Pre-doctoral, APA-Accredited Psychology Internship Program

Aurora MHC started a full-time clinical psychology internship program in 1998. The American Psychological Association has accredited the internship since 2000. For information about APA accreditation, you may contact APA at: 750 First Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20002-4242 / (202) 336-5979.

The Center offers interns an excellent clinical experience in which they are trained in the assessment and treatment of a diverse range of mental health problems with a client population that includes children, adolescents, adults, and families.

With more than 200 employees and 80 volunteers, the Center serves over 14,000 individuals per year. Approximately 42% of the clients are children or adolescents, 53% are young to middle-age adults, and 5% are age sixty or older. The client population is also diverse in its racial and ethnic makeup. Approximately 50% are Caucasian and non-Hispanic, 22% are African American, 21% are Hispanic, 5% identify as Multi-Racial, and Native American and Asian comprise 1% of our client population, respectively.

Aurora MHC is closely affiliated with a managed care company, Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. The relationship between the two organizations provides the intern with substantial experience in a managed care environment, with emphasis on providing rapid assessment, treatment planning, acute care in an interdisciplinary setting, and solution-oriented treatment. The Center's roots, however, remain in its commitment to the community and helping its citizens attain the highest quality of life our expertise can help them achieve. Toward this end, we provide acceptance, respect, and care that restores dignity, nurtures relationships, and enriches lives.

The internship is located in Aurora, Colorado, which is part of the Denver metropolitan area. Our facilities are located within 30 minutes of central Denver and are less than one hour from the Rocky Mountains. There are several excellent colleges and universities in the area, state- of-the-art medical facilities, numerous cultural and sports attractions, and abundant sunshine for year-round recreational activities.


Training Components

The internship is designed to provide a wide variety of clinical experiences with an emphasis on preparing the interns to achieve a standard doctoral level of competence in skills, personal maturity, and ethical behavior. In order to accomplish this goal, and to accommodate the special interests and needs of the intern, the program is balanced between required and elective clinical experiences.

All interns are required to participate in a year-long primary placement. The remaining training experiences will consist of two six-month minor rotations, weekly seminars, monthly case conferences and a group research project. The program accepts two interns who prefer an adult oriented primary placement and two interns who prefer a child/family primary placement. The minor rotations can be either adult or child focused, depending on the interests of the intern. The internship is for 12 months and 2000 hours.

The current stipend is $20,000, with an additional $2400 compensation for interns who are fluent in English and are able to conduct therapy in a second language. The fringe benefits include Center contributions toward health and dental insurance, a flexible benefit plan, $15,000 in life insurance, professional liability insurance, long-term disability insurance, an EAP program, 12 days of vacation, up to 12 days sick leave, and ten paid holidays. The program provides interns the same access to Center administrative resources (e.g., office space, computers, secretarial staff) as other clinical staff.

For administrative purposes, the Aurora MHC clinical services are divided into three divisions: Adult Outpatient Services, Adult Intensive Services, and Family Services. Within these divisions, interns can receive training in the following programs.


Adult Outpatient Services Division

Southeast Outpatient Clinic - (Optional Primary or Minor Rotation). The Southeast Team provides mental health treatment and education to individuals, couples, and groups who are seeking help for a variety of problems. Services include intake evaluations, psychotherapy (individual, couples, and group), crisis intervention, psychological testing, case management, consultation, and medication management. The multidisciplinary staff includes psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, counselors, and a nurse. Most clients are between 18 and 55 years old and have presenting problems that range from adjustment disorders to severe and persistent mental illness. The southeast facility is located in a predominantly middle-class area of Aurora, and while the clients present with a broad spectrum of problems, they are generally functioning at a higher level than clients who live in other parts of the city. Some evening work is required.


North Adult Outpatient Clinic - (Optional Primary or Minor Rotation). The North Adult Team provides the same services as the Southeast office and has a similar mix of multidisciplinary staff. In addition to individual therapy, interns can co-facilitate specialized groups; these include groups designed for clients with personality disorders, trauma history, co-morbid substance abuse, and Bipolar Disorder. In general, compared to the Southeast Clinic, the presenting problems tend to be more severe and the clients generally have fewer economic resources. Some evening work is required.


