SLPIC didactic seminars cover the following topics:
Assessment Topics: Didactics compliment rotation/experiential training in assessment. Didactic offerings include advanced assessment topics such as forensic evaluation (e.g., malingering, competence to stand trial, and sex offender assessment), specialized assessment approaches (e.g., Therapeutic Assessment) and assessments of more complex presentations (e.g., psychosis, autism, trauma-spectrum disorders). Seminars emphasize evidenced-based approaches and/or best practices in assessment.
Intervention Topics: Didactics compliment rotation/experiential training in intervention. Didactic offerings include advanced intervention topics. For example, treatment of populations with unique clinical presentations and/or treatment needs (e.g., sex offenders, forensic inpatient clients, combat veterans, deaf clients) is a focus of didactics. Didactics also cover specialized treatment approaches (e.g., DBT, sex therapy). We also offer didactics aimed at increasing interns’ case conceptualization skills, consideration of the role of attachment in treatment, ability to thoughtfully and creatively engage clients not responding to other approaches, and how to manage therapeutic impasses. Seminars emphasize evidenced-based approaches and/or best practices in intervention.
Individual and Cultural Diversity Topics: Didactics compliment rotation/experiential training in working with diverse populations. Didactics emphasize exploration of issues pertaining to diversity including conceptualizing and providing treatment to clients who are diverse in terms of racial/ethnic background, nationality/ immigration status, sexual and gender identification, language ability status. Didactics also emphasize intern awareness of their own cultural/personal backgrounds and potential biases. Seminars emphasize evidenced-based approaches and/or best practices in working with diverse populations.
Professional Consultation and Supervision: The extended 3-hour seminar “Professional Consultation: Models and Practice” by Ashley Darling, Psy.D., compliments rotation/experiential training in professional consultation, and covers a range of consultation models. This seminar also affords interns an opportunity to engage in simulated consultation with feedback provided by the seminar leader. The extended 3-hour seminar “Supervision: Models and Practice” by Deana Smith, Ph.D. focuses on models, theories, and methods of clinical supervision, and includes intern simulated practice with feedback provided to each intern from the seminar leader and peers. These seminars emphasize evidenced-based approaches and/or best practices in providing supervision and consultation.
Professional Development Topics: Interns are provided seminars related to professional development. These seminars include the topics of: conducting post-doc/ job searches (“Postdoctoral Positions: Career Paths and Job Search Strategies, Parts I &II, by Deana Smith, Ph.D.); applying for licensure (“Preparing for the Licensure Exam,” Kristen Miceli, Psy.D.); and involvement in professional organizations and advocacy (“Professional Organization Membership and Advocacy,” by Mary Weatherford, Ph.D.).
Intern Case Conferences: Toward the end of the training year, each intern provides a formal case presentation (of a treatment or an assessment client) during Friday seminar, and an internship faculty member serves as the discussant. Case Conferences consist of a comprehensive presentation of client material selected on the basis of clinical issues that will be instructive for both the presenting intern and intern peers. The presentation must incorporate at least one relevant empirical contribution from the literature that relates to the case. In addition, consideration of ethical/legal and diversity factors is required.
