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THERAPY PRACTICUM
IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Mission & Philosophy of Training
Northeastern Illinois University is dedicated to access and excellence in higher education. The most important facets of the university's mission are to offer high quality graduate and undergraduate programs to a broad spectrum of students and to foster student growth and development. The Counseling Office furthers these goals by providing psychological and career services that promote the personal, academic and career development of Northeastern students. Trainees are an important part of the Counseling Office's professional team in these efforts.
In the context of the larger University, the Counseling Office provides an environment rich with opportunities for learning and deepening skills. In many ways more a community mental health center than a traditional college counseling center, our office provides services for a community that is broadly diverse across all dimensions and that presents an equally broad range of clinical issues. Postdoctoral fellows participate in all aspects of Counseling Office activities. We view clinical training as an apprenticeship experience in a service environment committed to ongoing learning, professional independence and reflection about practice.
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About Northeastern
Campus environment
Northeastern Illinois University is a comprehensive state university serving more than 12,000 commuter students. It offers more than 70 undergraduate and graduate majors within 3 colleges. Northeastern is located on 67 acres in an attractive residential neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago -- click here for directions to campus.
Northeastern's diverse student population reflects the rich diversity of the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Chicago area offers many intellectual and cultural opportunities to compliment those provided by our university campus setting. Northeastern was named one of the "Best 201 Colleges for the Real World in 2000" by author Michael Viollt, based on five different criteria, including opportunities for the general student body, affordability, and the overall college experience.
For the fifth consecutive year, Northeastern Illinois University has been named as the most ethnically diverse university in the Midwest, by US News & World Report. It has also been noted as ranking 16th nationally (#1 in Illinois) in graduating Hispanic education majors, and 12th nationally for the number of Asian American students earning a master's degree in Mathematics. Click here for NEIU at a Glance.
Characteristics of the student body & our clients
Northeastern's population is highly diverse, representing students and staff members from a wide range of ages, ethnic backgrounds, socio-economic levels, gender identities, and cultural and religious groups. Over 60% of Northeastern's students are first-generation college students (the first in their families to pursue a college education) and many are "non-traditional" students, coming from groups underrepresented in higher education. Significant numbers of returning adults also compliment this diversity. Because many of our students are in the process of a life transition, they experience high levels of stress as they balance the often competing worlds of school, work, and home.
A brief look at the population served by the Counseling Office over the past several years provides an overview of our client characteristics. Below is a table comparing the overall NEIU student population with clients seen in the Counseling Office last year. Over 90% of the treatment provided last year took the form of individual sessions, with additional couple/family therapy, group therapy and counseling.
| Northeastern Client Profile |
| | | NEIU students | Clients (2003-04) |
| Age: | Average | 28.6 yrs | 28.8 yrs |
| Gender: | Female | 64% | 74% |
| Male | 36% | 26% |
| Ethnicity: | African American | 11.8% | 11.0% |
| | Asian | 10.4% | 9.9% |
| | Caucasian | 49.2% | 53.9% |
| | Hispanic | 24.9% | 25.6% |
| | Native American | 0.3% | 0.1% |
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About the Counseling Office
Northeastern Illinois University's Counseling Office is a service unit within the Office of Student Affairs, the divisional area responsible for the many non-academic and co-curricular support needs of our students. Some of the other service units within Student Affairs include the Health Service, Placement Office, Student Activities, and Women's Services Offices. Within this milieu, the Counseling Office provides both psychological and career counseling services, outreach efforts and crisis intervention to Northeastern students, along with consultation services for university faculty and administrative staff. Click here for a current listing of our staff.
Psychological Services
The Counseling Office provides a range of outpatient clinical services to university students and staff members. Primary clinical activities include individual, couple, family and group psychotherapy, as well as outreach and consultation services. A short description follows:
- Individual Psychotherapy
Individual psychotherapy is the most common service modality. What characterizes individual treatment at Northeastern is the very diverse client population, representing a wide variety of background characteristics and clinical presentations. Psychological services include crisis intervention and both brief and longer-term treatment.
- Couple & Family Psychotherapy
Although individual therapy is predominant, the Counseling Office also provides couple and family therapy. Whether clients are seen individually or in couples is determined primarily by client need and the clinical judgement of the therapist. During 2002-2003, approximately 5% of the office's sessions involved couple or family treatment.
- Group Psychotherapy
All clinical staff are encouraged to help develop therapy, support and psychoeducational groups on campus. These groups frequently have a specific focus to address the needs of target audiences, and are sometimes sponsored in collaboration with other service units. Previous groups have included an ongoing Psychotherapy Process Group, as well as Counseling groups focusing on specific target populations and issues, such as anxiety management, stress management, parenting skills, a women's group and a group for students of color.
- Outreach and Consultation
All clinical staff are also involved in ongoing efforts to provide outreach and consultation to the university community, administration, and faculty about a wide range of psychological and student-related issues. Recent examples of outreach efforts include parenting groups, couples workshops, and interpersonal communications training, while consultation services range from serving on committees and advisory groups to consultation to university faculty and adminstration.
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About Therapy Practicum
Northeastern's Counseling Office has a long history of involvement in various levels of clinical training. Since the early 1990's, the Counseling Office has trained Masters-level interns, doctoral externs, predoctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
The focus of therapy practicum in our Counseling Office involves the development of clinical skills and a professional identity. This is accomplished by joining the clinical team with involvement in a variety of office activities, including:
- Providing clinical services (individual, couple or group therapy)
- Outreach and consultation to the university community
- Participating in case conferences
- Psychiatric case-consultation
Practicum students spend 20 hrs per week on site. Therapy practicum generally begins mid-Aug and runs through May of the following year.
Application Procedures
To apply, please send the following materials:
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Copy of your graduate transcript
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Personal statement
In your personal statement, please address the following: What are your goals for therapy practicum? Also, please describe your approach to your work and how it fits with who you are as a person and who you want to be as a psychologist.
Send your application materials to:
Dr. Elizabeth Pullen
Counseling Office
Northeastern Illinois University
5500 N. St. Louis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625-4699
Application and Timeline:
Applications will be accepted for practicum beginning Feb 8, 2008 with interviews expected from late February through mid-March. Therapy practicum runs from Aug 20, 2008 through May 2009.
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For more information
- Visit the Counseling Office's home page for general information about the Counseling Office and its various services.
- If you have other questions about the postdoctoral program, contact Dr. Pullen at:
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Northeastern Illinois University is an Affirmative Action,
Equal Opportunity Employer
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