Doctoral Internship Manual

Overview

Doctoral Interns at PMHW provide intake assessments, carry an interesting and complex therapy caseload, engage in consultation with PMHW staff and clinicians, and participate in a variety of supervision, process, and didactic trainings throughout the training year. Interns will have an opportunity to co-lead a support or therapy group, to provide a range of outreach programs/presentations, and to assist with the intern selection process.

Several aspects of the training environment make PMHW a unique site. PMHW has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion, including a genuine, inclusive, and curious exploration of differences. PMHW has a particularly strong alliance with gender, sexual, and racial minorities and those with low socioeconomic status in our community. PMHW has a strong record of serving those that are traditionally underserved in the provision of mental health care. Currently, in 2024, 24% percent of our clients are on Medicaid. Forty three percent of our patients identify as LGBTQIA2S+ and 17.5% of patients identify as gender diverse. Eight percent of our patients identify as BIPOC. Our providers are similarly diverse with 24% identifying as LGBTQIA2S+ and 32.5% as people of color.

Additionally, to assist trainees in nurturing a distinctive (and marketable) professional identity, we help them choose activities to support a Developing Specialty. Interns have opportunities to collaborate on outreach programs with colleagues.

As an internship, our theoretical orientation is process-oriented and focuses on the whole person in the context in which they live. Our licensed psychologists call primarily upon gestalt and psychodynamic orientations. Review our staff bios for fuller descriptions of our approaches to psychotherapy and clinical supervision. We do not require our interns to identify their orientation as gestalt or psychodynamic. We are the best fit, however, for interns who seek the deepening of skills through process-oriented training and supervision experiences. Above all, this internship is about becoming an outstanding clinician, and we value focused supervision a great deal.

Interns will be working with patients with Medicaid and private insurance in sessions that are 55 minutes in length. Moderate to moderately severe psychopathology is the norm (ex: mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, trauma) though we all have a few patients working on purely adjustment issues and a few with serious mental illness. Treatment plans are developed considering patient needs, therapist competence and the demands for our services. Interns learn to manage their caseload, including managing insurance requirements, coordinating with community and medical referrals as necessary, or referring patients to more intensive care (ex. IOP, inpatient treatment, substance abuse treatment) as necessary.

Duration of Commitment

The PMHW Doctoral Internship in Psychology is a 2,000-hour program. Interns commit to 40 hours per week for 12 consecutive months. These figures are what many state licensing boards require.

Interns are expected to fully commit to the training experience with us at PMHW. We are excited to have you with us, and hope for that feeling to be mutual. Interns are expected to anticipate and plan for any conflicting responsibilities like commute time, conference attendance, child/elder care, job start-date and long-distance move time.

Dates

The internship extends from mid-August through mid-August the following year. The first two weeks of the training year are dedicated to intern orientation, including team building exercises, organizational culture and HR trainings, clinical seminars, and administrative procedures trainings.

Hours of Operation

Interns will work five 8 hour days, 8 am – 4:30 pm. PMHW administrative staff is typically onsite 9 am to 5 pm Monday-Friday. Licensed clinicians generally set their own schedules.

Work Culture

Boundary-setting and maintaining personal balance are valued here. We believe interns can challenge themselves without being stretched too thin, so there is no expectation that trainees take on every project or opportunity that presents itself. On the other hand, the workweek sometimes demands more of us. Crisis response, case documentation, presenting outreach programs, and advising peers are examples of activities that may call for work beyond traditional business hours. Taking advantage of special training opportunities may mean working beyond the traditional business day.

At Portland Mental Health & Wellness (PMHW), we are deeply committed to cultivating a training environment that values diversity and promotes inclusion at every level. We believe that fostering a culture of respect, equity, and belonging enriches the learning experience, empowers personal and professional growth, and enhances the quality of care we provide to diverse communities. Our doctoral internship program is designed to support and celebrate diversity while providing interns with the tools they need to become competent and compassionate clinicians in an increasingly diverse world.

PMHW is dedicated to creating a training environment where interns and supervisors from all backgrounds feel respected, supported, and empowered. Our program integrates diversity into all aspects of training, supervision, and professional development. We prioritize creating spaces where interns can deepen their understanding of cultural humility, challenge assumptions, and explore the impact of systemic inequities on mental health and wellness. By focusing on these goals, we aim to prepare our interns to deliver culturally informed, ethical, and effective care to individuals across a spectrum of identities and lived experiences.

We actively welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Our recruitment process is designed to ensure equity and accessibility for all candidates, and we are committed to providing an inclusive experience for applicants, regardless of their age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other identity factors. Applications are evaluated holistically, with attention to prior training, clinical experience, and alignment with PMHW’s mission and values. Interns or applicants with accommodation needs are encouraged to reach out to the training director, as we are committed to creating an accessible application and training process.

