Psychological Services Center Overview

 The LIU Post Psychological Services Center (PSC) provides a year-long (September – July) practicum training experience for all students in their second year of the LIU-Post Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology (terminal degree Psy.D.). The PSC practicum distinguishes itself from other institutions and doctoral programs in clinical psychology in several ways. These distinguishing factors – indeed advantages – fall under several domains:

• A high degree of integration with the LIU-Post doctoral program – facilitating the translation of theory and coursework to application and intervention.

• Physical proximity to the academic seat of the LIU-Post doctoral program – facilitating the continuation of coursework and the transition to fieldwork.

• A wealth of diversity in clinical, research, and consultation training experiences.

• An abundance of supervision of all forms of practicum work; and,

• Numerous opportunities for collaboration with and service to the LIU-Post community (including undergraduates, staff, and administration) and communities locally and worldwide.

The following details are of the specific activities and advantages these activities provide for PSC practicum students, also known as Graduate Student Therapists or GSTs. – the terms are used interchangeably.

Integration with the LIU-Post Doctoral Program

The PSC offers doctoral students training that complements and adds to their academic instruction within the doctoral program. While all courses prepare doctoral students to function as psychologists, some intersections of academic coursework and PSC practicum work warrant particular mention.

Assessment – part of the requirements for successful completion of the PSC practicum include the administration of at least two complete assessment batteries. These batteries must entail multiple domains of functioning (i.e., cognitive, personality, etc…) to ensure that the practicum student can consolidate the often complex and extensive information a psychological assessment can produce.

During the first year of graduate training, doctoral students take several assessment courses. These include Psy 803 (Cognitive and Neuropsychological Assessment), Psy 826 (Clinical Interviewing), Psy 804 (Personality Assessment), and Psy 851 (Assessment of Children).

During their practicum at the PSC, students apply what they have learned during their first year in the application of numerous assessment tools that include, but are not limited to, those that measure:

• Cognitive functioning (e.g., the WISC);

• Academic achievement (e.g., the WIAT);

• Personality dynamics (e.g., the Rorschach); and/or,

• Neuropsychological functioning (e.g., the CCPT).

In their second year, graduate students take Psy 805 (Integrating Test Findings and Report Writing) during their PSC practicum. Their experiences conducting assessments at the PSC bring this area of their training “to life.” The strategic scheduling of this course allows the students to apply academic knowledge immediately to the interventions they are providing.

Theoretical Orientation – the LIU-Post Doctoral Psychology program emphasizes the mastery of two major theoretical orientations: Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) and Psychodynamic theories and techniques of clinical intervention. Of course, clients coming in for service do not present with specifically “CBT” or “psychodynamic” concerns. Intervention may require a combination or integration of theoretical concepts and techniques. The PSC practicum experience helps the second-year graduate student apply concepts learned in coursework and how their newfound knowledge is applied in the actual clinical setting. This application requires a certain level of mastery of distinct theoretical orientations and thoughtful ethical and strategic ways the concepts and techniques of different orientations could be integrated into actual intervention. There are unique aspects of the PSC that complement this focus on mastery and integration:

 While both the PSC Director and the Director of Assessment are fluent in their mastery of theory and technique in CBT and/or psychodynamic and and/or other theories and techniques, each of these leaders’ particular interests and strengths are more grounded by one or the other schools.

• Specifically, the PSC Director, a Long Island University graduate and graduate of the Gordon F Derner School of Psychology at Adelphi University, specializes in psychodynamic, integrative, and third-wave interventions.
• The Director of Assessment, a graduate of Hofstra University, specializes in the CBT approach and in psychological evaluations. Often, supervisors also specialize in a particular approach or intervention, enabling the PSC to offer a diversity of training to our GSTs thanks to the diverse professional expertise of our faculty. 

 

Client assignment at the PSC includes carefully considering the appropriate theoretical Orientation (s) that will guide treatment interventions. While this does not preclude a practicum student from exploring and utilizing techniques from other schools of thought, the focus on mastering CBT and psychodynamic theory within the intervention is highlighted.

Practice-Specific Education – in addition to academic courses on such larger domains as Developmental Psychology and/or Psychopathology, GSTs receive training at the PSC in more specialized topics that include:

• Risk Assessment

• Mental Status Assessment.

• Formulating treatment goals and objectives.

• Case conceptualization from different theoretical orientations.

These trainings are offered during weekly in-services and specially scheduled trainings, as needed.

As a part of their second-year curriculum in the Doctoral Program, the GSTs also take a Professional Development Seminar. Instructors of this course include core and community faculty and assist the GSTs in their understanding of larger professional issues as well as issues that arise during their practicum placement. It is a course ideally scheduled for trainees who often face new professional issues for the first time.

Multi-Disciplinary Consultation – finally, GSTs benefit from training from interactions with experts from various disciplinary backgrounds. These have included:

• Cultural competency in working with Diverse Clients

• Psychopharmacology 

• Local school psychologists and counselors.

 

Experiences for Advanced Doctoral Work: GSTs at the PSC, with administrative and supervisory approvals, may sometimes provide longer-term interventions for clients they have begun working with within their PSC practicum.

Proximity is a Plus

The building that houses the PSC is located on the LIU Post campus, a short walking distance from the one that houses the academic seat of the LIU Postdoctoral psychology program. This advantageous location presents several benefits for a practicum student. Specifically, it:

• Decreases the burden of travel and commute – leaving more time for the actual work and experience of their graduate program and practicum.

• Facilitates the continuation of coursework while the GST begins their first clinical experience as a ‘psychologist’ in training – GSTs can see a client, take a class, and see another client afterward.

