Psychology Field Placement Opportunities
The Counseling Center (CC) addresses the needs of undergraduate and graduate students. Moravian University (MU) has a diverse population of about 2,560 students. MU offers more than 70 programs of undergraduate study leading to five baccalaureate degrees-bachelor of of arts, bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of music, and bachelor of science in nursing. MU offers more than 45 graduate degrees. On average, 1 our of 5 students access services at the CC. We are part of the division of Student Life https://www.moravian.edu/student-life/health-and-safety. Most often, students present to the MUCC for assistance with depression, anxiety, academic concerns, adjustment concerns, and/or relationship challenges.
The MUCC aims to enhance the mental wellness of the MU Community by providing counseling and therapy services, psychiatric services, consultation, and outreach. MUCC staff is strongly committed to providing multiculturally-sensitive and ethically sound services. The MUCC's psychology practicum training program offers a variety of training experiences such as providing individual therapy with a focus on brief therapy, group therapy, intake assessment, crisis intervention, outreach, and consultation. During the year, trainees further develop their skill level, gain more experience with their theoretical orientation and familiarity with other therapeutic orientations, and build their ethical and multicultural competence. The goal is to help trainees develop skills as generalists who can provide effective clinical services. The training program provides an opportunity for trainees to engage in open dialogue and learn from peers and staff through weekly didactic training and case conferences.
MUCC and staff are dedicated to providing practicum training opportunities for graduate students in counseling and psychology at the masters and doctoral level. The following summary of training and service opportunities provides an overview of the various options available during the training experience as well as directions for applying and making an inquiry.
Clinical Training Opportunities
Intake
Trainees participate in initial intake assessments of students. The intake session offers the trainee a range of training experiences, including assessing student risk, conducting bi-psycho-social assessments and creating diagnostic impressions of a student's concerns. At the same time that the trainee is gathering information, he/she/they is building rapport, instilling hope, and providing psychoeducation or information about additional resources on or off campus that may be useful to the student.
Individual Counseling
MUCC offers practicum students the opportunity to conduct counseling with a diverse undergraduate and graduate student population. Student issues cover a variety of concerns (e.g., depression, homesickness, anxiety, etc.) and psychological severity. Trainees typically meet with 4 to 6 individual clients weekly. Trainees are encouraged to develop their ability to conceptualize clients' concerns and are exposed to a variety of theoretical models within individual and group supervision, case conference, seminar, and consultation. Trainees are also encouraged to attend to the process of therapy, the therapeutic relationship and their own reactions. The expectation is that trainees will be able to foster therapeutic relationships with their clients that reflect understanding of the client's concerns and needs, an empathic response, management of their own and client's affect, and attentiveness to the "whole" person. We assist trainees in learning to recognize and address transference and countertransference issues and maintain appropriate boundaries and therapeutic roles.
Group Therapy
Trainees can participate as an observer or co-facilitator for group counseling. An observer serves as the objective observer of group therapy content and process, as the record keeper of group events, and participates in group process with the co-facilitators after a group session. A co-facilitator shares the role of group counselor with a staff counselor at the center. The co-facilitator utilizes the counseling skills unique to group therapy and typically shares the responsibility of planning, forming, and conducting group counseling with the staff counselor.
Outreach
Part of the mission of the MUCC provision of outreach activities to the MU community. Trainees are encouraged to become involved in multiple aspects of outreach programming. Our trainees operate a desk in our HUB for a couple hours each week. Trainees are also encouraged to plan and implement outreach presentations for various departments on campus. In addition, trainees have the opportunity to develop and present outreach in areas of special interest, as well as expand their interests to new topics and populations, and are encouraged to attend to the particular needs of marginalized populations.
Crisis Intervention
College is often a stressful and difficult time for young people and crisis situations often arise. MU students who are in crisis have direct access to our services during the academic school year and may call the MUCC or come to the office. There is also a counselor on-call 24/7 during the academic school year. A crisis call or visit may be initiated by the student him/her/themselves or by anyone in the student's life concerned about them. Trainees have the opportunity to work with student's life crisis, deliver crisis risk assessments and provide co-counseling with other staff members. Trainees do not provide after-hour crisis services.
Consultation
Trainees will engage in consultation and interprofressional communication throughout their year at MUCC. Trainees participate in our multidisciplinary environment where there is frequent consultation between staff. Additionally, trainees have the opportunity to consult with other staff and faculty within the university.
Professional Development
Supervision
MUCC values training, and supervisors are able to set aside time to provide regular supervision. Each trainee student receives two hours of individual supervision, one hour of group supervision (case conference), and one hour of seminar. Supervision focuses on supervisee’s goals and growth areas (e.g., note writing, assessment interpretation). Supervision aims to enhance multiple aspects of counseling work (e.g., conceptualization and treatment planning) and professional development. Supervisors review video/audio-taped clinical sessions as well as provide formative and summative evaluations. We have an open door policy and encourage trainees to consult with available staff members.
Case Presentations
Trainees participate in weekly case presentations in which staff and trainees rotate presenting cases. Trainees are encouraged to consider when presenting their cases including client demographics, presenting concerns, theoretical model, and conceptualization of the client's concerns, possible diagnosis, treatment planning and goals, interventions, multiculturally-focused themes and issues, potential ethical concerns, etc. Case conference provides space built-in for trainees to engage in dialogue, provide feedback and receive feedback from peers and supervisors.
Seminar
Trainees meet weekly for one hours with staff members who have experience on the designated topics. Seminar topics include therapeutic approaches and interventions, concerns prevalent in a college population, to name a few. Please click here for the current seminar schedule.
How To Apply
Please send a cover letter and current curriculum vitae to:
Moravian University Counseling Center
1307 Main Street
Bethlehem PA 18018
If you would prefer to send your information electronically, please send it to counselingcenter@moravian.edu
The placement requires an interview to determine fit and to further explore the trainee's goals and interests. In order to avoid situations that involve dual relationships, we may not be able to accept trainees who have had a significant role on campus working with MU students and/or who have received treatment from MUCC in the past. Given the importance of valuing diversity, the MUCC training program abides by the guidelines set forth by the university regarding non-discrimination and fair treatment policies.