Diversity and inclusion are not merely aspirations at PMHW—they are foundational to our training philosophy. Throughout the internship year, we integrate diversity-focused learning experiences into our seminars, case consultations, supervision, and community engagement opportunities. Interns are encouraged to engage in self-reflection, gain knowledge about diverse populations, and refine the skills necessary to provide culturally responsive care. These competencies are not only central to our program but also align with the broader professional standards outlined by the American Psychological Association (APA).

We also recognize that the work of fostering inclusion and equity is ongoing. PMHW regularly evaluates the effectiveness of our diversity training and inclusivity initiatives. We solicit feedback from interns, supervisors, alumni, and other stakeholders to identify areas for growth and improvement. This feedback allows us to refine our strategies and ensure that our program remains responsive to the needs of both our interns and the communities we serve.

By embedding diversity and inclusion into every facet of our training program, PMHW strives to create a learning environment that nurtures empathy, cultural competence, and advocacy. We are committed to equipping our interns with the knowledge and skills to address the complex mental health needs of a diverse society, while fostering a professional identity rooted in equity and justice.

About PMHW

About the Practice

Portland Mental Health & Wellness is a collaboration among psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, counselors, social workers, our trainees and administrative support staff.

We work with people first, diagnoses second. Though accurate diagnosis is important, people are much more than a diagnosis. We understand the constraints of a health care system that accommodates specific diagnosis focused therapy. We are able to work within that system but take extra care to allow for the gradual unfolding and blossoming that takes place as a matter of a course in therapy.

Mission

The mission of PMHW is to provide comprehensive mental health care grounded in the importance of curiosity, empathy, meaning making, growth, the mind body connection, relationships, dialogue and collaboration.  As a natural extension of this  mission, we offer training for mental health professionals.

Vision

A culture in which attending to one’s own mental health is not only considered normal but an essential part of living a healthy and value creating life; People of all backgrounds can participate in mental healthcare that honors their human complexity, life context, inherent dignity, and supports their emotional growth, meaningful relationships and sense of connection and wholeness.

Values

Administratively, clinically and in policy, we value:

  • Holding sacred the impact of connection on health & wellness.
  • Honoring the capacity for growth and healing of the whole person.
  • Engaging each other, our patients, and our community with cultural humility.
  • Practicing ethically with empathy, compassion, integrity, and mutual respect.
  • Maintaining and developing anti-racism and anti-oppression practices, as well as an openness to receiving feedback for when we are missing the mark.

We seek to embrace and develop an organizational culture that values feedback at all levels, radical candor, brave space, transparent decision-making processes, inverted organizational structure, antiracist practice, trauma informed and organizational & individual humility.

We recognize the health disparities of people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that the experiences of these communities must be valued in the work we do.  We believe that by operating under the principles, values and frameworks below, we are well positioned to do just that.

We aspire to the below with the awareness that this is an ever unfolding process and we will not do it perfectly.

For more details about our organizational culture principles, please visit our Organizational Culture Page.

Portland Mental Health & Wellness (PMHW) is a private group practice that offers interns with an interest in working with patients of diverse and intersecting identities an exciting opportunity to deepen their therapy skills. Our practice offers outpatient psychotherapy, assessment services, medication management, and intensive outpatient services. Clinicians generally practice from process-oriented and social justice-informed models. Interns are trained in the outpatient program. PMHW is contracted with private insurance and Medicaid, and offers sliding scale/self pay. We currently have three office locations in Portland, OR, and have a hybrid model where interns will work from home via telehealth 2 days per week and out of the office 2 days per week.

The Portland Mental Health & Wellness (PMHW) doctoral internship program is housed in a large group practice located in Portland, OR, and serving patients primarily within the Portland Metro area, and also across the state via telehealth. The organization offers a wide range of services: outpatient individual, group, couples, and family therapy, intensive outpatient treatment programs, and medication management.

PMHW has a strong record of serving populations who are traditionally underserved in the provision of mental health care. For example, in 2024, 44% of our clients were insured by Medicaid. Forty three percent of our patients identified as LGBTQIA2S+ and 17.5% of patients identify as gender diverse. Eight percent of our patients identify as BIPOC. Our providers are similarly diverse with 24% identifying as LGBTQIA2S+ and 32.5% as people of color. Our patients range in age from age 4 to 78, though 95% of our patients are over the age of 18, and as such we currently serve adults at a much higher rate than children. PMHW serves about 1,800 patients at present via individual and group psychotherapy, intensive outpatient, and medication management programs. Interns work with patients with Medicaid and Kaiser insurance, as well as private pay/sliding scale. Client presentations range from moderate to moderately severe psychopathology, such as mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, and trauma. Given this wide range of populations served and PMHW’s record in the community of serving diverse populations, as well as a wide range of presenting problems, interns deepen skills in many areas of clinical training and special interests. These areas currently include: neurodiversity, trauma, gender identity and sexual orientation, and antiracist and decolonial approaches to psychotherapy.

