John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

The overarching goal of the externship is to recruit, select, and train qualified psychology externs whose career goals include providing clinical services to adults on an individual and group basis, and engaging in consultation and outreach efforts. The nature of the program prepares the extern for pre-doctoral internship, work in university counseling centers and other outpatient settings through clinical, supervision, and consultation/outreach experiences in an academic support and service setting. The program does not subscribe to a single theoretical orientation, but draws from multicultural counseling, interpersonal-psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and family systems perspectives in fostering the trainees’ ability to conceptualize and intervene at multiple levels. In accordance with the College’s mission to endow students with capacity for personal and social growth and creative problem solving, we emphasize developmental concerns such as shifting role in family and development of relationship and vocational identities.

Extern Activities

The externship is composed of a number of components. The following list details the estimated amount of time an extern is required to devote to specific training and service activities. Total hours range between 16-20 hours depending on the externs school requirements.

Walk-in/Intake
The Counseling Department sees clients on a walk-in or appointment basis. During walk-in hours externs are available in their assigned offices to meet with students typically for one-time academic advisement related sessions or to conduct non-appointment intake assessments.

On-Going Individual Counseling
Most externs are required to maintain a caseload of on-going clients. Individual counseling hours provide the time for this mode of intervention. Externs see scheduled appointments during these hours (some of which will include brief counseling with students on probation).

Group/Workshop/Consultation
Externs have the option to select one of numerous modes of counseling intervention beyond individual counseling for one hour per week. Opportunities for co-leading groups, presenting workshop seminars and consulting to special groups within the college community are available.

Community Outreach: Tabling
Making services available to the college community beyond the walls of the counseling center is an important part of our mission. Externs participate in community outreach such as psychoeducation, depression, anxiety, eating disorder and alcohol screening through staffing information tables in public campus locations.

Individual Clinical Supervision
Each extern will receive one hour of individual supervision weekly from a full-time faculty or staff member. Externs may request additional supervision support as needed for their group counseling or other intervention activity.

Group Clinical Supervision
The externs meet weekly for one hour with the graduate training coordinator for clinical case and outreach supervision, didactic or experiential training. Guest speakers present throughout the academic year on topics relevant to clinical training.

Group Academic Advisement Supervision
Each week for one hour the Coordinator of Academic Advisement meets with the externs to provide training and supervision for academic related issues.

Administrative Time
One hour each week is allotted for preparation and completion of case notes and preparation for group or outreach activities.