Training of Mental Health Professionals
The University of Alabama Counseling Center (UACC) has offered training opportunities for 20+ years. Our staff consists of psychologists, licensed professional counselors, and social workers. The counseling center has an overall philosophy of viewing clients through a developmental lens rather than a medical, deficit-based model common in many settings. The Counseling Center also operates within a time-limited model of service delivery, though there is the opportunity for a trainee to work with clients across the academic year. Our clinical supervisors operate with varied theoretical orientations and there is no single theoretical orientation that predominates or is required.
We routinely offer training placements for students pursuing degrees in Clinical Psychology, Masters in Social Work, and Counselor Education. These degree paths lead to professional credentialing as a Psychologist, Social Worker, and Licensed Professional Counselor, respectively.
A total of 6-8 placements are available (including both doctoral and master’s level trainees).
The training year begins in the Fall Semester and goes through the Spring Semester. Some students may have the opportunity to continue during the summer, but this is not guaranteed. The UACC offers what we refer to as an Interdisciplinary Training Cohort approach. We combine trainees from each discipline to participate in weekly seminars. These seminars provide the core of our training and demonstrate our commitment to training above and beyond providing a space for clinical practice and individual supervision.
Individual therapy represents the primary clinical focus of this site, though there are sometimes limited opportunities to engage in outreach programming and/or facilitate group therapy. Throughout the training year, trainees are exposed to a variety of presenting concerns. Adjustment, mood, and anxiety disorders are among the most common presenting concerns seen at the Center.
Initially, trainees can expect fewer complex cases to be assigned to them. As the training year progresses trainees will be assigned more clinically complex cases consistent with their training and clinical skill. Trainees will continue to develop a caseload through clinical intakes and case assignments.
Each trainee will be assigned an individual supervisor who is credentialed and licensed in their field. The training supervisor will serve as the trainee’s direct supervisor. The training supervisor will oversee all clinical work of the trainee.
At the Counseling Center, we integrate the training students with the professional staff. As a result, we expect all trainees to be present at regularly scheduled staff meetings. We encourage the training students to participate in the clinical and procedural discussions that occur at these regular meetings.
Every student interested in receiving training here is expected to:
We accept and review applications on a rolling basis starting in the second half of the Spring semester, following Spring Break. We continue to accept applications and conduct interviews until available placements are filled.
Students interested in training at CC should contact the Associate Director of Clinical Training, Mitch Beavers, Ph.D. to request the application materials. All questions about the training should be directed to Dr. Beavers (205-348-3863, mgbeavers@ua.edu)