Integrated Primary Care - (Optional Minor Rotation) Working on-site at one of the integrated primary care sites located in the Aurora medical community. Two positions located at the Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN) and one position at the Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice (CAHEP). Interns will have the opportunity to function as a member of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, meeting the needs of a diverse medical population serving the entire lifespan, with a range of co-morbid diagnoses involving both medical and mental health conditions. The rotation will touch upon biologic, cognitive, affective, developmental, sociocultural, economic, collaborative, ethical and professional issues related to the culture and practice of medicine, health and illness - distinct from general psychological practice. A biopsychosocial, integrated care model is emphasized. Activities may include consultation-liaison, triage, groups, short-term treatment and referral, and bariatric evaluations along with training presentations, program development, readings/background research and case conferences. Interns can expect to learn and or increase their knowledge of psychotropic medications, time-limited presentation skills for on the spot consultation with medical providers, and how psychological illnesses affect medical diagnoses and vice versa. In addition, the CAHEP clinic is focused on work with refugees, asylees, and immigrants. The use of interpreters is common and the intern can expect to be exposed to many diverse cultures.


Older Adults Outpatient Services - (Optional Minor Rotation). The Older Adults Team provides psychotherapy and education for older persons and their families who are experiencing mental health or adjustment to aging problems. Services are provided at both the Southeast (primary) and North clinics, as well as in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Services also include PASAAR evaluations.


Emergency Services - (Presently only available to interns as an optional add-on experience during nights or weekends). This program provides 24-hour coverage for evaluating individuals who are at risk of being a danger to themselves, others, or of being gravely disabled due to a mental illness. The staff arranges hospitalization when necessary. The evaluations take place at Center facilities, local hospital emergency rooms, or area detention facilities. The staff consults with family, community members, and the police regarding the need for crisis intervention or to arrange treatment. They also respond to community crises by providing support, for example, to survivors of a natural catastrophe. Interns who participate in the off-hours emergency evaluations first shadow the on-call clinician and as knowledge and skills develop, conduct the emergency evaluation under the supervision of the off-hours clinician.


Adult Intensive Services Division

Intensive Services - (Optional Primary Placement). An array of coordinated services and programs are managed under the umbrella of "Adult Intensive Services". It is designed for adults with severe and persistent mental illness who are best served by a high frequency of services in order to maintain ties to family and community. Components include:

1. Community Living Program - This intensive outpatient program is available for clients needing several hours of group therapy either daily or several days per week. Case management, outreach, crisis intervention, medication management and therapy sessions are oriented toward helping individuals develop better coping and self-management skills. A substance abuse program focuses on recovery for those with co-occurring mental health and drug/alcohol abuse problems. A recreational component teaches leisure time activities and social skills. A vocational component guides Center clients toward employment experiences.

2. Aurora Center for Life Skills - This outpatient and day treatment program provides social/emotional training, functional skill training, and creative/expressive training for adults with a developmental disability and a concurrent mental illness. The goal of the program is to enhance each client's ability to live as independently as possible in the community.

3. Fitzsimons Treatment Unit - Provides counseling, medication monitoring, and supervision for clients who need 24-hour support during a psychological crisis, as a transition from hospital to community, or as an alternative to hospitalization. Length of stay is up to one month.


Offenders Program - (Optional Minor Rotation) Provides evaluations, group therapy, and educational classes to clients referred by the courts, probation departments, social services, or other professionals. The primary area of focus is sex offenses, however domestic violence, anger control, and substance abuse evaluations and treatment are also provided. Evening work is required.


Family Services Division

Child and Family South Outpatient Services - (Optional Primary or Minor Rotation) Diagnostic assessments, individual, group and family therapy, and intensive work with children whom have often been abused or neglected are provided by the multidisciplinary staff. The treatment team works closely with schools, courts, and other care givers like foster families to identify and help prevent problems facing young people and their families. Some evening work is required.


Child and Family North Outpatient Services – (Optional Primary or Minor rotation). The Child and Family North Team provides the same services as the Child and Family South Program, but with a higher concentration of Spanish speaking clients and a close affiliation with the Center’s school-based program.


School-Based Program – (Optional Minor Rotation). The school-based team provides comprehensive mental health treatment for school age children in an elementary school setting. Services include intake evaluations, individual, group, and family psychotherapy, crisis intervention, consultation and case management. The youth served have a range of presenting problems; however many children have a significant trauma history. Similar to the North Child and Family Outpatient team, there is often a high concentration of Spanish speaking families.


