K-State CAPS Practicum Training

Practicum therapists will provide short-term individual therapy (e.g., 8-15 sessions or less) to K-State students for a wide range of presenting concerns, with increased responsibility likely to occur throughout the training experience as the practicum therapist demonstrates increased competency and skill. For example, working with high-risk clients and those with more complex presenting problems (e.g., clients with suicidal ideation and trauma histories).

Practicum therapists receive one hour of individual clinical supervision per week. Each therapist will be assigned one supervisor, who may be a permanent staff member or a Doctoral Intern in Health Service Psychology. To provide a variety of supervisory experiences, practicum therapists may switch their supervisor after the semester break, if staff are available to do so. Supervisees may also participate in group supervision. All supervision sessions are videotaped. The functions of the supervisory relationship include monitoring client welfare, enhancing therapeutic skills and multicultural competence, promoting personal and professional growth, and ongoing evaluation of the practicum therapist's professional development and training needs. Practicum therapists are required to prepare for supervision (e.g., be ready to discuss clients and professional growth, watch taped sessions, and have clips identified to review with supervisor).

Practicum therapists are required to attend weekly case conferences, typically on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. These are one-hour conferences with a multidisciplinary team comprised of CAPS providers, health center medical providers, and other trainees. The purpose of the case conference meeting is to provide clinicians and trainees with opportunities to offer and receive consultative support regarding clients with whom they are working, learn about other assessment and treatment interventions, increase knowledge about helpful resources available to clients, celebrate successes in work with clients, be exposed to various theoretical frameworks employed by team members, and hone case conceptualization skills. Practicum therapists have the opportunity to present a formal case presentation at the end of the spring semester.

Practicum therapists are required to attend weekly CAPS all staff meetings typically held on Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. In those meetings clinical procedures, policies, outreach opportunities, relevant updates and concerns regarding agency operation, and issues pertaining to treatment services are discussed.

If you are a student of the K-State Couples and Family Therapy, you may apply for a Graduate Assistantship Practicum Therapist position at CAPS. It requires a commitment of 20 hours each week. Master students will receive a $10,000 USD stipend, and PhD students will receive a $12,000 USD stipend. At this time, we are not offering tuition reimbursement. If students are not able to commit 20 hours in office but are able to commit to a minimum of 12 hours, they can still apply for a (non-graduate assistantship) practicum therapist position.