The CSU Health Network invites internship applications from 2nd year graduate students in the Colorado State University Master of Social Work program, as well as from other accredited Social Work programs. Social Work students typically spend 20-25 hours per week at the CSU Health Network; in some cases interns may need to contract to work additional hours in order to meet the requirements of their home academic programs. All internships will begin August 1 and conclude at the end of either the spring or summer semester. Our training staff is composed of licensed clinical social workers, counselors, and psychologists, as well as post-masters and post-doctoral fellows. We’re enthusiastic about our training program and view the development of new professionals to be an important part of our mission.
Our program strives to develop entry-level clinicians who possess the knowledge and skills necessary to function as competent, culturally sensitive and ethical practitioners. Social Work Interns will train in either General Services or the DAY Program (co-occurring mental health and substance abuse.
Clinicians in our counseling center serve the mental health needs of students in a variety of ways. General Services includes individual and couple psychotherapy, a vibrant group therapy program, and crisis intervention services. We work to foster team-based collaboration between our medical staff and mental health professionals and provide experience working within a medical context through several interdisciplinary treatment teams and our Integrated Behavioral Health program. Specialty programs including the DAY Programs (treatment related to substance use/abuse and other addictions) and the iTEAM (DBT-informed post-hospitalization program providing integrated care to clients experiencing an acute mental health crisis) provide additional opportunities for students to receive specialized care. The CSUHN has a strong commitment to social justice advocacy and has solid working relationships with the various Student Diversity Programs and Services offices on campus.
The training of clinically-competent, ethical, self-aware, and culturally sensitive psychologists is central to our mission. (Please click here for more information on the training program’s commitment to diversity.) We provide training to as many as thirty graduate students from diverse disciplines each year. All training is provided on site. The CSUHN does not use any distance education technologies for training or supervision. The seven training cohorts that comprise our training program are described very briefly below.
Our Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1973 and was one of the first university counseling services to earn this recognition. Our Master’s Internships in Social Work and Counseling are offered to students from CSU and other regional institutions. Advanced Practicum placements are open to third, fourth, and fifth year doctoral psychology graduate students from CSU and nearby universities, and GSA positions are sometimes offered to advanced-level doctoral psychology graduate students in CSU’s Counseling Psychology graduate program. The second year Psychology Practicum (Prac 1) also is offered in conjunction with CSU’s doctoral program in Counseling Psychology and is only open to their students. We also offer Post-Doctoral and Post-Masters Fellowships. These fellowships provide opportunities to continue to build skills as a generalist clinician while also developing skills working with one or more specialized areas (DAY Programs, Integrated Behavioral Health, and iTEAM).
Six core principles reflect our training philosophy and serve as a foundation for the model of training at the CSUHN. The following statements address our beliefs about the nature of training and our expectations for the treatment of others.
Broad-based training is essential for developing professionals.
We value the contributions of our own and other professional disciplines to the training program, recognizing that a diverse set of knowledge and skills are essential for effective practice.
Psychological theory and research are the foundation for competent practice.
The training staff believes that psychological theory and scientific research provide a foundation for conceptualization and intervention. The practice of mental health professionals should be grounded in theories relevant to their discipline and the supporting scientific literature.
An optimal learning environment is supportive and challenging.
We believe that learning is facilitated by an environment in which challenge is balanced with support. We value an open environment in which ideas can be explored and it is safe to make mistakes. We encourage trainees to honestly assess their professional strengths and limitations so that we may collaboratively establish training goals.
A commitment to self-awareness and a willingness to monitor the impact of personal needs on professional behavior are expected of all members of the staff.
Effectiveness as a mental health professional is not simply the result of skills acquisition, but rather the successful synthesis of competence and personal maturity that results in self-regulated, ethical behavior. Self-knowledge, self-care, and the ability to balance one’s personal and professional lives are essential to being an effective role model and instrument of change.
Each trainee and staff member has the right to be treated with respect.
Respect, honest communication, cooperation in meeting goals, and the support of one’s colleagues are central to a productive work environment. Evidence of bias, stereotyped thinking, and prejudicial beliefs and attitudes will not go unchallenged, even when such behavior is rationalized as a being a function of ignorance, joking, or cultural differences.
Respect for human diversity is a fundamental component of all activities.
