Professonal Psychology/Social Work Externship/Internship and Clinical Practicum Experience Programs

Professional Psychology//Social Work Internship and Externship Program
Setting and Facilities
Internship/Externship Program Goals
Didactic Seminars
Supervision
Clinical Services
Psychosocial Evaluations
Research
Requirements

Professional Psychology/Social Work
Internship and Externship Program
St. Peter’s Village offers a predoctoral internship, as well, as part-time externship and clinical practicum experiences that focus on evaluating and treating adolescents and their families who have a variety of learning, behavioral and emotional difficulties. Student involvement will be dependent on their graduate training, clinical experiences and recommendations from supervisors and professors.

Setting and Facilities
St. Peter’s Village is a specialized residential facility for evaluating, diagnosing, and treating adolescents with developmental and/or behavioral disorders. Utilizing an interdisciplinary team approach, the staff provides a spectrum of diagnostic and assessment services. The staff of professionals represents the following disciplines:

· Nursing
· Psychology
· Social Work
· Support Services

Following DYFS and/or Child Study Team comprehensive evaluations, which include diagnostic impressions, St. Peter’s Village provides therapies for adolescents and their families including, but not limited to:

· Individual, Family and Group Psychotherapy
· Parent Counseling
· Special Education Tutoring
· Specialized Psychotherapies (off grounds)

 

Internship/Externship Program Goals
The goal of the Professional Psychology and Social Work Internship and Externship Program is to enhance the development of interns and externs and provide a diverse and comprehensive clinical training experience within the St. Peter’s setting. The focus of the program is to offer supportive guidance and supervision within an experiential learning environment. Interns and externs will develop the theoretical underpinnings of the psychotherapeutic process and psychosocial assessment. They will be exposed to various orientations and approaches. The student will gain experience in understanding how early childhood trauma, neglect, abuse and deprivation can impact on the developing adolescents’ life. They will begin to learn about developing a healthy objectivity and how residents’ overt anger and acting out behaviors are secondary to their overwhelming sadness.

Didactic Seminars
Interns and externs are encouraged to attend St. Clare’s Hospital Psychiatric Grand Rounds. These lectures are made available for practicing health care providers who work at St. Peter’s Village. The objective is to update professionals on new advances in research related to clinical practice in a number of subspecialties. In addition to the Grand Rounds series and lectures, St. Peter’s Village holds its own in-service lectures on specific topics relevant to St. Peter’s Village staff. Students can participate in reviewing DYFS referral packets of prospective residents and may be involved in treatment team meetings/conferences. They may receive proper restraint techniques (state approved) to help the residents be in more control.

Supervision
A licensed Consulting Psychologist/Certified School Psychologist and/or Master's Level Clinician will provide supervision with a variety of theoretical orientations and clinical skills. Interns and externs are provided with a minimum of two hours of weekly individual supervision to discuss ongoing clinical issues in assessment and treatment. Interns and externs are also encouraged to participate in weekly group supervision.

Clinical Services
On-Site Psychotherapy
Interns/externs will gain most of their experience in clinical work providing psychotherapy to a diverse population with a range of psychological problems/diagnoses. Individual psychotherapy, parent counseling/child guidance, family therapy, and group therapy are all offered at St. Peter’s Village. Specialized psychotherapy in the areas of eating disorder, sexual abuse and sexually reactive/offending behaviors, as well as, substance abuse in offered off grounds.

Psychosocial Evaluations
Psychosocial evaluations are provided to determine a child’s current functioning levels and needs. Psychosocial evaluations are tailored to respond to the resident’s history, and often include assessments of social, personality, and adaptive behavior skill levels.

Each intern/extern works with a diverse range of diagnoses to ensure that they develop skills in developing well-written reports and on possessing skills in interpreting results to other professionals, residents and their families.

Research
Interns/Externs are encouraged to pursue research/dissertation interests as they relate to their own personal interests/needs. The facility has potential as a subject population. If interested in conducting research, submission must be made in accordance with research guidelines with the students affiliated college or university. For social work students in particular, program evaluation options are available.

Requirements
Applicants for the St. Peter’s Village Professional Psychology and Social Work Internship/Externship Program should be matriculated in a doctoral program in clinical, counseling, school or educational psychology or a school of social work. Applicants for the part-time externship and clinical practicum experiences need not have completed all course work. Applicants for the internship program should have completed their required course work and practicum experiences.

Please send your graduate school transcript, resume, two letters of recommendation from supervisors and a letter from you Program Director indicating your readiness for internship/externship to Kelly McNamara, LCSW.

Kelly McNamara, LCSW
St. Peter’s Village
170 Diamond Spring Rd.
Denville, NJ 07834

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