Training Programs
Doctoral students are offered a wide range of training at FCTP in the practice of psychology, including mentoring in the business skills necessary for success in independent practice. All applicants to FCTP should be interested in working in a setting with a feminist, multicultural orientation, and should be comfortable working autonomously; Many of our clients have a complex trauma history, and applicants should be interested in serving this population.
Successful applicants will have pursued additional training in specific treatment modalities such as EMDR, FAP, ACT, or DBT so as to best serve the client population seeking our services. Strong skill in all modalities of psychological assessment and report writing is required. For pre-doctoral internship slots, preference will be given to applicants who, for family or personal reasons, are unable to leave the greater Seattle area for their intern year. All training positions are unpaid.
Predoctoral practicum program
The practicum at FCTP is designed for doctoral students in their second or subsequent practicum year. Predoctoral practicum students are typically on-site the equivalent of two full days per week for ten or twelve month assignments and carry a load of between 8 and 10 client contact hours weekly. Student times on-site are scheduled by arrangement with the clinic director. Practicum students also conduct psychological evaluations on behalf of referring therapists, community agencies, and the courts. Currently practicum students receive one hour of individual supervision weekly, one hour of group supervision weekly, and are eligible to participate in the peer consult group.
Predoctoral internship
The predoctoral internship is a year-long, full-time, 2000 hour internship. Interns are expected to be on-site four full days per week, with a fifth day reserved for professional development activities as negotiated with the clinic director. Interns are expected to have completed comprehensive examinations and defended their dissertation proposal prior to commencing their intern year, which normally runs either from July through June or from January through December. Start time exceptions may be available for interns whose personal or family circumstances may preclude a July or January start date. Half-time internships that extend over a two-year time period may be available in rare circumstances.
Interns are expected to have case load of between 15 and 20 face to face contact hours weekly. They staff intakes for new clients at FCTP, work with the director to assign cases to practicum students, and conduct on-going psychotherapy with their own clients. They offer individual and group supervision to practicum students weekly, conduct psychological evaluations on behalf of referring therapists, community agencies and the courts, and consult to other psychotherapists and health care providers. Interns receive at a minimum two hours weekly of individual supervision, one hour weekly of group supervision, participate in a peer consultation group. Interns are funded by FCTP for the didactic training program of their choice during their intern year in consultation with the clinic director.
Because of its independent practice focus, acquisition of business skills is a second component of training at FCTP. Interns are expected to develop business plans for their future independent practice of psychology. They will research and present to the training group information about practice development, and demonstrate competency in those skills in addition to competency in skills of psychotherapy, assessment, supervision, and consultation.
Pre-Internship and Post-Doctoral Training Program
As the Washington law for psychologists moves toward changing in September, 2009, FCTP is pleased to offer pre-internship and post-doctoral training programs. These programs are designed in consultation with the trainee, and may extend over a time period longer than one year in order to meet the contact hours and supervision requirements of the 2009 licensing law. Doctoral students in psychology interested in pursuing one of these kinds of training opportunities should contact Dr. Brown directly to inquire into availability. Application requirements for pre-internship and post-doctoral training are the same as those for practicum and pre-doctoral internship.
Application for training positions
Graduate students currently enrolled in doctoral programs in clinical or counseling psychology who are interested in interviewing for a training slot with FCTP should submit the following materials:
- A letter of intent, describing their interest in working at FCTP, and whether they are applying for a practicum or internship position.
- A copy, with names and other identifying information redacted for purposes of confidentiality, of a recent assessment report or an indepth case conceptualization of work with a psychotherapy case.
- A copy of their current CV.
- Letters from three professional references who know their clinical work well. Letters should be detailed and speak specifically to the applicant's capacities for clinical work, capacities for critical thinking, autonomy, and maintenance of boundaries in the professional context.
- A 6-8 page double spaced essay describing an ethical dilemma they have encountered during their clinical work and training to date, and their process of responding to that ethical dilemma.
- A copy of any licensure or certification they possess. Trainees at FCTP must hold a Washington Registered Counselor certificate at a minimum.
All materials should be addressed to Laura S. Brown, Ph.D. ABPP, FCTP, 3429 Fremont Pl N. #319, Seattle WA 98103, or may be sent electronically to: therapyproject[at]yahoo[dot]com. Interviews will be required of all finalists for training positions.
Deadlines for application materials:
- For July internship starts, all materials should be submitted on or before January 1.
- For January internship starts, all materials should be submitted on or before July 1.
- For pre-internship and practicum positions, all materials should be submitted on or before February 1.
- Applications for post-doctoral positions have no formal deadline.
Statement of non-discriminatory policies
FCTP is an equal opportunity training institution. We embrace diversity, and welcome trainees, staff and clients irrespective of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or immigration status.