The CSU Health Network bases all its programs and services, including training, on a philosophy that affirms the dignity of all people. We expect staff and trainees to be committed to the social values of respect for diversity, inclusion and equity. Both trainers and trainees should demonstrate a willingness to examine their own assumptions, behaviors, and values so that they may work effectively (as clinicians, teachers, mentors, and advocates) with “cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status” (APA Ethics Code, 2002, Principle E).
We believe that becoming a competent psychologist, social worker or counselor is a developmental process requiring graduated experiences and training. Consequently, the CSUHN offers training experiences from beginning practica through postdoctoral fellowships. The didactic instruction and supervised practice opportunities vary according to the level of training and the readiness of the individual student. As trainees gain experience, expectations for more advanced professional skills, greater self-awareness and autonomous functioning increase.
We place a high value on the integration of one’s personal and professional identities. We strive to tailor each student’s experience to their individual needs within the structured activities of our training program. Ongoing self-assessment of one’s strengths and limitations is encouraged. When coupled with the supervisory feedback of multiple staff members who are committed to training new professionals, there is great opportunity for personal and professional development.
Masters Interns will generally contract to work 20-25 hours/week; these are minimum requirements and interns may need to work more hours in order to meet the requirements of specific home academic programs. Masters Interns are expected to be available to work for the period beginning August 1 and ending on the last day of finals in the Spring semester; they are not expected to be available during periods when Colorado State University is not in session, but students from other universities should be aware that they are expected to be here through finals week each semester, even if that differs from the academic schedule of their home program. Students who will not be able to work during these times should discuss this in their application, and should be aware that this could impact the selection process.
Service delivery experiences differ somewhat depending upon whether an intern is places within General Services (GS) or DAY Programs. However, given that we are an integrated agency, GS interns are expected to provide support to the DAY team when needed and appropriate, and DAY interns are similarly expected to provide support in GS during periods of peak demand, if their schedules allow.
General Services Masters Interns:
Interns in the General Services track will have opportunities to work with clients presenting a broad range of problems, including mood disorders, anxiety, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, and family concerns. Students provide intake assessments, as well as individual and group therapy.
DAY Programs Masters Interns:
DAY (Drugs, Alcohol, and You) Programs provide assessment and treatment for students who are both mandated to treatment (by the University, courts, or parents) and those voluntarily seeking treatment. Issues with substances can range from AOD (Alcohol and other drugs) as a poor coping skill to addiction and co-occurring disorders. Interns focus on building a wide range of counseling skills (with special attention paid to Motivational Interviewing) and provide counseling for many other mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, PTSD, relational problems, etc.). Interns typically begin counseling students referred for BASICS, a two-session program for those with relatively minor violations of University policy. They also function as clinicians and case managers for the Open to Change (OTC) and Back on TRAC (Treatment, Responsibility, and Accountability on Campus) multidisciplinary treatment teams. Back on TRAC is the first treatment model of its kind, adapting components of the “Drug Court Model” for college students who are at risk of being separated from the university due to substance use. OTC is another innovative program, designed for working with students who are in need of substance use treatment but require a less rigorous program. Interns typically build a caseload of voluntary students as well. Interns have the opportunity to hone group facilitation and presentation skills through leading psycho-educational workshops, case management groups or a relapse prevention group.
Training Activities
Supervision: A senior staff member who is a licensed clinical social worker, serves as the Field Supervisor. The Field Supervisor and Training Director are responsible for coordination of the placement and communicating with the School of Social Work. Other members of the training staff may also provide clinical supervision of the student’s work. The Field Supervisor will work with the student to identify her or his training needs and develop a contract that best fulfills the individual’s training goals, as well as those of the academic program and CSUHN. All Social Work interns receive weekly individual supervision.
Training Seminars: All Social Work Interns participate in the Masters Professional Issues Seminar, the Diversity Seminar, and the Outreach Seminar. Those SW Interns placed in General Services also attend the Group Seminar. Some SW Interns placed in DAY services choose to increase their time commitment in order to participate in the Group Therapy Seminar & service delivery. The seminars are described below:
- Masters Professional Issues Seminar: This seminar addresses issues of professional growth and development in order to facilitate entry into the field of mental health & Social Work. Presentations by staff members, community professionals, and interns cover a wide range of topics based on the intern group’s needs and special topics that are of interest to them. Time is also allotted for case consultation and feedback.
- Diversity Seminar: This seminar focuses on the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to function as a culturally competent psychologist. Although multicultural issues are naturally integrated into all training experiences during internship, this seminar provides an opportunity for interns to safely explore the impact of their own cultural history and experiences upon their work and to add to their multicultural knowledge base.
