Direct Service Activities

Individual Psychotherapy

Externs generally are responsible for 10-12 individual therapy hours per week, with reductions made to individual therapy if/while participating on a rotation (more details are below). Externs may request assignment of cases according to particular interests and/or in the interest of acquiring a diverse caseload. Decisions about the duration of therapy and frequency of sessions are made by the client and therapist, in consultation with the therapy supervisor, and are based on client needs. The Center maintains a brief therapy model with regards to individual therapy, although extern therapists may carry some cases longer when clinically necessary.

Initial Consultation and Case Management

Externs receive training and guidance on our initial consultation process and conduct 1 Initial Consultation per week during the fall and spring semester, which also includes writing an initial consultation report and presenting the initial consultation in their weekly team Initial Consultation Review and Assignment (ICR) meeting. While we have a case manager who assists in many of these functions, the initial consultation process may also include assisting with referral, linkage, advocacy, and systemic interventions on behalf of intake clients.

Outreach

Participation in outreach expands the externship and provides an opportunity for involvement in a broader range of services at the Counseling Center and within the UIC community.  All externs are exposed to outreach in the fall semester by attending the first 9 sessions of the Outreach seminar along with the interns and are expected to participate in the provision of outreach programs during their practicum year.

Specialized Rotations

Externs may participate in one of the following (optional) rotations:

• Interpersonal Process Group Therapy: During the spring semester, externs process observe two facilitators conducting a 90-minute therapy group. If the extern in this rotation has not had a graduate level group therapy course, additional readings will be provided and required for participation in this rotation. Note that this rotation requires additional time commitment to the externship (including composing a “process note” for each group session and attending our biweekly group therapy consultation space).
• Mind Body (spring semester): This rotation centers on co-facilitation of 2-3 comprehensive, four-week coping skills based outreach programs. The Self-Compassion Workshop series consists of four 90-minute weekly workshops that focus on how to be mindful when you are struggling and how to treat yourself with kindness. The Mindful Way series consists of four 75-minute weekly workshops that focus on teaching mindfulness, meditation, and stress management skills. Managing your Mood workshop consists of four 90-minute weekly workshops focusing on teaching DBT + CBT skills to help students manage stress, anxiety and other difficult emotions.