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Predoctoral Psychology Internship Training Program

Welcome to the Internship Program at James Madison University's Counseling and Student Development Center! The following information is intended to give you an overview of the Counseling Center, James Madison University and the surrounding geographical area, and the goals and objectives of the Predoctoral Internship in Professional Psychology. Please feel free to contact the Training Director, Laura Sobik, Ph.D., by phone (540) 568-6552 or at sobikle@jmu.edu if you have any questions about our program or the application process.

The Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) offers a comprehensive twelve-month Predoctoral Internship in Professional Psychology for students working toward their doctoral degrees in counseling or clinical psychology. Emphasis is placed on training interns to perform the primary functions of a university counseling center psychologist, with generalizable skills transferable to a wide variety of settings. Two interns are admitted to the internship program per academic year, and each intern works 40-42 hours per week. All interns engage in a three-week period of orientation in August designed to assist them in getting to know CSDC staff and also to become familiar with the mission and staff of other offices within the Division of Student Affairs and University Planning. During orientation, interns begin to define specific training goals for the internship year. While there are core required components of the internship program, each intern's training experiences are individualized as much as possible to more effectively meet the developmental needs and interests of each intern.

Accreditation

• Fully accredited by the American Psychological Association for a seven-year term starting July 2006
• NMS Program Code: 164911
• An APPIC Member Program
• To contact the Committee on Accreditation:

  Committee on Accreditation
  c/o Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
  Education Directorate
  American Psychological Association
  750 First Street NE Washington, DC 20002-4242
  (202) 336-5979

Mission and Philosophy

The Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) aims to provide a safe, supportive, trusting, and confidential environment which empowers students to develop the awareness, values and skills they will need to meet future challenges and lead vital, meaningful lives. The Center is committed to collaborating and partnering with other Student Affairs units and University divisions, serving as consultants to our educational colleagues on psychological matters, and playing an integral role in the management of emergencies and crises affecting our students. The Center further enhances the educational mission of the University by integrating the training of new mental health professionals within the provision of counseling services.

The Center's staff is committed to personal, professional, and organizational development, and we continuously assess all aspects of our agency and training program to guarantee the highest quality of service and to ensure that we are responsive to the changing demands of students, faculty, and staff at James Madison University. We are guided by a spirit of acceptance, respect, and trust toward one another and those that we serve. The Center is fully accredited by the International Association of Counseling Centers and resides in the Division of Student Affairs. The mission of the Division is to "prepare students to be educated and enlightened citizens," and individual departments strive to provide the best possible programs and services to assist students in realizing success in all areas of life.

Counseling Services

Through individual therapy, group counseling and outreach programming, the center serves as the primary mental health agency for a student body of over 16,000 students. Each year, the CSDC provides personal counseling to over 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students at James Madison University, and we serve as an assessment and referral source for students with more serious and chronic psychological difficulties. The center provides seven major services: 1) individual and group counseling, 2) outreach and psychoeducational programming, 3) consultative services to the University community, 4) training of new professionals, 5) teaching and participation in University educational projects, 6) crisis intervention and 7) evaluation activities to improve the efficacy of services.

The CSDC Environment

The environment at the JMU Counseling and Student Development Center is one of collaboration, warmth, self-awareness, challenge, encouragement, and collegiality – among faculty, staff, and trainees alike. We believe that our best work can be done through clear communication, professionalism, trust, and mutual support.

To give you a better idea if you would happy here at the CSDC, we put together a compilation of characteristics of successful interns at our program:

You might want to work here if...

• You would like to be appreciated for creativity, hard work, and flexibility.
• You are open to sharing your secret stashes of chocolate and/or turkey jerky and feel comfortable asking for the same in others.
• You want to be acknowledged for your strengths and you want to be supportively encouraged to challenge your growth areas.
• You enjoy the smell of popcorn wafting through the building at 3:00 p.m. several days a week.
• You want to work with people who show true and sincere compassion for you - be it during your first shift of emergency coverage or in response to your need for a space heater on a summer day because your AC has your office near freezing!
• You possess an attitude of openness to personal and professional feedback.
• You can handle very diverse musical tastes throughout the building.
• You enjoy the occasional staff outing (involving family members and significant others) to foster cohesion and collegiality among staff, and to celebrate the ups and downs of our work and personal lives.
• You can appreciate diversity in its many forms: ethnicity/race, education, body size, sexual orientation, religion, able-bodiedness, international status, socio-economic status, gender expression, etc.
• You enjoy meetings that are effective, irreverent at times, but always get the job done.
• You value colleagues with a sense of humor (bad puns, email banter, and yes, occasional knock-knock jokes).
• You would appreciate free university housing in downtown Harrisonburg (cable and utilities included).

The Specifics on Our Training Program

Training Philosophy, Goals & Objectives
Internship Activities
Appointment Stipend & Benefits
The Application Process
The CSDC Staff

JMU and the Shenandoah Valley Region

Located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, James Madison University is a selective, regional, comprehensive, and student-oriented public institution. In a 2003 national ranking of "schools with outstanding examples of academic programs that lead to student success," the U.S. News & World Report ranked JMU in the top 25 of America's Best Colleges for its service-learning programs, which emphasize volunteering in the community as an integral part of the classroom instruction and learning experience. More Pictures of JMU's Campus

Money Magazine identified the Shenandoah Valley as one of the twelve best places to spend a summer vacation. That list also included the Virgin Islands, San Diego, and Vancouver. The natural scenic beauty of the area is accompanied by a variety of recreational opportunities and historic sites. The University is located approximately two hours from both the Washington, D.C., and Richmond metropolitan areas. More information on the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County