Elective Rotations
Interns complete additional educational assessments beyond those required for internship completion. They may also complete a variety of other assessments, depending on intern interest, including substance use assessment, eating disorder assessment, personality assessment, and career assessment.
After participating in didactic training in the areas of career counseling and career decision making models, interns offer career counseling services at CAPS. Depending on demand for this service, the number of clients an intern works with may vary greatly. Interns are encouraged to engage in outreach and advertising efforts regarding this service. This elective rotation also incorporates learning about and conducting career assessments (e.g., the Strong Interest Inventory, Knowdell Card Sort, etc.).
When couples request counseling at CAPS, intern(s) participating in this elective rotation will be given priority to work alongside them. Depending on demand for this service and how many interns participate in this elective rotation at the same time, an intern may be able to work alongside 1-3 couples during a semester. Interns will have access to the The Gottman Institute Level 1 materials (assessments, session structure, intervention ideas, etc.) but will also be supported to use other couples counseling theory. If couples are not available, interns can conduct outreach about healthy relationships, potentially partnering with organizations that express interest (e.g., LDS-SA, Newman Club, Non-Traditional Student Center).
Interns can build a relationship with a department on campus to provide specialized mental healthcare for students. Examples include: Athletics, Disability Resource Center, Housing, International Student Center, Non-Traditional Student Center, Outdoor Recreation, Veterans, etc.. Interns might offer support groups, professional consultation, and/or outreach specific to the department's identified needs.
Interns typically lead 1-2 additional groups beyond the expected minimum of one process group per semester. Interns usually participate in a half hour of supervision with their co-leader for each group that they run.
Interns have ample opportunity to conduct outreach presentations in excess of the minimum of two outreach presentations each semester (Fall, Spring). In addition to providing outreach presentations on topics that are requested by campus, interns are encouraged to develop outreach presentations in areas of particular interest to them. Interns create advertising and communicate with campus partners to promote any new outreach presentations.
At times, various SUU academic departments have opportunities for interns to serve as adjunct instructors to teach classes. This elective rotation is best undertaken two semesters in a row (e.g., intern spends Fall Semester developing a relationship with a faculty member and then co-teaching with them in the Spring). This option is only available when departments have adjunct teaching opportunities available. Alternatively, interns may be able to set up a series of guest-teaching opportunities in one or more classrooms over the course of a semester.
Interns collaborate with CAPS staff to increase CAPS’ virtual presence by creating posts for our various social media accounts (e.g., Instagram, YouTube, etc.) aimed at supporting the mental health of students.
Most interns engage in research by finishing up their dissertation on internship. This rotation would be appropriate for an intern who is engaged in additional research beyond what is typically expected of interns (e.g., working on an article for publication or a book manuscript).
Interns who select this elective rotation coordinate with the Clinical Director to build a clinical caseload of clients who have identified that they are experiencing mental health concerns related to social/environmental responses to their gender identity or sexual orientation. This intern will also co-facilitate any CAPS-based clinical groups for this population (based on demand for services). During Spring Semester, this intern may consider assisting with SUU’s annual queer film festival.