Internship Training

Welcome to the NMSU Counseling Center Predoctoral Internship Program. We are pleased that you want to learn more about our site and how we may fit with your training interests. We wish you all the best in your internship site search!

Training Program General Overview

There are several overarching philosophical principles that serve as the framework for the training program at NMSU. First and foremost, the Counseling Center makes every effort to provide clients and the university community with the highest quality service possible. The training program is a valued aspect of the Center and is given the greatest level of agency commitment, secondary only to client service. As a result, interns are offered training opportunities and didactic instruction in providing quality services to our clientele. We are dedicated to promoting the development and training of the interns in becoming competent professional service providers.

The educational model underlying the training of interns is a combination of the scientist/practitioner and practitioner/scholar models depending on the educational background and training of the intern as well as the professional path the intern has determined for him/herself. Both models are viewed as having legitimacy in the practice of psychology.

A primary goal of the training program is the commitment to preparing interns to be “generalist” practitioners, as well as professionals who are skilled in specialty areas of interest. As a result, all interns will be trained in the same general competencies that are functions typically required of any professional staff employed within a university Counseling Center (e.g., individual counseling, outreach, assessment, crisis). Additionally, interns will choose a specialty area each semester that uniquely fits their continuing education and career goals. The internship year is viewed as a time of transition—from the student role to the professional role. Interns are encouraged to use this year as an opportunity to master and fine-tune those skills necessary for professional practice.

Another training goal of internship is exploring cultural diversity from a variety of perspectives, in terms of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, size, and ability. Interns are encouraged to examine their own cultural experiences, as well as appreciate the similarities and differences among their peers, colleagues, supervisors, and clients. Diversity is not only addressed in the Multicultural Seminar but is integrated within the competency areas and clinical work. This work is supported within the diverse atmosphere of NMSU, where the student body is comprised of three predominant cultures: Latino/a, American Indian, and Anglo. The NMSU community also supports international, Asian American, and African American students.

An additional goal of the training program is based upon the belief that learning is best accomplished when conducted in a setting that provides both a challenge in terms of the professional experience as well as a warm supportive atmosphere from which interns can participate in self-reflection, processing and integrating their experience. This type of learning atmosphere is emphasized in the individual supervision as well as the group supervision and training seminars. Interns are encouraged to use the internship experience as a vehicle for personal and professional exploration.