North Carolina State University Counseling Center invites applications for a two year, full-time, 24-month position as a Post-Master’s Fellow. The position is on a year-to-year basis and can be renewed for a second year if the Fellow and Training staff are in agreement. The Post-Master’s Fellowship at the NC State Counseling Center is designed to prepare individuals for a staff position in a university counseling setting, with particular emphasis on social workers or counselors wishing to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Each year of the fellowship will offer a different specialized training focus, in order to provide Fellows with the flexibility to work in a variety of settings. The Post-Master’s Fellowship requires graduation from a master’s program in Counseling or Social Work and completion of a clinical Fellowship or field placement preferably at a university counseling center. The program is designed to meet partial requirements for licensure in the state of North Carolina.

Fellows will develop skills in brief intervention, brief assessment, and crisis assessment/intervention. They will also serve as part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team, providing on call services to distressed students. A primary focus of the fellowship is the consolidation of generalist clinical skills, to prepare Fellows for licensure and independent practice. Fellows will spend the majority of their time working in General Services, where they will have the opportunity to provide individual and group therapy, crisis intervention (both daytime and after-hours), triage, initial consultations (intake), and outreach programming.

Fellows also are expected to commit to the development of cultural humility and anti-racism through self-examination and participation in university-based outreach and prevention services for both the general student population and underrepresented groups on campus. The NC State Counseling Center has a strong commitment to cultural humility and anti-racism and has solid working relationships with the various Diversity Programs and Services Offices on campus. The training of clinically skilled, ethical, self-aware, and culturally competent mental health professionals is central to the mission of the NC State Counseling Center.

In the first year of the fellowship, Fellows will focus gaining additional training in the mental health field as well as gaining clinical experience and supervision as a generalist clinician. Our staff are dedicated to providing a robust learning environment and clinical supervision to facilitate professional growth. In the second year of the fellowship, Fellows will have the opportunity to function effectively as part of the team in a large, fast-paced Counseling Center and have some opportunity for additional training in areas of specialization.

NC State University’s Post Master’s Fellowship Overview of Training

Training at North Carolina State’s (NC State) Counseling Center begins with the idea that learning is developmental, and that Fellows have different needs that change with time and experience. Fellows will be supported in both their personal and professional growth. Post Master’s Fellows will be encouraged to continually seek awareness of self and use this information to define strengths and areas for development. Fellows’ examination of personal values will help them to discover the impact of their beliefs on professional functioning. Increased personal awareness should also assist Fellows in understanding their role in interpersonal dynamics and their role in personal and professional interactions.

Diversity is a core value here at NC State’s Counseling Center. Fellows are encouraged to explore their beliefs, attitudes and skills in order to assess and increase their cultural awareness, cultural humility, and anti-racist practices. Furthermore, the emphasis placed upon personal understanding as part of professional development may require that Fellows be asked to consider issues that are somewhat personal in nature. Every effort is made to provide a safe and nurturing environment which respects disclosure and protects Fellows’ confidentiality.

In support of the desire to foster cultural awareness, cultural humility and anti-racist practices, the Counseling Center is committed to developing training for staff. The Counseling Center recognizes that factors such as race or ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, religion, and range of ability affect college students’ lives and sometimes present unique challenges. The Counseling Center values each student’s individuality and commits to welcoming all people with respect and sensitivity. Counseling Center staff also attends to their own professional development by participating in training and programs designed to enhance their understanding of the needs of diverse people.

As part of the Division of Academic and Student Affairs’ mission to promote the success of the whole student, the University Counseling Center believes that a healthy emotional life is the foundation for personal, academic, and professional success. Honoring individual and cultural identities, strengths and differences, core personal values, and the complexities of collegiate life, our multidisciplinary mental health team uses compassionate, professional interactions to support emotional balance while encouraging students to reach their potential.

Our mission is realized through the delivery of comprehensive services, such as:

• Brief individual, group, and couple’s counseling
• Psychiatric evaluation and treatment
• 24-hour crisis response
• Campus and community referrals
• Faculty, staff, and student consultation
• Outreach/Prevention Service
• Mental health educational programming and training

Training at NCSU’s Counseling Center will cover all of the services listed above, and will be comprehensive in breadth and depth.

Direct Service Experiences

Individual therapy

We consider personal counseling of individuals the primary direct service practice. Fellows will have the opportunity to work with students with varying presenting issues. While our center works primarily within a short-term model, all staff, and especially Fellows are encouraged to work with two longer-term clients. Fellows may have the opportunity to do some couples counseling work either individually or in a co-therapy situation.

