The following skill areas of Clinical Psychology are part of the Woods Creek Psychological Group (WCP Group) Internship Program: assessment and diagnosis, effective intervention, consultation and evaluation, and supervision. Training takes place in a clinical office setting and offers interns training in general clinical psychology, as well as the opportunity to concentrate on specific areas of psychology, such as couples counseling, family counseling, play therapy with children, art therapy, working with different age groups such as children, adolescents, young adults, adults, and elders. WCP Group provides psychological services for individuals experiencing depression, mood disorders, anxiety and/or panic, post traumatic stress, obsessions/compulsions, addiction, anger, chronic pain, eating disorders, transgender issues, and personality disorders.
The primary goal is for interns to learn how to practice Clinical Psychology by developing the capacity to integrate scientific knowledge that informs clinical practice as well as the integration of key concepts and principles such as empathic imagination, gatekeeping, and imaginal inquiry.
Because WCP Group is a clinical setting, a secondary goal of our training program is to provide the opportunity for preparation in areas related to patient populations served and skills and competencies needed to function in a clinical setting, such as: communication with peers; communication with other care providers such as doctors, therapists, referring agencies; scheduling; billing; referrals; legal and ethical considerations. While formal research opportunities are possible, performing research as an intern is not mandatory, and the primary emphasis is on providing an intensive supervised experience that develops a practitioner who uses scientific and imaginal skills for both a general and specialized clinical practice. At the completion of the program, interns are expected to have developed proficiency in observation, interviewing, assessment, consultation and evaluation, report-writing, psychotherapy, imaginal-based treatments, mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and group therapy, which will serve them in subsequent clinical practice.
Internship Program Requirements
Interns are required to work as employees of WCP Group, as stipulated by the California Board of Psychology or the Board of Behavioral Science. Supervision is provided by licensed clinical psychologists who have successfully completed the required California Board of Psychology and APA-approved clinical supervision courses. Interns do not pay for supervision.
Interns receive patient referrals from WCP Group staff, as these referrals become available, which is usually on a weekly basis.
Interns have access to individual/couples/assessment/testing therapy offices, as well as a family therapy/art therapy/play therapy room. In addition, interns have use of a library of psychological reference books and training materials, a break and charting room, unlimited internet access, as well as office furniture, equipment, and supplies as needed.
Interns are provided with and receive training in an on-line psychological record keeping system that meets current HIPPA standards. Interns are expected to have their own laptap computer and/or tablet. Interns are expected to maintain current and complete records on their patients, to update their online schedules on a weekly basis, and indicate on a weekly basis when their records are ready for the billing service which is provided.
Interns must meet the requirements for and be registered with the California Board of Psychology as Registered Psychological Assistants or with the Board of Behavioral Science as Interns before seeing patients. Interns pay for their individual liability insurance and fees related to their own registration and testing with the California Board of Psychology or the Board of Behavioral Science.
Internship Program Locations
WCP Group is located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada foothill community of historic Sonora, California — the county seat of Tuolumne County. Our offices are at 103 South Forest Road, along the banks of Woods Creek. All therapy offices (except the play therapy room) have serene and lush views overlooking this wooded riparian area. Although the city of Sonora has a small population (approximately 5000), businesses in Sonora serve not only the population of Tuolumne County (approximately 54,000), but also nearby counties. Sonora is situated approximately 90 miles east of San Francisco, one hour north of Yosemite, at an elevation of 1800 feet – so is minutes away from the lakes and rivers found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sonora living is relaxed, not crowded, has light traffic, inexpensive rentals, and is nestled in a beautiful, hilly oak and pine studded natural environment. See www.sonoraca.com and www.visittuolumne.com for more information about the Sonora area and Tuolumne County.
To Learn More About WCP Group Internship
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Dr. Susan Day at 209-533-1699 or email her at sday@woodscreekgroup.com to arrange for an interview. Since our office is a close-knit working group, we are looking for individuals who are committed to completing an internship period of 1,500 to 3,000 hours, able to work a 4-to-5-day-week schedule, and open to personal and professional growth.