2023-2024 Application Cycle

Overview

We offer a 9-month rotation (externship) to doctoral level psychology students.  We ask that externs ideally spend 2.5-3 days per week at our site, with Friday 8:30-11:30am as mandatory.

As Temple is a large, urban, public research university, we are seeking applicants interested in providing culturally sensitive mental health services to our diverse student body.  We are also seeking applicants that are interested in working in an environment that requires flexibility and active collaboration with our multi-disciplinary staff.  Throughout the training year, we hope to create a supportive atmosphere that helps facilitate clinical growth, encourages reflective practice, and emphasizes an intersectional framework.  

Overall, we are looking for goodness of fit between our site and the applicant's past experience and training goals.  Given the pace of the work, it is strongly preferred that students have (at minimum) one full-year of psychotherapy experience prior to applying.  We have a mandatory weeklong orientation in mid-August.

Core Externship Components 

Supervision: All trainees receive individual and group supervision with licensed professionals with various areas of expertise and theoretical orientations. Audio and video recording of therapy sessions are a vital part of supervision. There are additional opportunities for case consultation and clinical discussion.

Initial Consultation: Students new to TCS are encouraged to present at any time during registration hours where they fill out registration paperwork and are assigned to an Initial Consultation appointment. The focus of this initial consultation is the identification of problems or areas of concern, the level of clinical urgency, and the development of a treatment plan.  Externs are assigned 2-3 new Initial Consultations (ICs) per week.

Individual Therapy: We provide individual therapy to our diverse student body of over 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students..  We typically see students at our center on a short-term basis, averaging 6 to 7 sessions.  With that said, externs are often able to carry a few longer-term clients throughout the year.  As the year progresses, it is expected that externs are seeing approximately 8 to 10 students per week.  Some presenting concerns may include: adjusting to college life, managing interpersonal difficulties, entity issues and development, depression, and anxiety.

Group Therapy: Early in the training year, staff provides a didactic reviewing the theory and practice of group therapy in preparation for the training year. Externs are then expected to co-facilitate a Skills Class or Therapy Group in both the Fall and Spring.

Case Conference: Externs attend a weekly, ninety-minute case conference.  In the beginning of the year, staff co-facilitators provide didactic instruction on the structure, content, and use of psychodynamic case conceptualizations.  All trainees then present cases for discussion on a rotating basis. The purpose of case conference is to enhance therapeutic skills through assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning.  

Application Information and Timeline

• We will start accepting applications on Jan. 8, 2024.  All applications are due by 5 p.m. on Jan. 19, 2024.
• Applications must include: (1) Pendeldot cover sheet and agreement, (2) cover letter, (3) resume, (4) two letters of recommendation.  
• For Pendledot applicants, please upload your application on the portal in one PDF.  If you are not part of Pendledot, please send all materials directly to michelle.wallace@temple.edu, preferably in one PDF.  Please note: letters of recommendation can be sent directly from a letter-writer if needed.
• Interviews will be arranged with applicants under consideration.  We will make offers according to Pendeldot guidelines on Match Day (March 4, 2024).

Note: All members of the staff participate in training through formal and informal supervision, team meeting collaboration, consultation, and seminars.  As a result, in order to minimize dual role conflicts and ensure that trainees receive the full depth and breadth of experience, current or previous TCS therapy clients are not eligible to apply for training at TCS.

​​​​​​Questions or Concerns?
Michelle Wallace, Psy.D. (they/them)
Assistant Training Coordinator
Email: michelle.wallace@temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-7276