CAPS provides a range of counseling and academic support services primarily designed to help Eastern University traditional undergraduate students maximize their college experience. Counseling services, available to traditional undergraduate students only, include initial evaluation and diagnosis, personal counseling, crisis management (during office hours), and referral to outside resources. Psycho-educational workshops and outreach programs are also sometimes offered.

Concerns of students who seek counseling at CAPS cover a broad range in terms of type and severity. Issues range from academic stress to serious psychiatric problems. Some students enter counseling to take advantage of the opportunity to work on personal and spiritual growth. Others are seriously struggling and feel they would be unable to remain in school without the support they receive through CAPS. The large majority of students served by CAPS are undergraduate women 18-22 years of age.

The clientele at CAPS constitute a unique population of verbal, insightful, motivated young adults. This provides counseling interns from Eastern’s counseling psychology program a rich opportunity to employ the exploratory counseling approaches they are learning, as well as to provide practical support to students who truly need it. In addition, interns have a special opportunity to explore ways of integrating spiritual issues into their counseling in response to the needs of the students they see.

Interns are expected to provide a minimum of twelve (12) hours of service per week (for a 300-hour internship) and 20-24 hours for a 600-hour internship. This includes at least two (2) hours of supervision. These hours must be divided over no fewer than two–three days and should be scheduled in blocks of at least three (3) hours each. Interns may not see clients for more than four hours in a row without a break. Working one or two evenings a week may be approved on a case-by-case basis; most of the hours must be scheduled between 9AM and 6PM, however. (The center is closed on weekends.) This distribution of hours ensures that interns will have adequate slots to get enough counseling referrals, schedule their supervision hours, and complete paperwork and other administrative duties.

Interns are involved primarily with the "counseling" side of CAPS. Their primary role is to provide intake evaluations, individual counseling, and crisis response during normal hours of operation. Additionally, interns may provide academic coaching (one-on-one help with time management and study skills) for students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or other learning challenges; co-lead therapy groups; conduct workshops; and provide consultation to student groups. Interns are responsible for case documentation, writing reports as needed and keeping logs of student contacts for statistical purposes. (The paperwork involved in the internship is not extensive.)

An average of six (6) direct client contact hours per week is aimed for a 300-hour internship, and twelve (12) for a 600-hour internship. The actual number of students seen will fluctuate throughout the semester, mainly in response to demand for service. Interns are expected to fulfill their weekly hourly commitment at the site through the end of the academic year (i.e., end of finals period) even if they attain the number of clinical and administrative hours required by their academic program before that time.

One-two hours of individual supervision per week are provided by one of the CAPS licensed psychologists or counselors, depending on the number of interns in a given year. (In some years, supervision may be provided by a doctoral intern or practicum student if that trainee is an advanced graduate student and is already licensed.) An additional hour of group supervision may be provided. Interns do not attend the general CAPS staff meetings as these meetings deal primarily with matters other than counseling services. Interns may attend meetings of the clinical staff if these are scheduled when the intern is on site.

Additional training sessions in the following areas may be scheduled throughout the year: Intake Interviewing; Suicide Assessment and Management, College Student Development and Spiritual Formation.

Applicants should have successfully completed (or expect to complete) all the requirements for internship before the fall semester of the internship year. Applicants should be able to articulate an interest in the integration of psychology/counseling and Christianity and should be able to endorse the mission and doctrinal statements of Eastern University.

Submit resume, names and contact information for 2 references, and cover letter discussing your interest in the internship to:

Lisa M. Hemlick
Ph.D. Director
CAPS

210 Walton Hall
Eastern University
1300 Eagle Road
St. Davids, PA  19087
or lhemlick@eastern.edu

Phone screenings followed by in-person interviews will be offered to applicants under serious consideration. Interviews will continue until positions are filled. Please contact Dr. Lisa Hemlick at 610-341-5830 or 610-341-5837 or lhemlick@eastern.edu to express your interest in the internship or request more information.