The Barnard College Furman Counseling Center trains social work interns, and psychology externs, interns, and fellows.  The training program aims to expose and make trainees adept at performing the range of functions assumed by clinicians working at university counseling centers. The Center serves a population of 2700 undergraduate students attending a historically women's residential, liberal arts college in New York City. The Center provides individual and group psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation for medication, referrals for long term therapy, biofeedback training and community outreach. The Center supports the commitment of the college to diversity and social justice, raising awareness of systems of oppression and promoting equitable access to resources. The Center offers training within an integrative / psychodynamic/social justice framework that includes the use of evidence-based interventions (CBT, DBT, Mindfulness). 

Social Work Internship Program

The Center offers training for three social work interns from The Columbia School of Social Work.  The social work interns conduct intakes, offer short-term psychotherapy, biofeedback and may co-lead a group. Interns are also assigned responsibilities for outreach to the College community on behalf of the Furman Counseling Center, in the Higher Education Opportunity Program or Denise LeFrak Foundation Alcohol and Substance Awareness Program.  Interns receives two hours of individual supervision per week, and participate in the seminar series.

Psychology Externship Program

The Center has up to three psychology externs.  Externs conduct intakes, short-term psychotherapy, and outreach to the College community.  Externs receive two hours individual supervision per week, and participate in the seminar series.

Externs are with the Center from September through mid-May and work  16 hours per week, minimally.  Required hours are 10-2 on Wednesdays, and one evening per week until 7PM.

Barnard College Furman Counseling is following the guidelines approved by members of PSIDNYS (Psychology Internship Directors of NYS) and NYNJADOT (New York New Jersey Association of Directors of Training). Please see NYSPA's website for the full guidelines.

Interested students should file an application on the APA portal: psychpracticum.apa.org

Psychology Intership Program

Interns from Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital may elect to do a rotation with us.  Psychology interns conduct intakes, short-term psychotherapy, and outreach to the College community.

Interns are with us for one academic semester, and work 10 hours per week.  Required hours are Wednesdays from 11-2, and one evening a week until 7PM. They receive one hour of individual supervision per week.

Psychology Fellowship Program

The Center has one, full-time post-doctoral fellow.  The fellow conducts intakes, short-term psychotherapy, and outreach to the College community.  They may also run a group and may cultivate an area of expertise under the mentorship of a Center staff member.

Required hours are 11-2 on Wednesdays, and one evening per week until  7PM. The fellow works 35 hours per week, and receives three hours of individual supervision per week.

Interested applicants should apply online through Human Resources at  https://careers.barnard.edu/postings/6097. Send, a cover letter, curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, and a graduate school transcript. The application deadline is Jan. 4, 2022.

Additional Training Components:

Social work interns and psychology externs participate in a seminar series, in which they receive training in the following areas: diagnosis, high-risk symptoms, eating disorders, psychopharmacology, multiculturalism and biofeedback.  Trainees also regularly present and offer feedback on cases in this seminar.

All trainees also participate in staff meetings, in which they learn the administrative workings of the Center, contribute to the monitoring of high-risk clients, and do a formal case presentation.  Staff members and outside clinicians also give presentations on various topics for on-going trainee and staff development.

Evaluations:

Written evaluations are done at the close of each semester.  Evaluations are reviewed with trainees, and copies are sent to their educational programs.  Supervisors are also asked to regularly give informal feedback to their supervisees.

Malpractice Insurance:

 All trainees are required to submit proof of their malpractice insurance before they may begin their training at the Center.