- Group Seminar: This seminar’s focus is on group therapy philosophy and procedures, co-leader relationships, ethics, and group process dynamics and interventions. The seminar provides an opportunity for case conference-type reflection and dialogue, for brainstorming alternative interventions, and for enhancing knowledge about group stages and processes and group therapy ethics.
- Outreach Seminar: The purpose of this seminar is to gain understanding of the role of outreach and prevention services and to develop the skills necessary to deliver effective programming. Special emphasis is placed on using nontraditional services to reach populations that often do not seek mental health services.
In-service Training: An in-service training with mental health and medical staff is scheduled each month throughout the academic year. Retreats with all CSUHN staff are held in January and August. National conferences and symposia are regularly sponsored at CSU in a wide variety of areas, such as diversity, suicide prevention, and Asperger’s Syndrome. All trainees are invited to attend these activities.
A sample weekly schedule is provided below. While the experiences described in this section generally remain constant, the specific number of hours devoted to each activity may vary.
| Activity | General Services | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Services | ||
| Individual Therapy | 7.5 | |
| Group Therapy | 2.0 | |
| Initial Consultations | 1.5 | |
| Drug & Alcohol | 12 | |
| Outreach | ||
| Outreach | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Training | ||
| Individual Supervision | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| Group Supervision | 1.0 | |
| Masters PI Seminar | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Diversity Seminar | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Group Seminar | 1.5 | |
| Outreach Seminar | .5 | .5 |
| Administrative | ||
| Clinical Administration | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Staff Meeting/Inservice | .5 | .5 |
| Research | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| TOTAL | 22.0 | 22.0 |
Evaluation of Intern Performance:
Evaluation of Intern Performance:
All staff involved in training will give feedback designed to both support and challenge the student’s development. This will occur on an ongoing basis during the placement and in supervision meetings. More formal evaluations will be provided to the student and the Department of Social Work mid-semester and again at the end of each academic term. Typically, both an internal evaluation form and the form required by the Department of Social work will be completed.
Intern Feedback for Supervisors and Training Staff:
At the conclusion of each semester, interns will have an opportunity to complete formal evaluations of their clinical supervisors and group co-leaders. Evaluations of training seminars are completed at the end of the seminar.
Graduate students interested in applying for the 2022-2023 internship should submit the following materials in Word or PDF format to Ginny.Laahs@colostate.edu.
- A letter of interest in the program;
- A CV or professional resume;
- A completed “Information Form;”
- Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of two academic/professional references;
- A copy of the Program Affiliation Agreement/Training Site agreement from your academic program (this will allow us to review the agreement and ensure that we can meet your program’s requirements);
- A summary description of your training program or copy of your program handbook (courses, course descriptions, and practicum/internship hour requirements).
Please note that students who have received ongoing counseling services from the CSUHN within the last two years are not eligible for this position. The eligibility of students who received counseling services from the CSUHN more than two years ago will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, to avoid potential dual role relationships. Please contact the CSUHN Training Director, Aki Hosoi (Aki.Hosoi@colostate.edu), if you have questions concerning your eligibility.
All application materials must be received before midnight Mountain Time on Sunday, January 23rd, 2022.
Interviews will be scheduled in February. In an effort to reduce applicant stress, we will adhere to the Mutual Selection Date agreed upon by many of the UCCs in the area (March 4th, 2022). Participating UCCs include:
Colorado State University Counseling Services
Metropolitan State University of Denver Counseling Center
Regis University Office of Counseling and Personal Development
University of Colorado Boulder Counseling and Psychiatric Services
University of Denver Health & Counseling Center
University of Northern Colorado Counseling Center
The above University Counseling Centers (UCCs) have consulted with one another and recognized a benefit to working more collaboratively with one another for the greater efficiency and benefit of sites and students alike when selecting practicum level trainees for placements at our centers. We recognize that every year it is a bit of a chess match for everyone trying to get the trainee/site that they are seeking when there are so many different timelines in the interview process. We have found that many applicants apply to multiple UCCs at the same time and are pressured into making selections before having interviewed or heard back from all UCC sites. Thus, these Colorado UCC training sites have agreed upon a mutual selection date this year that will work as follows:
Mutual Selection Date: March 4th, 2022
1. Sites will interview on their own timelines prior to this date.
2. Sites will offer placements to their first selected applicants prior to this date; these applicants will have until 10 AM on the mutual selection date to notify that site whether they will accept the offered placement. Applicants are of course welcome to accept or decline an offer before this date and sites will continue to make offers per normal should offers be declined prior to the selection date. This timeline simply allows all applicants an opportunity to have interviewed at any UCCs prior to having to make a decision.
