Professional Training Opportunities

Goals

  • Recognize the interdependence between the individual and the environment
  • Learn the therapeutic value of the client-therapist relationship
  • Understand the complexity of the human condition
  • Appreciate and respect the differences between people
  • Understand the impact of racism, trauma, and how socially created systems are directly related to the quality of our lives

Objectives

  • To facilitate clinical competencies
  • To foster the development of professional and personal functioning
  • To promote sensitivity to cultural diversity and foster intercultural effectiveness
  • To provide opportunities to enhance specific areas of interest such as skill building and further development of therapeutic intervention skills, outreach, education, and prevention

Activities and Responsibilities

Individual therapy

Intake assessment

Risk assessment and crisis stabilization

Consultation

Individual supervision with primary supervisor (minimum 1 hour per week)

Outreach, education, and prevention

Multidisciplinary team (minimum 1 hour per week)

Professional Development presentations

Record Keeping

10 hours of clinical services (individual therapy, initial consultations, and urgent care responses as needed) per week

10 hours of non-clinical services per week (including supervision)

1 hour of individual supervision per week

Services are provided through the Fall semester and Spring semester and follow the academic calendar at UMaine

Internship begins 1 week before the Fall semester starts in order to complete orientation

Interns are evaluated by their direct supervisor once in the Fall semester and again in the Spring semester

Any concerns about an intern are discussed directly throughout the semester

The criteria for the evaluation is determined by the program of study

Interns are given the opportunity to evaluate and provide feedback about their direct supervisors in the Fall and Spring semesters

Application process

Students who are interested in a practicum placement at the UMaine Counseling Center and are from the UMaine School of Social Work and Psychology Department with clinical focus entering their second year field placement are encouraged to apply. The criteria for selection will be the goodness of fit with the objectives of the training program and the candidate to contribute to and benefit from the internship experience at the Counseling Center. In order to minimize the impact of potential dual roles, current or previous Counseling Center  therapy clients are not eligible to apply for the internship training program. All application materials should be sent electronically to Liz Toner, LCSW

Interested candidates must complete and electronically submit the following:

MSW Intern Application

An updated curriculum vitae

Two letters of reference (emailed directly from your reference)

Anticipated Timeline: We will begin accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year
on January 20, 2026. We will schedule and conduct interviews throughout the Spring of 2026
semester until all intern positions are filled.

Training History: Verification of APA Accreditation of the Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology

The University of Maine Counseling Center’s Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology (formerly Professional Psychology) was fully accredited by the American Psychological Association from 1979 through August 2024. The Internship program was officially closed August 31, 2024. The doctoral internship was a 2000+ hour, 12 month internship and at least 25% of the intern time was spent in direct client contact. All interns received a minimum of four hours of weekly face-to-face supervision of which at least two hours were in individual supervision with a licensed psychologist. Additional supervision was also provided for any regular activity engaged in by the intern. Such activities included prevention, consultation, group therapy, outreach, and, for some cohorts, supervision of a psychology practicum student or an intern in Masters level social work or counseling programs. If you are seeking information regarding a specific intern, please contact Liz Toner, LCSW at 207-581-1392. 

The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of
race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national
origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment,
education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to
handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies:  Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North
Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME  04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine
Relay System).