The Bora Building (our primary location; 905 SE 14th Ave) offices are on the first floor of the building and have accessible, all gender restrooms. Our Stevens location (812 SW Washington St, Ste 700) has an elevator to our offices on the 7th floor and accessible, all gender restrooms. Our Division location (3050 SE Division St, Ste 215) also has an elevator to our offices on the 2nd floor and accessible restrooms. All locations are easily accessed on public transportation and have on-street parking available.

Click here to learn more about our staff and their roles at PMHW.

Training Model & Supervision

Portland Mental Health & Wellness (PMHW) is a private group practice that offers interns with an interest in working with patients of diverse and intersecting identities an exciting opportunity to deepen their therapy skills. Our clinicians practice from relational and process-oriented models and focus on the whole person in the context in which they live. Staff psychologists, LPCs, LCSWs, and other clinicians practice primarily from Gestalt and Psychodynamic frameworks and utilize a therapeutic model of supervision in an effort to both support and challenge our trainees to attend to both their patients and their own process.

Our philosophy of training for the PMHW Psychology Internship is a culturally-focused Developmental Mentorship Practitioner model designed to train generalists to be prepared for entry-level practice in health service psychology and to function in multiple clinical contexts within a multidisciplinary staff.  The core of the model is a practitioner orientation. This is rooted in applied psychology and includes extensive training in: assessment, diagnosis, and triage; individual, group, and relationship therapy; outreach and consultation; supervision (receiving and providing) and didactic training. The PMHW staff embrace a range of theoretical orientations, treatment modalities, and ways of thinking that are intentionally divergent.

The developmental focus highlights the parallel process that occurs between clients’ development, interns’ personal and professional development, and the transitions of the training year. The internship year begins with assessment of entering interns’ skills, and progresses with facilitated, active involvement in both individually selected and universal professional activities. Our site is committed and dedicated to ethical, culturally aware mentoring through reciprocal learning within supportive and challenging relationships with staff and peers.

Notice of Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Policy

PMHW is committed to providing a work environment free of sexual or any form of unlawful harassment or discrimination. Harassment or unlawful discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status or any other classification protected by local, state or federal laws is illegal and prohibited by PMHW policy. Such conduct by or towards any employee, contract worker, customer, vendor or anyone else who does business with PMHW will not be tolerated. Any employee or contract worker who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of their employment or engagement. To the extent a customer, vendor or other person with whom PMHW does business engages in unlawful harassment or discrimination, PMHW will take appropriate corrective action if informed of the harassment or discrimination.

Aim of the PMHW Doctoral Internship Program

The aim of the PMHW doctoral internship program is to facilitate growth and training of generalist psychologists who are committed to and prepared for entry-level practice in clinical psychology. At PMHW, interns will learn to promote and facilitate the attainment of optimal mental health through prevention, treatment, and maintenance services. Most importantly, we support interns’ development in learning to work collaboratively with patients, their families, and other healthcare providers, recognizing that all voices are important and deserve to be heard. They provide culturally sensitive and responsive care, acknowledging the impact of historical trauma and colonization on the mental health of communities and individuals.

Internship Goals

Generalist Skills: Interns will engage in a range of professional activities appropriate to a generalist entry-level psychologist. In accordance with Oregon and CDC guidelines for health and safety, generalist skills will be developed both in person and through virtual platforms.

  • Assessment and Diagnosis
  • Individual and Group Therapy
  • Outreach and Consultation
  • Supervision and Training

Integration of Science, Theory, and Art of Practice: Interns will demonstrate awareness of the intersection and integration of science, theory, and art in the practice of professional psychology.

  • Theoretical Orientation and Clinical Style
  • Integration of Science and Theory into the Art of Practice
  • Ethics and Legal Standards

Professional Identity: Interns will develop a sense of identity within the field of professional psychology.

  • Awareness of Interpersonal Style
  • Cooperative Discourse with Peers and Staff
  • Consultation and Collaboration
  • Lifelong Learner

Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Awareness & Skills: Interns will demonstrate understanding of the relevance and complex intersection of multiple identities, including cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual and gender, SES, physical ability, etc., for clients and themselves.

  • DEAI Awareness and Knowledge
  • Cultural adaptation of evidence-based treatment

Therapeutic Model of Supervision: PMHW provides an integrated, holistic, and effective training paradigm in which supervisors view the supervisee as more than a therapist, rather as a complete, integrated person, or, at least a person working toward wholeness and integration. Supervisors strive to facilitate the supervisee’s ability to respond to and engage with the patient in an authentic, meaningful, therapeutic manner. Professional development focuses on purposeful and meaningful interactions that effectively contribute to the supervisee’s personal and professional development. Supervisees are free to fully own and appreciate who and what they are in the moment fostering the ability to automatically grow and improve as they are not only permitted to be a novice without judgment or criticism but encouraged to appreciate, own, even love their current place in the developmental continuum. At the same time, authentic meaningful feedback is vital and central to supervision. Feedback articulates processes and interactions observed by the supervisor and their personal reactions to the supervisee, the client, or the interactions between them without their judgment of them and is intended to facilitate awareness in the supervisee. Awareness is central to supervision and suggests that the skill, knowledge, and ability to become a better clinician already exists within the supervisee. It simply needs to surface and be realized.