Early Childhood and Family Center - (Optional Primary Placement). ECFC provides comprehensive mental health treatment for infants and children up to age 6. Many of these children have been victimized, traumatized, abused, abandoned, or have experienced emotional or behavioral difficulties which interfere with learning and developing relationships. Individual, family, and group therapies are integrated to best serve the needs of each child and family. A variety of parenting classes for new and teen parents are provided. Parent-Child Interactional Therapy is also offered.


Intercept Center - (Optional Primary Placement or Minor Rotation). Intercept provides comprehensive mental health treatment for children and adolescents who have mental illnesses as well as developmental disabilities from age 6 to 21. The youth we serve generally have a trauma history and for many they have experienced complex, multiple traumas. Intercept provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy, as well as medication evaluations. The intensive outpatient program serves about 100 families. Intercept also runs a day treatment program for up to 10 youth that is a collaborative project of Aurora Mental Health Center and Aurora Public Schools. Interns would be assigned a caseload on either a minor or primary rotation, depending on their training level and familiarity with this population. There are also many opportunities to gain experience through co-leading group and family therapy sessions.


Philosophy, Goals, and Objectives

The Local Clinical Scientist model guides the philosophy of the program. The training staff believes that the primary purpose of the internship is to help interns apply scientific theory and knowledge within the context of unique client situations. This requires a scientific orientation that includes critical thinking, case conceptualization, hypothesis testing, awareness of personal biases, and understanding of group differences including those of culture, ethnicity, gender, age, and sexual orientation.

The overall goals of the Aurora Mental Health Center Internship Program are to provide students with a broad range of experiences, in a variety of service delivery modalities, with diverse client populations, by psychologists of varying professional and personal backgrounds, styles, and areas of expertise. We aim to provide the intern with the educational and experiential opportunities necessary for them to develop the competence and confidence to engage in the independent practice of professional psychology. Although the training program by nature is strongest in providing the knowledge and skills necessary in community mental health, the diversity of the program will prepare the intern to function responsibly in a range of institutional and managed care settings.

Each intern is expected to develop and demonstrate certain core competencies during the internship year. These core competencies are taught, monitored, and evaluated during each quarter placement. Successful completion of the internship requires the demonstration of these competencies. Core areas consist of the following:

1. Professional Conduct, Ethics and Legal Matters

2. Individual and Cultural Diversity

3. Theories and Methods of Psychological Diagnosis and Assessment

4. Theories and Methods of Effective Psychotherapeutic Intervention

5. Scholarly Inquiry and Application of Current Scientific Knowledge to Practice

6. Professional Consultation

7. Supervision

These core areas are addressed in seminars, supervision, literature reviews, and case conferences. They are demonstrated by intern written records and reports, review of cases in supervision, and interactions with clients and interdisciplinary staff. Progress in their attainment is evaluated in weekly supervision, monthly reviews by the Training Committee, and in quarterly and semi-annual written performance evaluations.


Supervision

Interns are assigned a primary clinical supervisor, who is a licensed psychologist. The intern and primary supervisor meet individually at least one hour per week throughout the training year. These meetings entail the discussion of cases and related clinical topics, reviewing progress in the program, and evaluating training needs. The intern has a minimum of one additional hour of weekly individual supervision in accordance with the current minor rotation with a licensed staff member whom is associated with the specific training site. The assignment of interns with specific primary supervisors is made by the Training Committee, which makes every effort to match intern interests and needs with supervisor expertise. The format of supervision may include case discussion, review of treatment notes, review of audio- or videotape, live supervision behind a one-way mirror, or co-therapy. At the beginning of each rotation the intern and their primary supervisor and each of their site supervisors will develop individualized training goals.

Aurora MHC has a very experienced and talented staff of allied mental health professionals including psychiatrists, clinical social workers, counselors, and psychiatric nurses. Interns receive additional supervision from these allied staff, in consultation with their primary supervisor.

Interns are required to attend and participate in the regular group supervision meetings and case conferences that occur on at least a weekly basis at their primary and minor rotations. In addition, interns will attend a monthly case conference with the training director and/or other training staff. Interns will rotate presenting cases at these monthly cases conferences. The focus of these cases conferences is assessment and treatment approaches with challenging clients and ethical or legal issues.

