Pre-Master’s Mental Health Internship – Counseling Center
The Kaiser Permanente Counseling Center (KPCC) mission is to provide professionals with developmentally appropriate exposure and training opportunities in evidence-based, culturally responsive, and high-quality mental health interventions within an integrated health care system. The KPCC completes trainee onboarding three times a year to offer the most flexibility to our Mental Health Scholars Academy Scholars, KP School of Allied Health Sciences, and external institutional partners.
During training at KPCC, mental health trainees learn to conduct individual therapy with adults and can pursue optional specializations in child and family therapy, couples therapy, and bilingual Spanish/English therapy. Therapy sessions are primarily conducted with patients experiencing mild to moderate mental health symptoms across Northern California. Our trainees can expect to be trained in a sequential, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive model, as our goal is to support trainees in becoming competent clinicians inside and outside of Kaiser Permanente.
Current University Affiliates
- Alliant International University
- California Northstate University (CNU)
- California State University, Stanislaus
- Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences
- Palo Alto University
- Smith College
- University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global)
- University of San Francisco
Program Curriculum
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity
Diversity issues are considered in every aspect of training as our patient population includes broad differences in age, disability status, race, ethnicity, immigration experiences, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion and spirituality, socioeconomic status, and family life. Through targeted seminar topics, supervision, and clinical work, trainees are informed and sensitized to diversity issues to prepare them to provide effective and culturally responsive mental health treatment.
KPCC Mental Health Trainees will be given opportunities to attend advanced trainings offered by the Mental Health Training Program’s Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Officers to promote cultural competency and cultural sensitivity. The trainings are designed to support all trainees and provide them with a safe space to reflect on their experiences without judgment.
Didactic Training
Trainees will complete didactics within their training at KPCC and have opportunities to attend regional seminars through Mental Health Training Programs (MHTP). Didactics will include clinical topics and explore culturally responsive care, as well as supporting developmental milestones/needs of our trainees within the training year. Our trainees will have live and asynchronous exposure to various speakers and topics.
Seminars and Meetings
In collaboration with KP Mental Health Training Programs:
- Regional Seminars
- Professional Development and Wellness Opportunities
- FIC Case Consultation
- EID Forums
- EID Consultation Hours
Supervision
Our program provides consistent and close supervision through weekly individual or triadic supervision and group supervision for each trainee. In addition to this, trainees attend weekly didactic seminars on clinically relevant topics and are given numerous opportunities to shadow colleagues and supervisors conducting intake evaluations and psychotherapy sessions. Our trainees also video and/or audio record their sessions for supervision purposes and are directly observed by supervisors to allow for live feedback during therapy sessions.
Schedule
Trainees are scheduled 16-20 hours a week during their placement, often completed in (2) 8-hour days.
The specific days and hours are dependent upon individual trainee’s available schedule, preferences, and the availability of supervision. If trainees are interested specialty training, schedules are adjusted to accommodate the opportunity.
Currently, most training activities (supervision, didactics, consultation) are conducted virtually, subject to change based on laws and regulations of governing boards and program changes.
