Clinical training is closely integrated with research training. Coursework addresses theory and research on clinical disorders/problems, evidence-based assessment and treatment techniques, and methods for evaluating the effectiveness of clinical practice. Clinical practicum experiences provide students with training and supervision in the application of empirically supported assessment and treatment techniques. They also function to expose students to a variety of client/patient populations. Clinical training also takes place in many faculty research labs. That is, many SMU faculty members conduct research on clinical phenomena and evaluate the utility of specific assessment and treatment techniques. Thus, students often receive training in clinical practice skills (e.g., interviewing skills, training in the delivery of specific assessment or treatment techniques) as part of their involvement in faculty research.

Practicum experiences in the program are separated into Basic vs. Advanced based on several criteria. Basic practicum experiences are suitable for beginning-level students. Many are internal practicum placements that are supervised by core program faculty, often on an hour-for-hour basis. For off-campus basic practica, supervision is frequent (often hour-for-hour). In addition, with basic practica, clientele are usually limited to a particular disorder or a narrow range of less severe disorders, and interventions are specific to the clinical population being served.

Advanced practica allow and expect more student autonomy. Students work with a wider range of both diagnostic classes and disorder severity. For this reason, students are expected to be able to make competent differential diagnoses. Supervision is structured and systematic; however, students function with more independence in the more advanced settings.

All students participating in either basic or advanced practica attend a bi-monthly Integrated Practicum Seminar (6091), which includes case consultation and presentations, discussions of intervention and assessment methods, and presentations by practicum supervisors.

Examples of Basic practica offered over the past three years

INTERNAL PRACTICA
Assessment Practicum: Students develop clinical assessment skills, using standardized and evidence-based cognitive, personality, and achievement tests, designed for both children and adults. Interpretation and integrative report-writing skills are emphasized in this year-long practicum. Supervisor: Dr. Robert Hampson. SCID Supervisor: Dr. Lorelei Simpson.

Family Violence Practicum: Students develop child assessment skills and behavioral interventions for child disruptive behavior disorders among families with a history of domestic violence. Students learn basic consultation skills in working with staff from a variety of community agencies (Child Protective Service, MHMR). Supervisor: Dr. Renee McDonald.

Advanced Special Topics: Social Anxiety Assessment and Treatment. Students develop assessment skills for anxiety disorders (e.g., diagnostic, domain-specific, and global functioning), as well as cognitive-behavioral and exposure treatments of social phobia and other anxiety disorders. Supervisor: Dr. Jasper Smits.

Panic Disorder and Asthma Assessment and Treatment Practicum: Students will conduct assessments (SCID, structured interviews, disorder-specific questionnaires) and complete behavioral protocols on asthma patients with and without panic disorder. Some of these patients will be treated at Baylor University Medical Center. Supervisors: Dr. Thomas Ritz and Dr. Alicia Meuret.

Sexual Assault Prevention Practicum: Students will facilitate groups for young adults and teens teaching communication skills for dating and sexual situations. Supervisor: Dr. Lorelei Simpson.

EXTERNAL PRACTICA
Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research: The Cooper Institute is nonprofit and affiliated with the nationally-renowned Cooper Aerobics Center, whose mission is to conduct and disseminate research regarding health-related interventions. Students placed at the Institute are involved with both interventions (e.g., weight loss instruction groups) and data collection (intake, ongoing evaluation). Supervisor: Dr. Jay Ashmore.

School of Public Health, University of Texas at Houston, Dallas Regional Campus: The specific program within this division provides a short-term motivational interviewing intervention for college students with alcohol use problems. Supervisor: Dr. Scott Walters.

Examples of Advanced practica offered over the past three years

Children’s Medical Center: This site is Dallas County’s public hospital for children and offers several different placements to SMU students, including the Eating Disorders Clinic, outpatient therapy unit (cognitive-behavioral interventions and assessments), the Diabetes Clinic, and general consultation services. Supervisor: Dr. Sunita Stewart.

Dallas County Drug Court: This division of the Adult Probation and Supervision Department offers evaluation and individual treatment for first-time felony drug offenders diverting from jail time to monitored treatment. Supervisor: Dr. Teresa Williams.

Family Studies Center: This center for couple and family therapy, at the University of Texas Health Science Center (Dallas, TX), uses empirically-supported interventions with couples and families, and conducts systematic evaluations of couples and families prior to intervention. Supervisors: Dr. Wayne Denton and Dr. Clyde Hanks.

Federal Medical Center/Carswell: This division of the Federal Bureau of Prisons provides services to female inmates. Students are involved in psychological assessment, crisis intervention, drug education, consultation, and individual therapy. Supervisor: Dr. Diana Del Rio.

Galaxy Counseling Center: This United Way community agency provides psychological testing as well as individual, couples, family, and group therapy for a wide variety of presenting problems. Supervisor: Dr. Nicole Roberts.

Parkland Hospital, Consult Liaison Psychiatry: This consult service, staffed by two psychologists and three psychiatrists, serves the entire medical domain of the hospital. Students provide individual consultation, differential diagnosis, brief psychotherapy, and individual assessments on medical patients from trauma, burn, OB, medicine, and oncology units. Supervisors: Dr. Steven Krebaum and Dr. Trish Borman.

SMU Counseling and Testing Center: The student counseling center provides individual therapy, preventive group interventions, assessment and consultation services to students and student groups. Supervisors: Dr. Cathey Soutter and Dr. Karen Settle.

Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital: The North Texas VA offers the full range of services that are provided nationwide: assessment, intervention, psychoeducational intervention, and residential care. Supervisor: James LePage, Ph.D.

Most students begin their first clinical practicum in the second year of the program. However, students occasionally can obtain clinical practicum experiences during their first year as well.