Supervision exploration areas:

  • Personality functioning of the therapist and the client
  • Relationships between client, therapist, and supervisor
  • Theories of development, personality, psychotherapy, and change
  • Clinical theory, diagnosis, and treatment planning
  • Professional, administration, and business practices

Methods of intervening in the supervision process:

  • Educational instruction
  • Open-ended questioning
  • Modeling
  • Support and encouragement
  • Clarification

Self-other Supports:

  • Identification with and the owning of supervisee’s current experience in the moment
  • Self-support inventory of supervisee’s:
    • History
    • Experiences
    • Information
    • Knowledge
    • Skills
  • Strengths and weaknesses

We begin the internship year with an orientation that provides staff and interns ample opportunities to begin developing strong working relationships. During this time our staff learn about each intern’s experiences, training, strengths, interests and identify areas for growth. We strive to support our interns individually and as a group in their professional development.  Upon the successful completion of the internship, our interns will be prepared for entry-level professional practice, as generalists, within the field of health service psychology.

We seek interns who wish to expand and deepen their effectiveness working with patients of diverse and intersecting identities in the areas of psychotherapy, outreach, and interdisciplinary consultation skills. Interns who desire integrative supervision, are open to clinical challenges, have good ethical judgment, and a sense of humor are valued here. Read more about our training philosophy under Internship Goals.

PMHW adheres to the following Policy Regarding Intern Self-Disclosure:

  • Self-discovery is essential to growth as a psychologist; therefore interns are encouraged to disclose historical and cultural influences that may affect clinical practice.
  • However, per the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Standard 7.04) interns are not required to disclose personal information unless “the information is necessary to evaluate or obtain assistance for students whose personal problems could reasonably be judged to be preventing them from performing their training- or professionally related activities in a competent manner or posing a threat to the students or others” (APA, 2017).
  • At no time is the supervision experience intended to be a therapeutic relationship or to substitute for therapy.

The PMHW Internship in Clinical Psychology Program is an integral part of the Training Department at PMHW. This organizational chart depicts how the program is situated within the context of the larger organization.

Laurel Fuson-Lang, PsyD (Oregon License #3512) she/her

I am training director at PMHW and a clinical psychologist with experience working with adults from diverse backgrounds in individual, group, and relationship therapies. I am a graduate of the Pacific University School of Graduate Psychology, with a training focus in multicultural psychology and an emphasis in working with the Latinx Spanish-speaking population. I completed my internship at Miami University Student Counseling Service in Oxford, OH, and my postdoctoral residency here at PMHW. I have experience in community mental health, college counseling, and healthcare settings and am trained in cultural adaptation of evidence-based treatment, intercultural communication, and trauma-informed care. I am able to provide therapy in Spanish. As a clinician, I work from a Gestalt and humanistic-existential framework, and my interests include relational/relationship concerns, existential concerns, trauma processing, and identity development.

I approach supervision from a developmental and therapeutic model centered on the experience and learning goals of the supervisee. I begin every supervisory relationship with an invitation to get to know one another and our intersecting identities, establishing an ongoing conversation about the way our experiences impact the work we do together, and the work the supervisee does with the patient. I hope to create a space that is both supportive and stimulates growth, following the supervisee in their understanding of their need in the moment. I love to share gestalt therapy perspectives, and am also excited to work with supervisees coming from other theoretical orientations.

I provide supervision of individual therapy, couples/relationship therapy, and group therapy.

Read More about Laurel > 

Adrian Larsen Sanchez, PsyD (Oregon License #2623) he/him

I am a licensed psychologist and psychoanalyst. My clinical interests include contemporary relational thinking and intersubjectivity in psychoanalysis, personality and characterological dynamics, complex/developmental trauma, psychosis, collaborative/therapeutic assessment and working with LGBTQ2S+ and immigrant communities.

My approach to supervision is collaborative, focused on understanding the strengths and “growing edges” of each particular practitioner in their clinical work, including clinical formulation and intervention, use of self, and expanding awareness and reflection around relational and dynamic processes in the therapeutic context. I value attending to issues of power, privilege, diversity and culture in therapy.

