Maryam R. Hafezi, Psy.D. is the Senior Manager of the Northern California Regional Associate Program (RAP) within Kaiser Permanente’s Regional Mental Health Training Collaborative, where she leads program strategy, supervision quality, and interdisciplinary workforce development. Her leadership comes full circle…

A tube of ChapStick may seem insignificant, but for one of my patients it once represented germs, illness, and fear. When he picked it up without hesitation, the shift in the room was remarkable. Moments like this illustrate why our…

The Regional Associate Program (RAP), led by Dr. Maryam Hafezi, is a cornerstone of the Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC), thoughtfully designed to cultivate confident, capable, and well‑supported mental health clinicians across our medical centers. RAP delivers high‑quality, structured clinical…

The KP Community Project centered around Denim Day 2025, an annual event held each April to raise awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The origin of Denim Day stems from a 1999 Italian court case where a rape conviction was overturned…

Sara Wadhwa, MS, a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University, approaches her work with a guiding question - how do individuals make meaning of their suffering, and how does that meaning shape experiences of distress and pathways…

The Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) Evaluation & Quality Improvement Lab is pleased to highlight one of its newest program evaluation initiatives: an evaluation of the Cognitive Symptom Management & Rehabilitation Therapy (CogSMART) group offered within the Diablo Service Area…

The Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC) offers a robust lineup of continuing education seminars throughout the training year to enrich learning for our trainees and MHTC staff. These sessions are also open—free of charge—to Kaiser Permanente clinical staff as part…

In November of 2025, MHTC's Clinical Supervisors spent an incredible four days at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 2025 Annual Convention in New Orleans! The year’s theme was—“Bridging the Divide: Promoting Rigorous Science and Inclusive, Affirming Therapies”—set…

In summer 2025, staff and advanced trainees in the KP Mental Health Training Program collaborated on a rich, seven‑week early training experience, providing a full-time KP Launch Summer Internship for 16 high school and three college students across three MHTP…

Mentoring plays a vital role in fostering personal and professional growth through the intentional sharing of knowledge, skills, and lived experience. Through structured guidance, encouragement, and professional networking, mentors support mentees in building confidence, navigating career pathways, and achieving their…

Kaiser Permanente’s Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC) is uniquely strengthened by having an EMDRIA‑approved trainer on faculty—such as Patrizia Meunier, LMFT. This credential is held by only about 230 clinicians nationwide, making it a rare and highly respected distinction in…

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our 2026 Journal Club Presentations, starting this January and running through early August! This marks the second year of our highly popular Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC) initiative, designed to advance the APA’s…

We are proud to share that our very own Dr. Kathryn Wetzler, PsyD, Dr. Jennifer Thom, PhD, and Dr. Supria Gill, PhD, leaders of our NCAL Mental Health Training Collaborative, have all been recently recognized as Culture of Health Champion Managers at Kaiser Permanente by achieving one of the highest scores on the 2025 People Pulse Culture of Health Index.

The Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC) entered 2025 with momentum, and the year unfolded into one of our most transformative yet. More than 350 trainees—from pre‑master’s to postdoctoral levels—completed their training in the Mental Health Training Program and Counseling Centers, engaging in high quality didactic training, completing community volunteer projects and contributing directly to patient care.

The Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) is excited to announce that two of our independent doctoral internship programs and one doctoral internship consortium have recently achieved accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA)*. The newly accredited San Rafael doctoral internship…

The annual California Psychological Association 2025 Convention, held at the scenic Westin Long Beach from September 11–14, was a vibrant showcase of innovation, collaboration, and forward-thinking leadership in the field of psychology. Attendees enjoyed transformative educational sessions by leaders in…

As a second-year doctoral student at Palo Alto University, Lindsay Jamieson brings a personal passion for neuropsychological assessment and existential therapy to her practicum with the Mental Health Training Program. Inspired by her own experience with a head injury in…

The Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC) is honored to welcome our newest cohort of mental health trainees to the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Mental Health Training Program. As you begin this important chapter in your professional journey, we are excited…

We are proud to share an exciting evolution in our work: the Mental Health Training Program is now officially the Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC). This name reflects our expanded mission to address the critical shortage of clinicians and brings…

At the heart of the Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC) is a team of highly skilled Clinical Supervisors whose dedication and expertise are essential to the success of both our trainees and the program as a whole.

Kaiser Permanente’s Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) proudly participated as a Tier 3 Sponsor at the APA 2025 Convention, one of the most influential gatherings in the field of psychology. Held in Denver and virtually, this year’s event brought together…

The Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) is proud to kick off its expanded curriculum for the 2025–2026 training year! This year’s enhancements include a more comprehensive didactic series and an increased number of specialty trainings, all designed to elevate the…

Program Growth: From Trainee to Staff The Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Training Program has successfully wrapped up another impactful training year. For the 2024–2025 cycle, we saw a record number of trainees complete the program. Notably, in 2024 92.6% of…

This year marks the inaugural Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) Awards, created to honor some of the truly outstanding individuals who make our program so impactful.

Jennifer A. Clear, MA, brings exceptional depth, resilience, and cultural humility to her role as a doctoral intern in the Kaiser Permanente Counseling Center (KPCC). She is part of the first cohort of CAPIC doctoral interns at the KPCC and…

The Mental Health Training Program has launched an exciting new initiative this year—the Journal Club. Designed to ease the burden on local clinics while meeting the Research and Program Evaluation requirements set by the American Psychological Association, this program brings…

Implicit bias—also referred to as unconscious bias—encompasses the automatic attitudes and beliefs that influence how individuals perceive and interact with others, often without conscious awareness. Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional, expressions of these biases that manifest through language, behavior, or…

EQI Lab Researchers Shine at SCOPE Symposium Trainee researchers in the Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) Evaluation and Quality Improvement (EQI) Lab recently made their debut at Kaiser Permanente’s esteemed annual Scholarly Cross-residency Output & Presentation Extravaganza (SCOPE). Partnering with…

Kaiser Permanente’s Bilingual Spanish-English Specialty Program has been awarded the esteemed 2025 Apple Award, recognizing the organization's dedication to excellence in education and innovation in mental health training. The Apple Awards are part of Kaiser Permanente’s annual recognition initiative, celebrating…

This month the NCAL Kaiser Mental Health Training Program is excited to highlight the work of Scott Charlton, LMFT. As a Clinical Supervisor at the KP Counseling Center, Scott has been instrumental in implementing evidence-based therapies that make meaningful differences…

Kaiser Permanente’s Mental Health Training Program (MHTP) stands as the largest non-governmental training program in the United States, a testament to our unwavering commitment to mental health education and professional development. Our program's reputation continues to flourish, as evidenced by…

It is rare for a day at the clinic to be marked by such exuberance, but receiving a secure message from my patient filled me with joy. My first patient treated with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) had sent…

Since the early months of the training year, participants in NCAL MHTP’s Bilingual Training Program have been meeting for two hours each week to engage in didactic sessions on modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy,…