern, observes at least one early intake in-person, and reviews/co-signs written intake reports throughout the year. As each intern shifts to one weekly hour with the intake supervisor, the intern will utilize all three individual psychotherapy supervisors for discussion of intake assessment material. Supervision also includes observation through video recorded sessions and discussion of case material.
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Brief Screening Supervision: Interns receive supervision of brief screening assessments from one of their individual psychotherapy supervisors. The screening supervisor discusses screenings with the intern, directly listens in on at least one early screening, and reviews/co-signs the written screening write-ups. Such supervision shifts to an as-needed basis as the intern becomes more skilled at brief screenings. Supervision includes direct observation through role-plays, listening in on one live screening, discussion of assessment material, and review/co-signing of clinical documentation.
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Individual Psychotherapy Supervision: Interns are provided three hours per week of individual psychotherapy supervision, at least two of which are with staff psychologists. The selection of supervisors is based upon an assessment of intern interests as well as intern preferences, and is assigned by the Training Director near the conclusion of orientation. Supervision includes direct observation through video recorded sessions, discussion of case material, and review/co-signing of clinical documentation.
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Group Psychotherapy Supervision: Once groups have launched, interns are provided with 1.5 hours per week of group psychotherapy supervision in a group format by the Coordinator of Group Services. Interns also engage in weekly debriefing with co-facilitators. Supervision includes discussion of group process and co-facilitator dynamics, observation and discussion of video recorded group therapy sessions, and review/co-signing of clinical documentation.
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Emergency and Consult Service/Night Call Supervision: Interns provide emergency and consult service during day and night hours (see above for details), and supervision is provided by the assigned permanent staff person during those shifts. Supervision includes direct observation of interventions, co-interventions with clients as needed, discussion of client presentations, and review/co-signing of clinical documentation.
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Outreach/Community Consultation Supervision: Supervision of outreach and community consultation is provided by the Assistant Director of Outreach Services, and staff persons co-presenting or engaged in consultation with long-standing University community liaisons. Supervision includes direct observation of community consultation and outreach presentation activities, as well as discussion of those activities when not directly observed.
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Assessment Supervision: Supervision of CCAPS assessments, completed by all students at point of intake and returning individual psychotherapy sessions, is integrated into intake and psychotherapy supervision.
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Supervision of Supervision: Supervision of supervision is provided to interns once they begin supervision to advanced practicum students. Interns are provided with 1.5 hours per week of “sup of sup” in a group format. Supervision includes discussion of supervision processes and co-facilitator dynamics, observation and discussion of video recorded supervision sessions of interns and practicum students, and review/co-signing of clinical documentation. Supervision may occur at CAPS or at The Ainsworth Clinic attached to UVa’s Department of Psychology.
Seminars
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Contemporary Psychotherapy Seminar (1.5 hours bi-weekly): This seminar focuses on understanding and applying the literature of common factors, attachment and adolescent development, as well as emotion-focused and relational concepts to clinical practice with a college population. The seminar format will center on active cases brought by facilitators and interns, leading to discussion of assessment, case formulation, and intervention in a culturally informed manner.
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Multicultural Psychology Seminar (1.5 hours bi-weekly): This seminar is designed to facilitate continued learning and growth in knowledge, awareness, sensitivity, and skills in working with populations from diverse backgrounds. During the seminar, interns address the close-knit relationships between culture and the ways clients and therapists make meaning of what they think, how they behave, and what they feel while working together in therapy. Interns focus on exploration of their own personal and cultural identity, and experiences with diversity issues (e.g., cultural differences, power and privileges, stereotypes, discrimination) in their professional and personal life. Interns are encouraged to reflect on their own worldviews, values, prejudices and biases on the impacts of their clinical work. Interns will create their own cultural genograms as well. Topics for the spring semester change each year depending on interns’ interests, and interns will take part in the development of this aspect of the seminar.
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Group Psychotherapy Seminar (eight weeks during fall, 1.5 hours weekly): This seminar aims at developing a theoretical understanding of group process and group psychotherapy technique. The seminar begins with three weeks of didactic instruction focused on group design and formation, and continues with integrated didactic/experiential curricula group supervision as described above soon after group intakes and therapy are underway. Topics covered include group composition and member selection, creating a group therapy contract, stages of group development, group leadership and co-leadership concerns, understanding group dynamics, and working with process and thematic material. Discussion, lectures, viewing of sessions, and presentations of case material are included.
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Integrative Health Seminar (fall, 1.25 hour weekly): This seminar addresses a range of topics in which there is substantial mind/body interface and often requires integrated health care for best treatment. Facilitators with expertise in particular mind/body areas inform and discuss methods of treatment for such difficulties, associated with cases most relevant to our setting. Cultural factors that affect presentation and treatment outcome are essential aspects of each discussion, as well as biopsychosocial issues that are particularly relevant to the college population.
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Supervision Seminar (first six weeks of fall): This seminar provides interns an introduction to the theory and practice of clinical supervision and address concepts including models of supervision, parallel process, supervisory relationships, diversity issues, ethics, and facilitation of therapeutic skills. It is intended to prepare interns for a beginning level of competence in clinical supervision during the spring semester.
Multicultural Training
Multicultural training at CAPS is integrated into all aspects of the internship experience, including seminars, supervision and meetings. Below are specific components of cultural training at CAPS.
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Multicultural Formulations: Interns are expected to consistently integrate cultural factors into case conceptualization and treatment provision. That process is formalized through integrating a detailed cultural understanding into two case presentations that occur in the Contemporary Psychotherapy Seminar. A cultural formulation takes into account the intersections of cultural and diversity factors, family background, individual developmental history and attachments, as well as diagnostic considerations in order to maximize an understanding of the person, their presenting issues, and recommendations for treatment.
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Multicultural Psychology seminar (All year, biweekly, 1.5 hours): See description above.
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Diversity and Difference Log: Once per month, interns complete this cumulative summary, the purpose of which is to promote interns' awareness of issues of individual and cultural difference. It is hoped that this will facilitate reflection and increase cultural knowledge and clinical skills to enhance therapeutic effectiveness with a wide spectrum of clients. Interns periodically review their monthly survey with the Director of Training and are encouraged to gain clinical experience with those different from themselves in a variety of ways, as well as maintain a diverse caseload in the context of this training site.
Multicultural Formulation Description
Culturally informed case formulations are opportunities for interns to think about how our own cultural identifications and those of our clients affect the interactional process in therapy, as well as influence how the initial problem is presented by the client and understood by the therapist. It is also an opportunity to reflect on how diagnosis and course of treatment is affected by issues of similarity and difference within the treatment setting.
A cultural formulation takes into account the intersections of interactive cultural factors between client and therapist, individual developmental history and dynamics, and family background in order to present the broadest and most comprehensive understanding of the individual’s presenting symptoms and issues. The formulation clarifies therapeutic processes by highlighting the influences of various cultural factors that exist in the therapy relationship, including possible assumptions and biases that affect the outcome.
Over the course of the year, interns will provide three formal case presentations; two as part of the Contemporary Psychotherapy seminar and one as a stand-alone presentation to staff. It is expected that cultural identities and affiliations will be conceptualized as broadly defined and essential to understanding all therapy cases.