Interns receive ongoing training in the provision of supervision. Supervision skills are taught in a supervision of supervision group that interns attend on a biweekly basis.The supervision group is facilitated by two staff psychologists and has both didactic and process components. The program strives to ensure that interns have an opportunity to provide supervision to a practicum student during the year. The extent to which an intern provides direct supervision to a more junior student is determined by the particular placements of each intern, the availability of a junior student on a particular placement, and the interests and previous education and training of the intern in being a supervisor.


Psychological Testing

The program recognizes that the ability to competently perform psychological evaluations is one of the distinguishing features of practicing psychologists. Staff use results from psychological testing to enhance understanding of particularly challenging cases, and to respond to the needs of other agencies, including the Departments of Human Services and the courts. The internship provides didactic training in testing in seminars and in both individual and group supervision. The program, however, does not have a strong emphasis in teaching testing; rather, interns are expected to have acquired most of their knowledge and technical skills in this area in graduate school. The emphasis in this program is in the ability to integrate data and to write succinct, high quality reports. Prospective interns who seek a program that has an especially strong testing emphasis would not be a good match with this program.

Interns are required to perform 10 psychological testing evaluations during the year. The evaluations include a clinical interview, administering, scoring, and interpreting the tests, and writing a report. Testing referrals are generated by each of the treatment teams, thus interns may evaluate clients from teams other than those in which they are rotating. The evaluations include the use of a variety of tests, typically measuring both cognitive and personality functioning. Interns assess varying age groups and problem areas. Four hours per week are set aside for interns to work on testing evaluations.


Seminars

Training seminars for interns are presented 3 to 4 times per month by training staff or guests. Areas of concentration in the seminar schedule include evaluation, treatment, legal issues, consultation, and cultural competence. Certain seminars are required and others are optional and are selected by the intern class. Each intern facilitates a seminar on the topic of her or his choice toward the end of the training year.

Interns are encouraged to attend the Center-wide trainings that are arranged by the Center's Educational Committee. Each intern is allotted $100 for attendance at external workshops or conferences.


Research

In order to develop and enhance program evaluation and research skills, each intern class is responsible for collectively conducting a study that relates to some aspect of the Center's operations. A recent intern class, for example, analyzed the relationship between client demographics, treatment modality, and outcomes. The Center is affiliated with the Aurora Research Institute (ARI). Dr. Lorraine Kubicek, a research associate with ARI, oversees the intern research project. Dr. Kubicek meets with the intern class early in the year to provide guidance on the selection of a project that is both meaningful and practical within the time frame of the internship and she consults with the interns on the project from start to finish. The intern group presents the findings of their study to the management team of Aurora Mental Health and writes a paper describing the study in APA journal format.


Application Requirements and Procedure

In order to qualify for internship training at Aurora Community Mental Health Center, applicants must have completed a minimum of three years of pre-internship graduate training, had their dissertation proposal approved, have passed their comprehensive exams, and completed a minimum of 750 practicum hours, including 500 of which were direct service. Applicants must have completed at least five integrative psychological assessment reports (with adults and/or children). The program requires that applicants be from APA accredited graduate programs in clinical or counseling psychology. The program prefers that interns have had training in the administration and scoring of the Rorschach using the Exner System prior to the start of internship.

Students seeking internship training at Aurora Mental Health Center should submit the on-line APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI), a sample psychological assessment report, a current curriculum vita, an official graduate school transcript, and three letters of reference. In the cover letter, please indicate whether you are applying for the Adult Track or Child Track. We accept two interns in each Track.

All materials must be received by November 11, 2011.

The program requires that all interviews be on-site and not by telephone. The internship will begin on August 7, 2012.

Aurora Mental Health Center is an equal opportunity employer and an Affirmative Action employer and supports cultural diversity and inclusiveness.  The internship program does not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees because of race, color, religion (creed), national origin (ancestry), gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, age, size, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or any other status protected by state or local law. Minority candidates for the internship program are strongly encouraged to apply. For further information you may reach the internship training director, Jeff Longo, Ph.D., at (303) 617-2408 or JeffLongo@aumhc.org.