• Helps maintain access to professors and advisors for academic and clinical work. Many of these faculty also serve as PSC supervisors

• All of the above help to smooth the transition from student to clinician. Diverse 

• Clinical Training Experiences

PSC practicum students benefit from a variety of clinical training experiences that are comprised of a diversity of clientele and interventions.

Clientele: Located on the campus of LIU-Post, the PSC serves clientele from both LIU and the surrounding geographic area. In short, it is a community clinic on a university campus. This population presents some unique benefits for both populations.

Clients from LIU benefit from the following:

• Quality psychological services that are free of charge. It should be noted that, as a free-standing community clinic, privacy and HIPAA regulations enable LIU students to receive services at the PSC without fear of those services negatively impacting their academic experience and progress.

• In-depth, low-cost psychological evaluations that include a detailed report. 

• The availability of low-cost, high-quality psychological services if students wish to continue treatment after graduation.

Clients from outside of LIU benefit from the following:

• Location on a major thoroughfare, with accessibility to public transportation, the PSC offers individuals from the surrounding geographic area another resource for psychological services.

• GSTs at the PSC serve clients from all areas of New York State. This variety of clientele provides GSTs the opportunity to provide services to individuals from a range of economic situations.

• As GSTs are the direct service providers, and licensed faculty provide supervision, PSC clientele receive high-quality, low-cost service that is often less expensive than most insurance co-pays. Given the recent economic crises in our country, individuals from all economic strata have reported their relief at learning of the sliding scale and need basis fee determination in which no client is turned away for lack of resources. 

 

Client Diversity - PSC practicum trainees provide services to individuals varying in:

• Age – clients include those ages four years and older.

• Ethnicity/Race – the LIU student and larger geographic area is comprised of individuals representing all possible ethnicities.

• Educational background and status;

• Economic status (see section above);

• Religious affiliation and level of observance; and,

• Sexual and gender identity and expression.

These characteristics represent a few examples, not a comprehensive list, of a larger range of diversity in clientele that the practicum students serve.

Intervention Modality: PSC practicum students benefit from diverse experiences in which they can intervene and serve their clientele and the public. These include:

• Intake Assessments – utilizing structured and unstructured tools.

            • Treatment Planning – required for all ongoing therapy interventions.

• Individual psychotherapy for children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric clients on short- and long-term bases.

• Marital & Couples therapy for heterosexual or same-sex couples.

• Family therapy with a specialized supervision group that focuses on this particular mode of intervention.

• Group therapy (support, psycho-educational, and psychotherapy) for individuals of all ages, specific types of issues (e.g., anger management), and a range of disorders (e.g., affective, spectrum, etc.), and specialized supervision are available for group interventions.

• Assessment and Psychological Testing – for individuals of various ages and differing assessment needs. Specialized testing experiences (e.g., for gifted students) is also available.

• Case Management – while not the focus of training, practicum students are given guidance and education and participate in projects (e.g., collaborative development of referral resources) that enhance their abilities as clinicians to assist their clients in meeting a variety of needs.

• Training/Psycho-education Workshops – practicum students can develop and lead or co-lead workshops for clients on a variety of topics such as interpersonal effectiveness, anger management, and sexual assault prevention (RAVE - Rape & Violence Education).

Integration with Faculty/Student Research

PSC practicum trainees are encouraged and supported in their endeavors to develop as researchers as well as clinicians. They have a variety of opportunities to conduct, assist with, and present (locally and nationally) research on numerous topics, such as:

• Investigating how assessment data inform diagnostic impressions.

• Psychotherapy Process Research.

• Supervisory Processes involved in Doctoral Training.

• Impact of Theoretical Orientation on Treatment Outcomes.

• Identification of factors (e.g., trauma history, attachment style) influencing treatment.

 

Supervision Opportunities

GSTs in the PSC practicum are provided with a wealth of guidance and support through supervision. The PSC is fortunate to offer a significant amount of supervision time with professionals with a variety of experience and training.

PSC Supervisors include PSC administrators, doctoral program faculty, and professionals within the community (often LIU-Post alumni). Each GST is assigned a core or faculty supervisor and one supervisor from the larger professional community.

The combination of a supervisor grounded in the department and one working in the field/community provides the GST with at least two views of the life of a psychologist.

Leadership of Supervisors

PSC Supervisors Collaboration: PSC practicum supervisors work together to monitor and check the quality of and further develop the PSC practicum training process and supervision. 

Integration, Collaboration, and Service to the LIU- Post-Community

In addition to the aforementioned integration with the LIU-Post Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, the PSC also enjoys a healthy and active working relationship with many offices and services in the LIU-Post community. These collaborations ensure a fuller integration into the LIU-Post community, which enhances both the PSC and LIU-Post as a whole. Current collaborations include PSC work with:

• The LIU Student Health & Counseling Center Historically has had a respectful and effective working relationship between the PSC and the Student Health & Counseling Center, enabling each entity to direct its resources in the most effective manner possible. 

• The Office of Disability Support Services – The PSC and the DSS collaborate to ensure a timely psychological evaluation of students suspected of having a disability. With students’ permission, The PSC Director of Assessment and the DSS Director often consult on appropriate student accommodations per the evaluation results. 

• Psychological Services Center – LIU Brooklyn The PSC actively collaborates with the Brooklyn PSC to ensure mental health services are available to LIU students across campuses.

Collaboration and Service to the Larger Community.

The LIU-Post PSC provides a wealth of experiences for practicum students through service opportunities beyond the borders of the LIU-Post community and campus. Giving back while getting specialized training and experiences creates a unique experience that can impact a professional long after completing their graduate training. Current projects and collaborations include:

• Outreach and collaboration with community school districts (e.g., East Meadows, North Shore schools; BOCES Nassau County) for the provision of assessment and clinical services.