Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

Practicum

Training Experience

Our staff are invested and passionate about providing training for developing practitioners. In supervision, we utilize a developmental approach tailored to the needs of each practicum student’s strengths and needs, centered in relational, multicultural and feminist theory. We are also intentional to provide group supervision and didactic training in treatment approaches and topics relevant to the students we serve. Oberlin students a represent diverse and intersecting identities across dimensions of neurodiversity, ethnicity/ race, sexuality, gender, and geographical origin (only 9% are of students are from Ohio and 12% of Oberlin students are international, representing almost 50 countries) and arrive to the center with a wide range of presenting concerns. 

Direct hours at the counseling center include providing individual intakes and therapy as well as opportunities for group and outreach. While our model is generally seeing clients on an every-other-week basis, we do allow our practicum students opportunities for cases that they see weekly. We believe our short-term model allows practicum students to develop their therapeutic style and integrate relational and client-centered approaches in a time-limited setting. The skills developed in short-term treatment planning, conceptualization, and intervention are essential and transferable to any future clinical setting (including college counseling, private-practice, and integrated healthcare settings).  

Practicum students are provided the use of a furnished office and personal computer during their scheduled clinical hours. Office time will also be provided in order to complete documentation and review therapy recordings. Practicum students share offices with the psychiatry staff and have access to these offices on the days that psychiatric services are not provided.

Supervision and Training Activities 

  • Individual Supervision (1 hour per week)
  • Group Supervision (1 hours a month) including
    • Didatic training  on topics relevant to college counseling 
    • Case conferences 
    • Tape review 

Terms of Service

Trainees begin working the week before fall semester. This usually falls around the fourth week of August. Orientation is provided during that first week. It is typical for trainees to work 2 days a week for approximately 8-16 hours per week, with 10 of those hours designated for direct client contact hours. Trainees are asked to be present during the center’s hours of operation.

Qualifications

  1. Currently a graduate student in a doctoral program in counseling or clinical psychology OR master's program in social work or marriage and family therapy. 
  2. Preference will be given to students who have completed at least one prior year of practicum experience.
  3. Preference will be given to students who value ongoing development of multicultural competence and who have an express interest in working with college students. 

Application Procedure

  • Application Deadline: 5:00PM on Friday, February 21st
  • Interviews Conducted: Monday, February 10th- Friday, Feburary 28th
  • Offers Made by: Monday, March 17th 

Available positions: CAPS can accommodate three to four practicum students for the Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 academic year. 

Please provide the following materials if you would like to be considered for a spot in our training program: 

  1. Letter of interest in outlining your enthusasim for working with OCC students at CAPS, summarizing relevant experience and training, and including clear specifications for the number of practicum hours per week needed 
  2. Current resume or curriculum vita 
  3. Contact information for 2-3 references

Please send materials to Alexis.DaFonseca@oberlin.edu