3. Sites will then be contacting other applicants after 10 AM on this date should remaining placements be open or should all positions be closed.
Our hope is that this will ease the process for all involved. Throughout the process, we will assess with sites and students alike to see if this does help the process and could continue to be a good option moving forward.
SPECIAL NOTE: Orientation for fall semester begins August 1 and runs through August 19. Interns must be available to attend approximately 25 hours/week of scheduled training during that time period. Trainings are scheduled at varying times throughout those three weeks, so interns will need to have the flexibility to attend trainings at varying days/times throughout the orientation period (a schedule of orientation trainings will be sent to selected interns by early-mid July, or earlier if available). Interns will begin working a regular weekly schedule beginning August 22.
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so. CSU Policy Library: http://policylibrary.colostate.edu/policy.aspx?id=461
Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding affirmative action requirements.
Helen Bowden
Senior Staff, General Services
Licensed Psychologist (2008)
PhD (Counseling Psychology) – University of Florida (2005)
Jenny Brandsma
Associate Director, Clinical Services
Licensed Professional Counselor (2011)
MA – University of Denver (2007)
Andrew L. Brimhall
Senior Staff, General Services
Licensed Psychologist (2019)
PhD (Counseling Psychology) – Ball State University (2018)
Jessie Charbonneau
Senior Staff, General Services
Licensed Professional Counselor (2018)
MS – University of Northern Colorado (2015)
Lisa Cline
Senior Staff, iTEAM
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (2013)
MSW – Colorado State University (2008)
Dee Colombini
Senior Staff, DAY Programs
Licensed Professional Counselor (1999)
Licensed Addictions Counselor (2014)
MA – University of Missouri (1990)
Karen Eichel
Senior Staff, Interpersonal Violence Counselor
Licensed Professional Counselor (2018)
M.Ed.—Colorado State University (2015)
Michèle Faris
Assistant Director, Academic Year Staff
Licensed Psychologist (1993)
PsyD (Counseling Psychology) – University of Northern Colorado (1988)
Beit Gorski
Licensed Professional Counselor (less than 3 years)
Naropa University – 2013
Aki Hosoi
Associate Director/Training Director
Licensed Psychologist (2011)
PhD (Counseling Psychology) – Colorado State University (2010)
Christopher Leck
Assistant Director, DAY Programs
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (2009)
MSW – Colorado State University (2006)
Pam McCracken
Senior Staff, DAY Programs
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (2014)
MSW – University of Kansas (1993)
Jeff Nepute
Senior Staff (team lead), iTEAM
Licensed Psychologist (2016)
PhD (Counseling Psychology) – Colorado State University (2014)
Stephen Okiyama
Senior Staff, General Services
Licensed Psychologist (2013 – CO)
PhD (Clinical Psychology) – Fuller Graduate School of Psychology (1989)
Jeffrey Paulez
Senior Staff, Trauma Psychologist
Licensed Psychologist (2020)
PhD (Counseling Psychology) – University of Northern Colorado (2019)
Adam Sargent
Assistant Director, Group Program
Licensed Psychologist (2016)
PhD (Counseling Psychology) – Colorado State University (2015)
Jesse Wolf
Senior Staff, iTEAM
Licensed Psychologist (2020)
PsyD (Clinical Psychologist) – William James College (2018)
Britney Worley
Senior Staff, DAY Programs
Licensed Professional Counselor (2021)
MA- University of Northern Colorado (2019)
The University’s 2018-2019 resident instruction enrollment was 28,679 with students from every state and more than 110 countries. Approximately 62% of the students are Coloradoans. Our U.S. student population identifies as 27.3% ethnic minority and 72.7% Caucasian. There are over 2300 students and scholars from foreign countries with the highest percentage from Saudi Arabia, China, Oman, and Vietnam. Women represent approximately 51.8% of CSU’s enrollment. Last year, 6084 students (approximately 21% of CSU’s 2018-2019 enrollment) were seen at the CSUHN Counseling Services. We saw primarily undergraduate students, with graduate/professional students making up 19.5% of the population we served. Of the clients who came to the CSUHN Counseling Services, 58.2% identified as female, 41.3% identified as male, and 0.5% identified in another way. In terms of ethnicity, 20.7% of our clients identified as ethnically diverse: American Indian/Alaska Native (0.3%), Asian American/Pacific Islander (2.5%), Black/African American (2.2%), Latinx (11.8%) and multiracial (3.8%). These numbers closely parallel the representation of these populations within the student body. International students comprised 8.5% of the students we served. Many more of these historically underrepresented students were served through outreach programming.