Psychology Staff

Kirsten Anderson, Psy.D., University of Denver

Child and Family North

Play Therapy, Family Therapy, Testing


Sarah Avrin, Ph.D., Washington State University

Program Director, Aurora Center for Life Skills

Developmental Disabilities, PTSD, Families and Couples


Christy Balentine, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Early Childhood and Family Center

Infant Mental Health, Parent-Child Interactions, Post-Partum Depression


Christopher Beasley, Psy.D., University of Denver

Deputy Director, Outpatient Services

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Mood Disorders and Integrated Care


Giovanni Billings, Psy.D., Wheaton College

Early Childhood and Family Center

Impact of Partner Violence on Children, PCIT, Infant Mental Health


Megan Brennan, Psy.D., Alliant University/Calif. SPP

School Based Program

Individual and Group Therapy, Consultation with Educators


Luisa Bryce, Psy.D., Argosy University at Phoenix

Child and Family South

DBT with adolescents and their mothers, neuropsychology screening


Holly Cappello, Psy.D., University of Denver

Program Director, Child & Family South

Trauma, Assessment, and Integrated Care


Margaret Charlton, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis

Intercept Center

Developmental and Learning Disabilities, Assessment, Forensics, Child Trauma


Irene Ellis, Psy.D., Hospital Universitario de Caracas

Child Intensive Outpatient

Child and Family Therapy, Couples Therapy, Acculturation of Latino Populations


Angela Green, Psy.D., Spalding University

Integrative Care

Health Psychology, Community Outreach, Legislative Issues


Jane Hancock, Psy.D., University of Denver

Intercept Center

Parent-Child Interactional Therapy, Family Therapy


Jan Jenkins, Ph.D., University of Colorado

Integrative Care

Refugee Mental Health, Consultation to Medical Providers


Mara Kailin, Psy.D., Rutgers University

Program Director, Child and Family North and School-based Program

Cross-Cultural Issues, Assessment, Trauma


Rebecca Kinney, Psy.D., Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Child and Family South

Adolescents, Family Therapy


Courtney Klein, Psy.D., University of Denver

Southeast Outpatient Program

Young Adults, Trauma, Bipolar Disorder


Laura Knudtson, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison

Child and Family North

Multicultural Psychology; Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy


Lorraine Kubicek, Ph.D., University of Chicago

Aurora Research Institute

Infant Mental Health, Developmental Psychology, Grant Writing


Jeffrey M. Longo, Ph.D., University of Virginia

Program Director, Southeast and Older Adults Programs

Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Supervision


Davitta Love, Psy.D., Azusa Pacific University

Southeast Outpatient Program

Trauma, Existentialism, Multiculturalism


Dianne McReynolds, Ph.D., University of Denver

Adult Intensive Services

Ethics, Major Mental Illnesses


Edward P. Miller, Ph.D., University of Louisville

Child Intensive Outpatient

Child Psychology and Solution Focused Therapy


Dawn S. O'Neil, Ph.D., University of Cincinnati

Southeast Outpatient Program

Crisis Intervention, Women's Empowerment, DBT


Brian Scherzer, Ph.D., Graduate School of The Union Institute

Assessment Center

Testing, ADHD, Biofeedback


Dustin Shaver, Psy.D, Argosy University at Phoenix

Southeast Outpatient Program

Trauma, Anxiety, Sports Psychology


David Short, Psy.D., Alliant University, CA SPP at Fresno

Aurora Center for Life Skills

Major Mental Illnesses, Alternative Medicines


Randy C. Stith, Ph.D., St. Louis University

Executive Director, Aurora Mental Health Center

Ethics and Managed Care, Community Mental Health


Richard Swanson, Ph.D., J.D., University of Colorado

Aurora Research Institute

Research and Forensics


Joseph Tadie, Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary

Southeast Adult Outpatient

Mental Health and Religion, Grief and Loss


Alan Toulouse, Ph.D., University of Nebraska

Child and Family South

Child and Family Therapy, Assessment and Consultation


Shawna Urbanski, Psy.D., University of Denver

Aurora Center for Life Skills

Developmental Disabilities, Behavioral Therapy, Consultation


Marla Zeiderman, Psy.D., Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Integrated Care

Psychodynamic Therapy, Post-Surgical Recovery, Consultation