Counseling Practicum Track

The Counseling Practicum at the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) at UT Austin is a 2-semester, advanced practicum experience that is located on the main floor of the CMHC (SSB 5th floor). This practicum allows students the opportunity to train within a large and fast-paced university counseling center that provides a wide variety of comprehensive mental health services to the diverse UT student population while working with a multidisciplinary professional staff. The goal of this practicum is to provide training and supervision in the following areas:

• Clinical skills and competency in providing individual and group counseling.
• Understanding of and competence in the process-level dimension of counseling as well as use of the therapist's self and the counseling relationship as agents of change.
• Working competently and compassionately with clients from diverse life backgrounds and with wide-ranging presenting concerns.
• Developing skills for working with a multidisciplinary professional staff in a large university counseling center.
• Understanding and working with the “Use of Self” model of training at CMHC
• Developing case management and referral skills to manage high acuity needs in short-term clinical work.

Structure of the Counseling Practicum

The Counseling Practicum at CMHC consists of a combination of time dedicated to direct clinical services, individual and group supervision, participation in a weekly seminar and additional hours for documentation and other administrative tasks. The designated block of direct clinical service time is a minimum of 8 hours per week. Students may choose to emphasize individual counseling and thus dedicate all of their clinical hours to this activity, or they may schedule a lower number of individual counseling hours in order to gain experience in co-leading a group. Including direct clinical services, supervision, seminar, and administrative time, the total minimum commitment to the practicum is 13 hours per week. (Please note that the specific structure of the practicum is subject to change)

Individual Counseling Experience and Supervision

The CMHC provides brief individual counseling to UT students. Most courses of treatment are short-term counseling, and some clients may be seen longer. Practicum students will consult with their supervisors regarding which students to work with beyond short-term needs. Practicum students also meet with some clients for one-time-only single sessions. Each practicum student will receive 2 hours per week of individual supervision. In the fall semester, each practicum student is supervised by a clinical member of the CMHC staff. During the spring semester, most practicum students are supervised directly by a psychology intern.

Group Intervention Experience and Supervision

During each semester, trainees may participate as a co-facilitator of one group experience offered at the CMHC. Throughout the practicum, trainees receive one hour of supervision weekly, in addition to the direct supervision provided during group sessions. The group intervention portion of the practicum is optional, and availability is dependent on the number of groups and co-facilitators during any given semester.

Time Allocation for the Counseling Practicum Track at CMHC

Activity	Time Allotted
	Minimum	Maximum
Direct Clinical Services (Individual and Group Counseling)	8 hrs	Open
Individual Counseling Supervision	2 hrs	2 hrs
Group Counseling Supervision	0 hrs	1 hr
Practicum Seminar	1.5 hrs	1.5 hrs
Administrative Tasks	2 hrs	Open
Totals	13.5 hrs	Open