My educational background is below:

  • Doctorate in clinical psychology, Pacific University
  • Doctoral internship, Jacobi Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NYC)
  • Postdoctoral fellowship, Kaiser Permanente, NW Division
  • Fellowship in psychoanalysis, Institute for Psychoanalytic Education/NYU School of Medicine
  • Certificate in Theory and Practice of Psychoanalysis (four year Psychoanalytic Training program), Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis (Los Angeles)

Read More about Adrian >

Len Kaufman, PhD (Oregon License #2744) he/him

I am a clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families, specializing in identity and developmental issues throughout the lifespan, parenting, loss/grief, chronic/terminal illness, and issues related to lgbtqia+ identities. My theoretical orientation is developmental, incorporating psychodynamic, interpersonal, humanistic, mindfulness, and cognitive-behavioral approaches. After earning my MA in general psychology and PhD in clinical psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, I completed my predoctoral internship in 1995 at the DC Commission on Mental Health in Washington, DC in the child track.  My training as a supervisor includes 12.5 hours of live supervision training and 19.5 hours of online supervision training, as well as engaging in a peer supervision group for 19 years and providing clinical supervision in various settings for over 25 years. With a supervision approach that is developmental and interactive, I focus on meeting clinicians where they are in their professional development and supporting them in further developing their professional identities. In individual and group supervision, I support clinicians in their roles as therapists, valuing vulnerability, openness and curiosity.

Read More about Len > 

Mark Reck, PsyD (Oregon License #3539) he/him

I earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the Pacific University School of Professional Psychology in Hillsboro, Oregon, and completed a 2-year post-graduate training in gestalt therapy from the Gestalt Therapy Training Center-Northwest in Portland, Oregon. I completed my predoctoral internship at the New Mexico State University Counseling Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Counseling & Assessment Services in Amherst, Massachusetts. My interests lie in humanistic-existential and experiential approaches to psychotherapy, infusing social justice and an anti-oppressive frame throughout psychotherapeutic work, and navigating the incorporation of research to clinical practice.

My approach to supervision is founded upon my theoretical orientation, namely gestalt therapy, and my ongoing aspiration to embody an anti-oppression stance in my supervisory work. In parallel to my approach, my supervision style is founded upon focus and concern for the individual experience of my supervisee, how my supervisee’s experience works together over time within any given relationship (e.g., therapeutic relationship with a patient, supervisory relationship with me), how various contexts of my supervisee’s life influence their understanding of their self-in-relation, and how my supervisees can learn from moving to action and experimenting with various ways of being and doing in their work. As a result of this approach, I tend to be responsive to the particular needs and desires of my supervisee, accounting for their developmental and training level, considerate to their past clinical experience, and open to navigating a variety of roles as a supervisor to address all of these factors. It has been my experience that following this foundational path has allowed me to attend to supervision in a way that resonates with other supervisory frameworks, such as the integrative-developmental model of supervision, especially in specifically attending to a variety of competency areas (e.g., intervention skills, assessment, conceptualization, cultural sensitivity, theoretical orientation, treatment planning, professional ethics), as well as supporting the ongoing development of my supervisee’s clinical identity.

I provide supervision of individual therapy, couples/relationship therapy, and group therapy.

Read More about Mark > 

Alyssa M. Ramírez Stege (Oregon License #3768) she/her/ella

I am a counseling psychologist with extensive experience in bilingual psychotherapy and supervision. After earning my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Universidad de las Américas Puebla in Mexico, I pursued my master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My doctoral internship was at Pacific Psychology & Comprehensive Health Clinics in Portland and Hillsboro, Oregon, where I provided bilingual psychotherapy and supervision as part of the Sabiduría Latine-serving clinic. I fulfilled my post-doctoral hours at a community-based Latino Clinic in Madison, WI while serving as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I developed and directed the Esperanza Bilingual Psychological Services Graduate Certificate. Supervision remains one of my favorite roles as a psychologist, teacher, and trainer.

I integrate an emotion-focused, decolonial, and anti-racist framework into my clinical and supervisory work, prioritizing relational safety, cultural humility, and systems-based advocacy. Guided by the belief that wellness is tied to fairness and justice, I strive to dismantle colonial legacies in psychotherapy by fostering critical consciousness and empowering trainees to bring their full cultural selves into their practice. My supervision approach emphasizes reflection and experiential learning, challenging traditional norms, enhancing cultural humility, and promoting transformative growth for both trainees and their clients.

Read More about Alyssa > 

Crisis situations

If you find yourself in a crisis situation where you need urgent consultation and support, please reach out in this order until you are able to connect with someone:

  1. Your individual supervisor
  2. Request a consult via the Doctoral Interns & Supervisors chat
  3. Contact the Training Director
  4. Contact any Clinical Director
  5. Contact a Practice Owner

General Consultation/Questions

For general consultation and questions throughout your day, please use the Doctoral Interns & Supervisors chat. You can also bring questions to your weekly check-ins with the Training Director and your supervision spaces.

PMHW Doctoral Internship Program Telesupervision Policy

Telesupervision is a core component of the PMHW Doctoral Internship Program, designed to support accessibility, flexibility, and excellence in training while maintaining ethical, relational, and clinical integrity. This policy outlines the use of telesupervision for both individual and group supervision, including its alignment with our training aims, quality assurance practices, and conditions requiring in-person contact.

Supervision Format and Hour Requirements

Interns receive a minimum of 4 hours of supervision per training week, including:

  • 2 hours of individual supervision
  • 2 hours of group supervision

All 4 hours may be conducted via telesupervision, provided the following conditions are met:

  • Telesupervision is effective and appropriate for the supervision goals;
  • Confidentiality, privacy, and professionalism are preserved;
  • The supervision relationship remains strong and effective;
  • There are no specific concerns requiring in-person supervision (outlined below).

