Externship Program

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Schedule of Activities

Additional Information

Application Process

The Catholic University Counseling Center offers an externship program for advanced doctoral students in Clinical Psychology, Counseling, or Counseling Psychology and for advanced graduate students in Social Work.

This part-time training program is ideal for students looking to hone their clinical skills, expand their theoretical knowledge, and collaborate in a multidisciplinary environment. The Counseling Center's externship program has an integrative theoretical perspective with a specialized focus on multiculturalism.

The Counseling Center serves as the primary mental health agency for Catholic University students. It provides a broad range of direct services, including individual and group therapy, consultation, outreach, and emergency response programs.

Training Philosophy

At the Catholic U Counseling Center, we are committed to the three Cs: Comprehensive, Culture, and Community. By providing training in multidisciplinary and multitheoretical service delivery, nuanced exploration of identity and culture, and a cohesive support system, we offer externs the opportunity to be challenged and excel in their training as future social workers and psychologists.

Comprehensive

Short-term and long-term therapy
Group therapy
Walk-in consultations
Intake assessments
Outreach
Psychiatry consultations
Individual supervision
Group supervision
Case conference
Exposure to CBT, DBT, ACT, multicultural, and psychodynamic approaches

Culture

Learn how to understand clients as multicultural beings with diverse
identities
Specialized training in understanding spirituality as an element of diversity
Biweekly Multicultural Spotlight to understand your own identities and how they affect clinical work
Weekly Considering Culture in Case Conference
Monthly Book Club to discuss relevant social justice issues

Community

Diverse extern cohort of social work and psychology graduate students
Agency culture of support and collaboration
Connection to other offices in the Division of Student Affairs
Lifelong membership in a rich community of Catholic U Counseling Center training alumni throughout the Washington, DC area