Group therapy

Groups are an integral part of counseling service in our center. We have a variety of groups offered at any given time, with a combination of closed therapy groups, open therapy groups, drop-in groups, and psychoeducational groups and workshops. We are a busy center and find groups to be an excellent opportunity to provide support while students are waiting for an Intake, in between sessions, as individual work is finished, or in some case instead of individual therapy. Typically, Fellows will co-lead a group with a permanent staff member and will have an opportunity to do a different group each semester. Fellows typically meet with their group co-leader on a weekly basis while planning and running the group. During the second year, fellows have also had the opportunity to develop their own groups, co-lead with a masters trainee, and/or co-lead with another Post Masters Fellow or staff member if that is appropriate.

Triage

Our center uses a triage model to assist in determining student’s level of risk and urgency for which they need to be seen. Triage is used as a screening and referral tool. While we have Triage Clinicians who do the bulk of Triage, we include this experience as part of the Fellowship as it is a valuable skill that may be expected of them in future positions. Training for Triage and opportunities to observe Triage clinicians occur early in Fellowship. Our Triage system offers back-up for consultation and support in crisis situations.

On-Call

All counselors at our center cover after-hours on-call. Fellows will be trained to participate in the on-call system, with back-up available if consultation is needed.

Career Counseling

Our center provides career exploration counseling and assessment for students. Fellows will use the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory with students when suitable. We provide training in the career exploration process as well as in use of these instruments.

Outreach

Our center does a significant amount of outreach programming for the campus community. This includes screening days, tabling events, Residence Life training and programs, classroom and campus organization presentations, as well as in-house programs. These programs cover a large variety of topics, from time and stress management, to healthy sleep and healthy relationships. Our center also offers QPR (Question Persuade Refer) training to students and staff. Outreach is considered an essential skill for clinicians in a university setting. As such, we require Fellow participation in outreach programming. Outreach programs and projects will offer additional exposure to a range of interventions with diverse populations. If there are special populations a Fellow would like to work with, Outreach is another way to gain this experience.

There is training for all Fellows each August to prepare Fellows for outreach presentations. For those who have a special interest in outreach there is opportunity to work closely with Prevention Services and other staff tied to Outreach in order to gain further experience.

Consultation

Staff regularly consults with student, faculty, staff, parents, off-campus mental health providers and others. Most consultation requests come through phone calls, on-call, and walk-ins. Other times consultation will be around a particular student or issue of concern. Fellows will participate in consultation as circumstances arise and back-up will be available as needed. Consultation will offer further opportunities to work with diverse populations and student issues.

Psychiatric Consultation

Our students have access to time-limited psychiatric services, including evaluation and medication management. Our staff can refer students to our in-house psychiatrists, and consult with psychiatrists about students. Additionally, there may be some opportunities to sit in with students during the psychiatric evaluation when a student is referred.

Academic Services

Our center is involved in some academic processes on campus, including withdrawal and course drop requests. While Deans make decisions about granting exceptions to academic policy, Center staff is expected to provide assistance in assessing psychological issues that may impact a student’s performance in classes. We have staff that takes the lead in this area, but all staff may be required to participate in this process at times, particularly if a student being seen by a staff member needs to request a lower course load or to withdraw from the semester entirely. Academic policies and procedures are covered during Orientation in August.

Training Activities

Orientation

In order to prepare to see clients and function as a Counseling Center staff member, Fellows will be introduced to Center modes of service delivery via an orientation process. This orientation will be completed within a two-week period. Orientation will consist of sessions in which Fellows will learn more about policy and procedure regarding Center functions, and will be given time and space to process any questions they might have.   Fellows will also be introduced to the Center’s electronic record system (Titanium), will engage in orientation to available benefits, will have an “Onboarding” session in which important personal information is entered into the university system (i.e. banking information for direct pay deposit) and will have a chance to meet with the Administrative Team here at the Center.

Finally, orientation is also a very important piece of training in that Fellows will be exposed to many different staff here in the Center; thus, beginning the process of integration into the team through learning about staff interests and areas of expertise.

Supervision

Individual supervision

Fellows receive 1 hour of individual supervision per week with their primary supervisor. During the first year the Fellowship, the Fellow will have one primary supervisor. For the second year of the Fellowship, a secondary clinical supervisor can be assigned if the Fellow is interested in seeking supervision in a specialty content area (i.e. Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders, Trauma work, etc.).  Fellows will be able to meet with their secondary supervisor either weekly or every-other-week.