Rationale and Alignment with Training Aims

Telesupervision supports the aim of the PMHW Doctoral Internship Program: to train generalist psychologists who are ready for entry-level practice in clinical psychology and committed to ethical, collaborative, and culturally responsive care. Specifically:

  • Generalist Skills: Interns are supervised in assessment, therapy, outreach, consultation, and supervision training using a blend of in-person and virtual modalities, consistent with modern professional practice.
  • Integration of Science, Theory, and Art of Practice: Telesupervision exposes interns to evolving technologies and telehealth systems, promoting critical thinking around clinical adaptation, ethics, and innovation.
  • Professional Identity: Interns learn to navigate professional relationships across digital and physical spaces, deepening their skills in cooperative discourse, consultation, and lifelong learning.
  • Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI): Telesupervision expands access to training across geographic and logistical barriers, supports accommodations for interns with disabilities or caregiving needs, and reflects real-world service delivery in diverse and underserved communities. Interns are encouraged to examine power dynamics, cultural humility, and inclusion within virtual supervisory relationships.

Use and Timing of Telesupervision

Telesupervision may be used from the start of the internship year and throughout the training period. Supervisory dyads may meet exclusively via telesupervision unless concerns arise that warrant in-person meetings. Interns participate in a telesupervision orientation at the beginning of the year and receive instruction on all videoconferencing platforms. Interns meet with supervisors in person at least once at the beginning of the training year to build rapport.

When In-Person Supervision is Required

Although all supervision may be conducted virtually, in-person supervision will be initiated when the following concerns arise:

  1. Privacy and Confidentiality Concerns
    1. Inability to maintain a confidential setting (e.g., interruptions by others, background noise, shared space).
  2. Relational or Communication Challenges
    1. Poor rapport or signs of disengagement;
    2. Difficulty connecting or aligning as a dyad;
    3. Frequent technical disruptions or miscommunications that impair supervision.
  3. Clinical or Training Needs
    1. The need for direct modeling or teaching of specific interventions (e.g., somatic work);
    2. Difficulty reviewing clinical materials via video;
    3. A pattern of unresolved clinical concerns;
    4. Complex clinical or consultation needs that require in-person dialogue.

Supervisors and interns will collaborate on shifting to in-person supervision in these circumstances to ensure training and clinical integrity.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The PMHW Doctoral Internship Program evaluates the effectiveness of telesupervision through:

  • Mid-year and end-of-year intern evaluations of supervisors;
  • Exit interviews;
  • Supervisor self-assessments;
  • Ongoing monitoring of training outcomes and intern satisfaction;
  • Comparison of feedback between telesupervision and in-person experiences.

Clinical Responsibility and Crisis Response

  • Supervisors maintain full professional responsibility for intern clinical work, even when either supervisor or intern is working remotely.
  • Interns are provided with email and phone contact information for their supervisors, as well as a list of additional supervisors to contact in case of emergency/crisis if their primary supervisor is not available.
  • Non-scheduled consultation and urgent situations are addressed through direct contact with the primary supervisor or designated backup.

Technology, Privacy, and Competency

  • All supervision occurs over secure, HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platforms administered by PMHW.
  • Interns and supervisors are expected to:
    • Use private, secure environments for all supervision;
    • Notify each other immediately of privacy concerns or technical issues;
    • Adhere to best practices for online confidentiality and professionalism.

Technology and support include:

  • PMHW-issued laptops;
  • Site-wide secure videoconferencing tools;
  • Orientation to platform use and supervision etiquette;
  • IT support for troubleshooting and access.

Supervisors receive training to ensure competency in delivering telesupervision ethically and effectively.

Schedule & Activities

Interns engage in 40 hours of professional activity each week. In consultation with their individual supervisor and/or the Training Director each intern will have some discretionary time for select activities. The actual time per week for many of the activities below fluctuates during the year related to the training cycle and clinical flow. The chart below represents a typical week during the year.

Intake Interviews

Learning objectives include an ability to follow diagnostic clues, familiarity with symptomatology and development, establishing strong rapport, informed case disposition, and comfort with a discussion of confidentiality.

Individual Psychotherapy

Interns provide individual psychotherapy to patients with the following commonly treated diagnoses: mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, complex trauma, and Cluster B personality adaptations. PMHW patients commonly identify within the following populations at rates higher than the general population: trans and gender-nonconforming, queer or LGBTQ+, Spanish-speaking. A full weekly individual caseload will average 19 clinical hours. Interns treat patients from the theoretical frameworks deemed most effective (in consultation with the primary supervisor, of course) with an attention to process. Clinicians have reported that their caseloads are surprisingly diverse with regard to patient background and treatment concerns.

