Speciality Areas
Specialty Areas
Special Overview
Career Counseling
ADHD Assessment
Behavioral Health and Wellness
Employee Assistance Program
Relationship, Violence & Alcohol Awareness Program
Administration
Animal-Human Interactions Therapy
Research
SPECIALTY AREAS
Overview
Interns will be able to choose two specialty areas they would like to focus on during the internship year (six month rotation). While the mandatory competencies are reflective of the functions of a generalist psychologist, the specialty areas are where each intern has the opportunity to tailor their training experience to their professional interests. As stated previously, the two educational models integrated into the training of interns, practitioner/scholar and scientist/practitioner, are considerations that might come into the decision making process interns draw upon as they determine the two specialty areas they would like to focus on. Interns should consult with their individual supervisors as they determine which specialty areas they choose as some of the specialty areas have prerequisite requirements (e.g., having attended assessment courses prior to doing the ADHD Assessment Specialty or a career theory course prior to taking the Career Counseling Specialty).
Interns could choose to specialize in any of the treatment modalities mentioned-this would allow the intern to spend more time devoted to providing the particularly chosen modality beyond what is expected for the mandatory competency.
Return to TopCareer Counseling Specialty
The provision of career counseling is believed to be an important component in increasing many students' academic success, sense of self and well-being. Additionally, career counseling supports the university's mission statement to "continue strengthening retention efforts to assist students with transition to college life, career decision making, and progress toward degrees. " Consequently, interns who choose this specialty will be able to provide career counseling and will learn how to integrate career and personal counseling during the internship year. Interns could also choose to conduct structured career groups and might have the option of teaching an 8-week career course for undergraduates.
ADHD Assessment Specialty
Interns could specialize in conducting the psychological assessments required for students who might be struggling with ADHD and able to benefit from various treatment options (including medications, therapy) and/or from services through the Students with Disabilities Office associated with Counseling and Student Development.
Return to TopBehavioral Health and Wellness Specialty
Interns choosing this specialty area will have the opportunity to work with various health education programs often associated with the Health Education Program from the Student Health Center such as National Depression Awareness Day, Eating Disorder Awareness, etc. Interns could also become trained in the use of biofeedback as a technique for stress management. There are many other possible opportunities within this specialty area that interns could create for themselves along with the support and approval of the training staff.
Return to TopEmployee Assistance Program Specialty
Interns focusing on this specialty would be able to work with the EAP service on campus that provides counseling, referral and consultation services for faculty and staff employees who are experiencing personal and or work related problems. Depending upon the demand for services, interns could receive supervised experience in providing an educational seminar, participate in a consultation project or provide mediation to resolve a workplace conflict.
Return to TopRelationship Violence and Alcohol Awareness Programming Specialty
The WAVE (Wellness, Alcohol and Violence Education) program is associated with Counseling and Student Development and provides multiple opportunities for interns to provide outreach services or consultation within these interest areas.
Return to TopAdministration Specialty
Interns interested in the administrative aspect of directing a Counseling Center may choose this specialty and work with the Director of the Center on various projects such as assisting the Center in integrating the recommendations from the Multicultural Consultation Project conducted by a past intern, creating written materials for the Center, speaking about Counseling Center services to various departments, evaluating the services of the Center or examining the clinical data regarding who is using our services, what types of presenting concerns are more predominant, etc.
Return to TopAnimal-Human Interactions Specialty
This specialty area is for interns who are interested in integrating animal-human interactions with their clinical practice and/or research. The NMSU Counseling Center has an Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) Program that has been incorporated into therapy services (individual, couple, group), crisis intervention, and with outreach/consultation services provided by staff. Predoctoral interns who want to pursue training in AAT would first need to have their companion animal certified by an apporpriate agency (e.g., Delta Society, Therapy Dogs International) prior to integrating the companion animal into any work done at the Center and on campus.
Return to TopResearch Specialty
While all interns will have professional development time they can devote to working on their dissertations, this specialty area is for the intern who is currently conducting research other than their dissertation, is interested in joining a professional staff member's current research project, or would like to work with the Director of the Center on a research project associated with Counseling Center data.
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