Direct Service Activities

Walk-in intake/Initial Assessment & Consultation/Crisis Intervention
Walk-in sessions are scheduled regularly throughout the week. No appointment is needed for students to use the walk-in services. The intake interview typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes and is done in a triage format. The purpose of the intake interview is to provide students with a prompt mental health consultation resulting in appropriate recommendations.

After an initial period of orientation and training, interns are assigned an intake time, typically three hours each week. This activity is designed to give interns experience with assessment, referral, short-term treatment intervention, crisis intervention and psychiatric consultation. Although there is no after hours emergency coverage, interns gain ample experience with crisis intervention during their walk-in coverage.

Individual/Couples Therapy
Interns provide therapy to students who present with a wide range of issues such as depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationship problems, grief and loss, suicidal ideation, trauma, identity and self-esteem, and personality disorders. Interns carry a caseload of 14 – 17 clients, a portion of which are “long-term” clients, who may be seen for the entire year. Interns may conduct psychological testing as part of the assessment process, refer clients for medication assessment and diagnostic consultation with the Student Health Services, and refer to other resources as needed.

Psychological assessment
Interns incorporate psychological assessment into their work with clients under the supervision of a staff psychologist. Each intern is expected to administer a battery of assessment instruments to individual clients each semester. Most individual clients take the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) and are given 5 axis diagnoses by their therapist. Other assessment instruments often include: MMPI-2, MCMI-III, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-2) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).

Interns also provide a clinical interview and administer the Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.), along with other appropriate diagnostic instruments, to assess attention and impulse control in several areas. Results are communicated to the Student Health Service psychiatrist. Interns will complete a minimum of eight assessments during the year, two of which may be ADHD assessments.

Group Therapy
Interns co-facilitate a process-oriented therapy group during the fall and spring semesters. During orientation, interns have an opportunity to choose from several groups, such as general therapy, bi-polar support group, and other groups that may form each semester to meet the clinical needs of students. Interns are paired with a senior staff psychologist to co-lead the group in the fall. During the spring semester, interns may co-lead a group with a psychology graduate assistant, another intern, or a senior staff member. Interns may develop a group based upon their individual interests for the spring and/or summer semester(s).

Outreach, Consultation and Liaison
The preventive and educational work of the Center is considered an essential service. Interns will provide psychoeducational workshops, training and consultation to the campus community. Recent or ongoing consultations include the Division of Student Affairs, the Black Cultural Center, Campus Ministers, and the Center for International Education. Interns are encouraged to develop expertise in one or more outreach topics and to deliver at least eight outreach presentations over the course of the year. After interns receive training to become certified as QPR Gatekeeper Instructors and assist in training others, they will conduct QPR training for various groups on campus. Senior staff psychologists are heavily involved with consultation on campus and interns are invited to work with senior staff members in the area of consultation relationships.

Supervision of Practicum Student(s)
During the spring semester, interns supervise a doctoral student from the University of Tennessee’s APA-accredited doctoral program in counseling psychology. Interns supervise a case load of no more than two clients. One hour per week is allocated as tape review time. Each practicum supervisee also is supervised by a senior staff licensed psychologist who has the overall responsibility for the practicum student. If this is an area of emphasis, the intern may have the option of supervising more than one student.

Teaching
Interns teach a one-hour academic course during the fall or spring semester. Credit courses include Stress Management and Personal Relationships. Teachers of these courses receive an attendance roster from the department and, at the conclusion of the course, submit grades. Interns also have the opportunity to co-teach one of the Practicum classes with a Counseling Center senior staff psychologist. These are three-hour courses offered through the Counseling Psychology Department.

Emphasis Agreement
An Emphasis Agreement is an individualized agreement between the intern and the Counseling Center delineating each intern’s structured plan to gain experience and skill in particular areas in addition to the general training all interns receive. The goal of this process is to balance the training interest of each intern with the demands for service delivery of the Center. The details of the agreement are negotiated with members of the training staff and approved by the Training Committee. This is an informal agreement that is open for renegotiation as the year progresses. Areas of emphasis may include: Outreach and Consultation, Couples Emphasis, Training and Supervision Emphasis, Working with Athletics, etc. Some emphasis agreements may include assignments at sites external to the Counseling Center on the UT campus (see below for examples). In the past, interns have gained experience at Career Services, the Black Cultural Center and the International House.

Experiences external to the Center
Assignments external to the Center are made around mid-November, with placement in early spring or summer. Interns are given up to four hours release time from the Center each week if approved. Interns may spend up to eight hours a week at Career Services during the spring semester. The opportunity to participate in an external placement is based on availability of the site, sufficient progress toward completion of dissertation, and intern readiness and preferences.

The following descriptions are intended as examples of structured plans for interns to individually tailor their training experience. Senior staff members will direct all experiences.

Examples of structured plans at the Counseling Center

Couples Emphasis
Select client load of three to four couples per semester
Work with at least two different senior staff as co-therapists
Attend conference focusing on couples therapy
Completion of selected readings

Training and Supervision Emphasis
Co-teach a graduate Practicum Class (3 credit hrs)
Supervision of practicum student(s) in the spring semester
Meet weekly with Training Committee
Completion of selected readings

Examples of combination at the Counseling Center & *External Experiences.
Some placements are external to the Counseling Center but are located on campus and serve UT students. Beginning during the spring or summer semester, interns may spend up to four hours a week working in other areas on campus.

Diversity Experience
Selection of clients for diversity
Develop presentations on diversity issues
Serve on the Diversity Committee
*Experience at the Black Cultural Center, International House or Office of Equity and Diversity
Complete selected readings

Prevention
*Serve on the Safety, Environment & Education Center Committee or Subcommittees
Work with clients with addictions/related issues
Complete selected readings

Outreach & Consultation
Vol-aware
QPR
Meet with Outreach Committee
*Collaboration with student health educators

Athletics
Work with student athletes
*Work with Team Enhance
Complete Selected readings