Colorado State University is one of our nation’s leading research universities with world-class research in infectious disease, atmospheric science, clean energy technologies, and environmental science. It was founded in 1870 as the Colorado Agricultural College, six years before the Colorado Territory became a state. Colorado State is a land-grant institution and a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University-Extensive.
Colorado State University is a “university of choice” for Colorado residents – 37% of all of Colorado’s science, math, engineering and technology majors pursue degrees at CSU. In addition to its excellent programs in those areas, CSU offers among the very best professional programs in the United States in veterinary medicine, occupational therapy, journalism, agriculture and construction management. Colorado State faculty are researching and tackling critical global issues, such as the reemergence of tuberculosis, air pollution in Asian cities, severe weather forecasting, nutrition and wellness, and bioterrorism. CSU’s faculty provides an enriched student learning experience by offering laboratory and field experiences from a major research university. This approach – combining the intellectual experience of the classroom with the practical experience of the field and laboratory – is based on the land-grant philosophy.
Colorado State’s Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement office hosts some of the strongest community-service programs in the country, allowing more than 6,000 students to participate in the university’s proud tradition of public outreach. CSU faculty played a significant role in the founding of the Peace Corps, and CSU remains one of the primary sources of Peace Corps volunteers today.
Colorado State is ranked in the top tier of universities in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of “America’s Best Colleges and Universities,” while Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine named CSU one of the top public universities in the United States in terms of educational quality and affordability. For more information on Colorado State University, please visit http://www.colostate.edu.
Fort Collins is a city that has garnered an array of honors:
∙ One of the Top 10 Best College Towns: Small-Sized Cities Category, USA Today– September 2019
∙ One of the top six ‘Smarter Cities’ for Energy: Natural Resources Defense Council, (population 100,000-249,999)– August 2010
∙ 6th Best Place to Live in the Nation: Money Magazine– July 2010
∙ One of the Most Underrated Cities in the West: com– June 2010
∙ One of the Greatest Places to Live in the West: American Cowboy magazine– April 2010
∙ Ranked 4th Best Places for Business and Careers: Forbes– April 2010
∙ One of a Dozen Distinctive Destinations: National Trust for Historic Preservation– February 2010
∙ Ranked 3rd ‘Smarter City’ for sustainability: Natural Resources Defense Council– July 2009
∙ One of America’s 20 Most Economically Vibrant College Towns: com– September 2011
∙ Ranked First, Safest Drivers in America: Allstate Insurance Company– 2011
∙ Ranked 3rd on the Best Bicycle Cities list: League of American Bicyclists and TheStreet.com– August 2011
∙ One of the top 15 Best Places for triathletes to live and train: Triathlete Magazine– August 2011
∙ Ranked 1st Best Place to Live and Work for Young Professionals (pop. 100,000-200,000): Next Generation Consulting– March 2009
Fort Collins has more than 300 days of sunshine per year (rivaling Miami or San Diego), so Colorado State University students can sample the city life and a variety of recreational opportunities throughout the year. Fort Collins is located 65 miles north of Denver and 45 miles south of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Transportation between Fort Collins and Denver International Airport is provided by both bus and limousine service.
At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Fort Collins is within a one-hour drive of such major recreational areas as Estes Park, Red Feather Lakes, Horsetooth Reservoir, and several national parks, including the 790,000 acre Roosevelt National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park. A wide variety of recreational activities is fostered not only by the presence of such areas but also by the climate in the Fort Collins region. Located at an elevation of 5,000 feet, Fort Collins has a clear, dry atmosphere and generally pleasant temperatures throughout the year. The summer temperature ranges from an average high of 82 to an average low of 52 degrees; the winter temperature ranges from an average high of 41 to an average low of 13 degrees.
Indicative of the cultural life of Fort Collins is the museum, public library, Lincoln Center, and Civic Symphony. An active University calendar — guest speakers, art exhibits, theater, cinema, concerts — adds to community life. This broad spectrum of cultural and outdoor recreational facilities, the excellent climate, and the mountain surroundings contributes to the ideal university setting of Fort Collins.
For more information on Fort Collins, please visit http://www.fcgov.com/visitor/.