As a resident engaged in all aspects of University Counseling and Wellbeing Center service, you'll become prepared for independent work as a licensed psychologist as well as become a highly competitive candidate for university counseling center positions. We're proud to offer two, full-time, 12-month postdoctoral residency programs each academic year.

Our team provides therapeutic services to undergraduate and graduate students. As a resident, you'll have the opportunity to work across the spectrum of therapeutic services offered by the counseling center. Additionally, residents are encouraged to take on new responsibilites that meet their individual training goals as they progress through the year. 

Developing World-Class Expertise

Residents will further develop their expertise through a comprehensive professional experience.

Individual therapeutic services are the primary activity of residents at the center. Residents have approximately 15-20 individual therapy appointments per week. If interested, postdoctoral residents may also have the opportunity to provide couples therapy.
Residents co-lead weekly group therapy and/or weekly Seminars. With it's focus on support, the Group Therapy program is designed to meet student needs, therefore, Group Therapy offerings change from year to year. The Seminar program is a unique opportunity for our students to engage in psychoeducational therapeutic services. 
Residents will serve as individual supervisors for doctoral student trainees fulfilling a practicum placement at the center ( one supervisee per semester). Residents will engage in weekly supervision of supervision with attention to their developmental level as related to supervision. 
Crisis intervention includes situations that arise during regular working hours. After-hours crisis and emergency support is provided through Resolve Crisis Mobile Services. Counseling center staff work to closely with the Office of Residence Life and Campus Police in recieving follow up on the students who utilized the after- hours Resolve Crisis Support. 
The Counseling Services staff is consulted by offices and departments within the University for programming on mental health issues and provides consultation on student- related problems for faculty and staff. Residents participate in planning and delivery of psycho-educational workshops for students, faculty, staff and parents. In addition to workshops, the Counseling Services sponsors outreach activities and participates in University-wide outreach events. Post- Doctoral residents play an important and vital role in fulfilling the centers' outreach requests.

Gain Top-Notch Skills in a Supportive Environment

Our counseling center team provides therapeutic services to undergraduate and graduate students within our wellbeing framework. As a resident, you'll have the opportunity to increase your clinical independence by providing a spectrum of therapeutic services within supportive and collaborative environment of our counseling center. Residents will receive mentoring and guidance about the licensure process as they complete this capstone training experience. 

 

  • Salary: $35,568.00

  • Health Insurance

  • Approximately 20 paid holidays / Holy days

  • Sick Leave

The residency consists of at least 1,750 hours of supervised professional psychological activities, and it meets the postdoctoral supervised experience requirements for licensure in Pennsylvania.

Residents have access to the counseling center library of training materials, as well as the University library. Each resident is provided a private office with computer, internet access and video recording capabilities. 

 

Preparing You For Your Future

The core of the resident's training includes individual and group counseling with undergraduate and graduate students, individual supervision, and consultation/outreach. You'll gain skills needed for success in independent practice as an individual therapist, group therapist or supervisor in a university setting as well as the ability to autonomously provide consultation and outreach.

After an intensive orientation during the summer semester, residents begin to build a caseload of individual clients for weekly or bi-weekly short-term therapy over the fall semester. During the busiest times of the year, residents may schedule an average of 15-22 individual therapy sessions per week. Two hours of individual supervision, two hours of supervision of supervision/supervision of groups, two hours of postdoc seminar and one hour of case conference are scheduled each week.

The residency program provides ongoing, planned training experiences that focuses on assuring breadth and quality of training while delivering high-quality counseling services for Duquesne University students.

Our training program prioritizes:

  • Opportunities for the development and refinement of clinical skills to facilitate practice at an entry level for professional psychology positions
  • Specialized training in the practice of psychology in the university setting, to include direct service to student populations, outreach and consultation to the campus community, and guided experiences with university administrative duties and functions
  • Fostering an increased sense of ethical responsibility and professional identity
  • Respect and appreciation for diversity
  • A training experience that serves to facilitate continued professional and personal growth
  • Ensuring the quality and relevancy of the training program by on-going program evaluation.
  • Individual mentoring through the licensure process.

 

 

Contact Us

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Amy Horton, PsyD

Assistant Director, Training Coordinator