Group Therapy

Interns co-facilitate a process-oriented group with a licensed psychologist or psychologist resident. Interpersonal process groups are a powerful method for achieving personal growth, deeper and more meaningful relationships and addressing fears about connecting with others. Groups typically are for adults struggling with a variety of problems including intimacy, anger, trauma, depression, or unsatisfying relationships. Interns in our Latine/bilingual rotation will facilitate skills and outreach groups at our community partner organization, Raices de Bienestar.

Clinical and Objective Assessments

In addition to the clinical assessment that occurs at each intake, limited diagnostic testing is performed with every patient at PMHW. We utilize outcome measures such as the DSM-5 Level 1 and Level 2 measures as part of intake assessment, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), ACORN outcome measure, and a variety of brief measures are readily available online and via iPad in our offices. All outcome and severity measures are linked directly with clinician email and patient chart.

Provision of Supervision

Interns supervise one advanced doctoral level trainee during the first half of the training year. This typically involves case supervision of a doctoral student, in conjunction with a licensed psychologist, who retains umbrella responsibility for the supervision and consults weekly with the intern. In some cases, interns may provide co-supervision with their licensed supervisor. Interns providing supervision also receive support and oversight through Group Supervision of Supervision.

Psychological Assessment

Interns provide full battery psychological assessments and therapeutic assessments as a part of their assessment rotation. At Portland Mental Health & Wellness, psychological assessment is a collaborative process. We utilize validated psychological tests to help illuminate underlying factors contributing to distressing symptoms and behaviors, including emotional, personality, or cognitive strengths and vulnerabilities.

During their assessment rotation, Interns will each complete 1-2 assessments focused on a wide range of presenting issues, e.g. ADHD, PTSD, complex trauma, personality disorders and dynamics impacting treatment, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and psychosis, as needed by outpatient and intensive outpatient services. Assessments will be multimethod in nature, following models by Bram and Peebles (2014) and Blais & Hopwood (2010), and completed within a Collaborative/Therapeutic Assessment Framework (Finn et al., 2012). Typical instruments for a given battery will include the WAIS-IV, Rorschach (R-PAS), PAI, Spectra, and Adult Attachment Projective. Other instruments may be added depending on the specific nature of the referral questions, e.g. D-KEFS, TSI-2, MIGDAS, SRS-2, etc.

Outreach/program development

Interns must engage in at least two outreach activities during the course of their internship year. Interns need not wait for an outreach request that fits their particular interests and schedule. They are welcome to develop programs for specific groups or advertise workshops that are open to the community. Interns may revamp existing outlines or develop new programs from scratch. Interns in our Latine/bilingual rotation typically complete their outreach at Raices de Bienestar.

Latine/bilingual rotation

Interns who are bilingual in Spanish and English have the opportunity to train in our Latine/bilingual rotation as a part of our in partnership with Raíces de Bienestar, a local nonprofit dedicated to providing culturally-grounded mental health services to the Latine community here in Oregon. The placement at Raíces will allow interns to experience the benefits of reaching beyond the therapy room to connect with the Latine community and engage with community leaders and traditional health workers. Raices provides a broad continuum of services, from prevention to direct clinical intervention. Interns on the Latine/bilingual rotation may also train within our Florecer (Latine Spanish-speaking) program here at PMHW.

Individual Supervision with a Licensed Psychologist

Psychology Interns receive two hours per week of individual supervision, which is devoted to the development of their psychotherapy skills and professional identity. The supervisory sessions include case conceptualization, treatment planning, ethical decision-making, therapist self-awareness, and career development discussions. Review of video recordings of sessions is part of this process, too. The psychology staff at PMHW all have very high regard for trainees and for the supervision process. Naturally, we are looking for interns who share this value and openness.

Didactic Seminars

Interns engage in a weekly 2-hour didactic training. Interns will be asked to present on their developing specialty during the training year.

Case Conference

Each intern presents at the Case Conference at least once during the training year. This is an opportunity to explore clinical, diagnostic and/or ethical issues with other trainees. Interns participate in the conference when they are not presenting as well to ask questions and practice clinical consultation skills.

Group Supervision

Interns meet as a cohort for the following group supervision experiences. Group supervision provides a forum for processing reactions, mentoring, observational learning, and supervisory and consultative guidance.

  • Group Supervision of Individual Therapy
    • Interns meet for group discussion of individual casework every week.
    • Interns alternate showing video of therapy with clients and providing informal presentations.
  • Group Supervision of Group Therapy
    • Interns meet every week to discuss co-facilitation of therapy groups.
    • This experience typically includes both a didactic/consultative aspect and a feedback/group process component.
    • Interns in our Latine/bilingual rotation receive supervision of group interventions at Raices de Bienestar
  • Group Supervision of Supervision
    • In the first half of the year, interns attend bi-weekly supervision to discuss interns’ supervision of doctoral trainees.
  • Group Supervision of Assessment
    • During the Assessment Rotation interns also receive direct supervision on interpretation of assessment results, integrative report writing, and feedback to clients.