Fellows will be supervised regarding their triage/intake work, during individual supervision. There will also be a triage training seminar during the Fall, which focuses on providing a space for continued training. Fellows will be expected to provide coverage for triage services, and will learn how to engage students in timely and effective assessment of their risk and needs. Triage here at NC State’s Counseling Center is the manner in which students enter the system, and is generally a short session focused on assessing current symptoms and directing students to services they need (whether that’s here in the Counseling Center or off campus). Fellows will also learn more about how to conduct an intake interview.

The intake session is utilized as the student’s first session with their therapist here at the Counseling Center. Intakes are scheduled off of triage, and are longer and more involved than a triage session. Training regarding an intake interview will occur through live observation and through viewing audio/video tape. This session will allow the trainee to gather more information regarding the client’s history and general well-being. Risk will also be assessed.

Group Supervision

Group Supervision meets 1 hour weekly to discuss clinical issues including: challenging cases, disposition issues, professional concerns, multicultural or ethical issues salient to a particular clinical situation and various treatment approaches. Fellows are encouraged to participate in discussions and to informally present cases throughout the year

Didactic Training Opportunities

Didactic Training Seminar

For the first year of the Fellowship, there is a two hour weekly meeting during which topic-focused subjects are covered in areas such as ethics, theoretical orientation, multicultural competencies, professional issues, utilizing specific treatment strategies, crisis and risk management, psychopharmacology, etc. The seminar will be organized by the Assistant Director for the Post Masters Fellowship and the Assistant Director for Doctoral Psychology Training, but will utilize center staff in their areas of expertise on a rotating basis.

Triage Seminar

This seminar will occur during the 1st year, 1 hour weekly in the Fall until Fall break, then will transition to bi-weekly until Thanksgiving Break.  During this time, triage therapists will meet with 1st year Fellows and Doctoral Psychology Interns in order to answer questions and provide information about the triage system here at the Center.  Triage here at the Center is a fairly complex system, so support will be given via this seminar, as Fellows and Doctoral Psychology Interns participate in and learn more about this piece of the clinical system.

Multicultural Seminar

This seminar occurs bi weekly for 1 hour. This seminar is led by the Assistant Director for Diversity and Special Programs and the Assistant Director for Post Masters Fellowship Training.  This seminar has a focus on developing cultural humility through reflections on belief systems, research and findings on working with students from a variety of cultures, treatment considerations, and how cultural differences can impact student development.  Issues include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic class, and religion.

Case Consultation

All staff participates in small-group case conference meetings and trainees are included. Case conference is every week for 1 hour. This is an opportunity for staff to present and discuss cases that are more complex or for which the staff member would like feedback.

Case Presentation

Fellows will engage in case presentations during group supervision.  The intention here is to continue to provide an opportunity to hone intentional use of theory to guide treatment.  Most two year masters programs do not provide in-depth training on use of theory, so more training on this important aspect of clinical work will occur.  A format will be provided regarding this case presentation.

The goal of the presentation is to assist Fellows with developing their case conceptualization skills, along with an ability to share relevant details of client presentation and how theoretical orientation was utilized intentionally to guide treatment.  Most job interviews will require a case presentation/knowledge about how to intentionally use theory to guide treatment, so more training here is especially important.

Additional Opportunities for Training

Staff Meetings

These are typically 1 hour every week. This is an opportunity for the entire clinical staff to get together and discuss center issues, policies, and current happenings. Several times a semester this time will be used for CE activities to assist in enhancing the staff’s professional development or to work on the center’s planning, mission/goals, or cohesion.

CE Programs

The center provides a number of CE programs throughout the year on a variety of topics. Guests from other departments or from outside the university frequently serve as presenters for these programs. Most of these CE programs are approved by APA and NBCC for CE credit. The CE committee works in conjunction with the Multicultural Committee to include topics relevant to multicultural training and competence. Additionally, some other professional development programs are offered by the center. This may include “lunch and learn” discussions, or webinars.

Committee Work

Fellows are invited to participate in at least one committee or treatment team. Committees range from Outreach Committee, Groups Committee, Multicultural Committee, Clinical Services Committee, CE Committee and Assessment Committee . Some committees meet weekly, while others meet bi-weekly or as needed.

Professional Training & Conferences

There is a budget set aside for Fellows to attend off-campus trainings or conferences. The amount available may vary depending on budget allowances each year. There are a number of trainings that are convenient based on our location (close to Chapel Hill and Durham) and the number of colleges and universities in the area. All requests need to be made directly to the Training Director.

Campus Trainings

There are some opportunities to take place in trainings available to staff on campus. For example, most of our staff has participated in Project Safe training that is offered by the GLBT Center on campus. If Fellows see trainings advertised for the campus community that are of interest, we encourage them to discuss participation in these with their supervisor or Training Coordinator.