Psychology Rotations - Internship
Department of Psychology & Wellness
Internship in Clinical Psychology
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center
Evansville, Indiana
NOTE: Interns complete all rotations listed below. Yearlong rotations run concurrently for all interns, while four-month rotations rotate throughout the year (with each intern completing one at a time).
Clinical Child Outpatient Clinic
Length: Yearlong
The clinical child outpatient clinic is located within the Department of Psychology & Wellness at the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. The department offers outpatient evaluation, assessment, and therapy services. Clinicians specialize in the treatment of mood, anxiety, trauma-related, behavioral, familial, relational, and developmental disorders, in addition to other areas. Youth are evaluated for a variety of diagnostic questions, including autism spectrum, learning disabilities, ADHD, affective disorders, and other psychological and developmental concerns. Although some youth present with comorbid physical disabilities, many youth present only with traditional mental health issues.
Interns on this rotation perform clinical interviews and diagnostic assessments, provide individual and family psychotherapy, and may have the opportunity to work with and supervise undergraduate practicum students. Clients range from ages 2-17 and come from diverse backgrounds. Clients are physician referred and present with both public and private insurance. Services are provided regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.
Interdisciplinary Evaluation Clinic
Length: Yearlong
The interdisciplinary evaluation clinic is located within the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. The clinic focuses on utilizing a multi-disciplinary assessment approach to provide comprehensive diagnostic assessments to children between the ages of 3-17. Interns work as part of a team, which includes an occupational therapist, speech/language therapist, and audiologist. The full day assessment is done by the team on Monday, and the interns meet with the team on Thursday morning to discuss the results of the evaluation. Interns organize a team report that integrates information from all disciplines, and then provide feedback to the parents after the report is completed.
Early Childhood Assessment Rotation
Length: 4 months
The early childhood rotation will take place at the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. The rotation will focus on providing evaluation and assessment services for children ages 0-5. Clients will be referred through ESRC and the community for psychological concerns that may coincide with other developmental issues. The focus of this service line is to provide early identification and assessment of key problem areas that can prevent more serious issues from developing and to open access to needed services/interventions at a time in which research indicates that the most gains can be made.
Early Intervention Rotation
Length: 4 months
The focus of this intervention rotation is to provide early identification and intervention for youth with social-emotional and behavioral difficulties. This rotation will occur at the Easterseals Early Learning Center (ELC) and at the main Easterseals Rehabilitation Center building. Clients will either be existing students at ELC or current clients of medical therapists (e.g., OT, PT, ST). The focus will be twofold. One, utilizing in-class and other means of initial screening/assessment to identify causes of emotional/behavioral difficulties. Two, employing the use of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) techniques under the supervision of Dr. Brooke Frazer, who is nationally certified in this area.
Pediatric Group Therapy Services
Length: 4 months
The pediatric group services rotation is located within the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. Youth ages 5-19 are referred from the community or within the center for group services due to various conditions, including ADHD, autism spectrum, chronic illness, and anxiety concerns. Interns utilize a closed group, age-specific format in conjunction with empirically-supported group treatments to provide group services to clients and their parents.
Adult Mental Health/Residential Services
Length: Yearlong
The adult mental health/residential services rotation is located within the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. The Easterseals Rehabilitation Center residential services has a reputation of delivering the highest-quality, most compassionate services to those with intellectual disabilities (and other psychological, physical complications) in the community. Adults referred from the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center residential housing are provided with direct intervention designed to improve social skills, enhance behavioral management, and increase emotional regulation. All referred adults have a documented intellectual disability, and often have other physical or psychological comorbid conditions. Empirically-supported treatments derived from Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) specifically designed for adults with intellectual disabilities are used. In addition to direct service, interns also work with staff to improve their ability to work with residents in addressing a number of social-emotional outcomes, including reduction of behavioral outbursts, improved conflict resolution, and increased emotional control. Finally, interns work with staff on utilizing research-supported techniques to improve self-care, especially in managing the inherent stressors of working in a residential facility.
Interns also receive outpatient referrals from physicians in the community for adults with general mental health concerns. This includes, but is not limited to, anxiety, depression, family related issues, and trauma. Focus is on utilizing cognitive-behavioral, insight-oriented, and systems-based approaches to reduce concerns and improve functionality and quality of life.
For more information on the Internship in Clinical Psychology, visit the Department of Psychology & Wellness Internship Program web page.
Last updated: October 16, 2023
