Clinical Psychology Internship

Birds of a Feather are Healing Together at Green Chimneys

June 17, 2022

Available to doctoral students in APA-accredited graduate programs in clinical, combined school-clinical, counseling or school psychology who have completed their course work (and passed their comprehensive exams), Green Chimneys’ Clinical Psychology Internship is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.

The internship has two primary goals: to train interns to become competent clinicians and to prepare them to function as professional psychologists in a clinical, community or school setting. Reaching these goals includes developing and augmenting existing skills in diagnostic interviewing, treatment planning, school consultation, psychotherapy and psychological assessment. Interns further develop their ability to interact with other professionals as members of an interdisciplinary team. They also gain skills in working with schools and community agencies. Additionally, interns are exposed to general professional issues including cultural diversity and ethical functioning.

Internship Qualifications

The Clinical Psychology Internship is open only to currently enrolled 4th year (at a minimum) doctoral students in APA-accredited graduate programs in clinical, combined school-clinical, counseling and school psychology. It is a one-year commitment requiring a full-time schedule of 40 hours/week. The training year begins on or about July 1 and concludes at the end of June of the following year. Information regarding trainee admissions, support and outcome data is presented on pages 20-24 in the Internship Handbook (see link above).

Training Curriculum for Clinical Psychology Interns:

Conduct psychological, psycho-educational and neuropsychological assessments with a diverse population in a variety of clinical settings, including residential care, day treatment, group homes and partial hospitalization.

Conduct individual, group and family therapy with children and adolescents falling within a broad spectrum of Axis I and II diagnoses.

Gain exposure to a culturally diverse population, including LGBTQ young adults.

Work as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes teachers, social workers, childcare workers and psychiatrists.

Become exposed to roles as consultants in a special education setting.

Learn about aftercare services and community resources through interactions with the Social Services Department.

Attend professional presentations throughout the agency and have the opportunity to attend relevant seminars and workshops outside the agency. Time is allotted for attendance at professional conferences.

Participate in ongoing research projects and ability to conduct their own research within the agency.

Present own work at case conferences and continuing education seminars.

Work closely with senior staff through co-therapy, with numerous opportunities to observe staff conducting assessments, leading conferences and conducting consultations with other agency staff.

Barred Owl

This barred owl fell from his nest and ended up on the ground in New Paltz, NY where he was rescued and cared for but it was quickly apparent that he was severely disfigured. He had a twisted, crooked beak, his wing feathers weren’t fully developed and one eye was shut while the other did not look as it should. This was not a bird that could be released back into the wild. Green Chimneys wildlife specialists worked with a local veterinary hospital to improve the bird’s health and determined that the owl was totally blind in one eye and 80-90% blind in the other.