Doctoral Internship

Our Doctoral Internship program and training are based on the scientist-practitioner model of psychology. Our work is driven by the application of research and evidence-based therapies in delivering state-of-the-art patient care. We specialize in empirically based, symptom-focused brief therapy. Our setting provides training in a fast paced, dynamic environment, focused on outpatient brief therapy in a medical center.

We serve over 1500 patients a week in our robust group treatment program. Through our innovative technology, we have adapted to providing virtual care to an even greater number of our members. Our team of psychologists provides the highest level of training to develop new professionals in the field. Kaiser Permanente is known for providing integrative, collaborative care, which translates to our supportive and attentive approach to training.

Our staff and supervisors develop collaborative, encouraging relationships with supervisees, while working with everyone in professional development and growth. Our psychologists have diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, placing emphasis on training in CBT, DBT, and ACT. Most interns choose to stay at Kaiser for their career.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Permanente Silicon Valley Internship Consortium, please do the following:

Make sure that in the AAPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good for the position

Candidates applying to multiple tracks need to clearly identify how their background or interest makes them a good candidate.

Please apply to specific locations and tracks based on your interest.

All Doctoral Interns, regardless of placement are required to complete neurocognitive and/or psychodiagnostic assessment during the training year.

Based on training experience you may have the opportunity to participate in:

• Gender Services assessment
• ADHD assessment
• Bariatric Surgery assessment
• Dementia assessment
• Psychotic disorders assessment

All Doctoral Interns will receive extensive training in and participate in the following:

• Focused Virtual Therapy (FVT), a brief, symptom-focused treatment
• Individual and group supervision
• Didactic training
• Community Benefits Project, requiring presentation and training on mental health care to community organizations.

The Doctoral Interns in this position will be assigned to the Adult Outpatient Services and will be working with a general adult service case load and will be conducting multiple groups over the course of the training year.

Doctoral Interns in this position will be required to manage a large and growing caseload providing very brief interventions and using group treatment as a primary modality for interventions. Doctoral Interns will see individuals and couples during their training year.

All Doctoral Interns will receive training in Focused-Virtual Therapy for Individuals and Couples. Applicants should have experience using short term, behaviorally focused interventions. Cases are not carried for long term and persons who desire psychodynamic training or long-term therapy will not find this position rewarding work.

Candidates with experience in working in busy settings such as medical offices in health psychology, crisis services, or other settings where there are tight limitations on the number of sessions will be the most successful.

Doctoral Interns will be working with a child and adolescent case load and will be conducting multiple groups over the course of the training year.

Doctoral Interns in this position will be required to manage a large and growing caseload providing very brief interventions and using group treatment as a primary modality for interventions.

The Doctoral Intern will need to be comfortable working with both young child and adolescents and feel comfortable working with parents who may not always be in support of the medical interventions recommended.

Applicants should have experience using short term, behaviorally focused interventions. Cases are not carried for long term and persons who desire psychodynamic training or long-term therapy will not find this position rewarding work. Candidates with experience in working in busy settings such as medical offices in health psychology, crisis services, or other settings where there are tight limitations on the number of sessions will be the most successful.

The Doctoral Interns in these positions will be placed in the embedded therapist service, located in a medical service within a large medical center.

The Doctoral Interns selected should have a basic familiarity with medical terminology. In addition, prior behavioral medicine experience is preferred, but not required. The position will require the interns to work as an embedded therapist in a Family Medicine Clinic.

Behavioral Medicine interns provide consultation in the medical clinic. Consultation consists of brief meetings with patients (often in exam rooms), brief assessment, intervention, and treatment planning, and informing the physician of assessment and plan. Behavioral Medicine interns provide focused, brief therapy (usually 30 minute appointment) to patients in the medical setting as well.

Our Behavioral Medicine Service is not a typical health psychology position so skills in rapid assessment of psychiatric disorders is required. The applicants in this position will be well qualified to move into advanced training in health psychology and other areas. We expect the intern in this position to be flexible, as the schedule for consultation is dynamic.

• Direct Patient Care: 20-25 Hours
• Non-Direct Patient Care: 5 Hours (higher for testing experiences)
• Individual Supervision: 2 hours
• Group Supervision: 2 hours
• Supervision of Supervision: 1 hour
• Program Evaluation/Community Benefits Project Supervision: 2 hours/month
• Didactic Training: 2 hours
• Assessment Supervision: 2 hours/month
• License preparation: 1-2 hours
• Clinical case conference: 1-2 hours
• Peer support: 1 hour

Doctoral Intern schedules will be planned in consultation with their clinical supervisor based on training interests and goals.

Doctoral Interns are not expected to work more than 40 hours per week, while some evening work is expected.

Monday through Friday 8 AM to 8 PM (exact hours vary by day and rotation, with most being 830am-530pm Monday through Friday).