Experiential Training

Biweekly throughout the training year, interns will engage in experiential, process-focused training in order to gain and practice skills in relational, process-oriented therapeutic modalities. Interns will engage in role play, develop observational skills, and participate in collaborative feedback.

Peer Mentorship Program

Interns will participate in our peer mentorship program as recipients of mentorship and support from our postdoctoral residents. The group will meet biweekly and is designed to provide support surrounding interns’ professional development and integration into our practice community.

Meeting with the Training Director

Interns meet bi-weekly with the Training Director to process concerns, discuss administrative questions and procedures, and bond as a cohort.

Participation in PMHW Staff Meetings

We meet monthly as a full staff to discuss emerging issues, programs, policy and to build community.

Development of a Specialty or Growth Area

Although the internship is generally focused on building your generalist skills, PMHW Interns will identify one specialty area during their year with us. The “developing specialty,” is an area of professional practice the intern would like to emerge from their internship year having made special progress on. Ideally, they carve enough of a niche that they may then move into job interviews able to describe their unique understanding of this one area of practice. The developing specialty may be an area of longstanding interest or expertise an intern wishes to deepen, or it may be an area that has been under-developed during graduate education, which the intern would like to develop a stronger grounding in.

Documentation of Direct Service Provided

Documentation of clinical service is an important aspect of our professional identity as psychologists. Attention to training in documentation skills is covered from legal, ethical, and writing skill perspectives. Interns are allocated at least one hour of administrative time per day worked for documentation. Intake assessments, management of complex cases, consultations with prior providers, etc. often mean that case notes cannot be written in the five minutes following each session.

Intern Selection Committee

Doctoral interns are an important part of our selection team for the following year’s class. They participate in the review of files, interviews, selection and ranking of finalists. Serving on the selection committee is a highly illuminating process.

Dissertation and professional development time

Two hours per week may be devoted to dissertation research, professional reading, job search activity, etc. during the academic semester. Since interns arrive at different stages in their dissertation process, we expect that this time will be utilized in different ways.

Evaluations & Competencies

To be considered a qualified candidate for the PMHW Internship, applicants must:

  • Demonstrate consistency between candidate’s interests and the goals of the PMHW doctoral internship.
  • Be a registered student, in good standing, at or beyond the third year in a doctoral level, APA/CPA-Accredited program in clinical or counseling psychology.
  • Have completed supervised practicum and clinical placement experience with a minimum of 500 total intervention (including individual, group, etc.) plus assessment hours.
  • Have successfully completed all preliminary or qualifying exams required by the home program, and have proposed dissertation, before internship ranking submission in February.
  • Have completed all doctoral coursework by August 31 of the entering internship year. Be willing and able to commit to a busy, full-time, twelve month internship.
  • Be willing to engage in self-reflection and personal disclosure within the bounds of supervisory and training relationships, as necessary to ensure ethical and appropriate clinical practice.
  • Be willing to abide by Oregon and PMHW guidelines related to health and safety practices.
  • Be willing to work both remotely and/or on site as determined by PMHW.

In order to pass the internship and be granted a Certificate of Completion from the PMHW Internship, interns must:

  • Attend a minimum of 80% of individual supervision meetings.
  • Attend a minimum of 80% of group supervision meetings.
  • At minimum, complete 19 hours of clinical service time (includes individual and group clinical hours, provision of supervision) per week.
  • Complete 500 hours, comprised of individual therapy, group therapy, provision of superivsion, assessment, and outreach.
  • Complete all described responsibilities of the full-time, twelve-month internship. The PMHW Clinical Psychology Doctoral
  • Internship Program uses the following rating scale on feedback forms that evaluate intern performance:
    • 1 = Remedial
    • 2 = Beginning/Developing Competence
    • 3 = Intermediate Competence
    • 4 = Proficient Competence
    • 5 = Advanced Competence
  • A ‘4’ rating is reflective of the following: the ability to independently function in a broad range of clinical and professional activities; the ability to generalize skills and knowledge to new situations; the ability to self-assess when to seek additional training, supervision or consultation.
  • In the Mid-Year Feedback Form, it is expected that interns will have some ‘3’ ratings, indicating areas of growth. By the final End of Training Year Feedback Form, interns must earn 4 or above ratings for 100% of items. No intern will be passed with any ratings below ‘4’ at the time of the End of Year Feedback Form

The specific goals and objectives of the training program are defined in a list of Profession Wide Competencies to be achieved by completion of the internship. They are outlined below:

Research

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • The substantially independent ability to critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., case conference, presentation, publications) at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.
  • Knowledge of evidence based practices and research related to clinical outcomes.
  • Ability to recognize limits to competence and areas of expertise and takes steps to address these issues.
  • Ability to request and utilize supervisor’s suggestions of additional information and resources.
  • Motivation to increase knowledge and expand range of professional skills through reading and supervision/consultation as necessary.

Ethics & Legal Standards

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Knowledge and actions that are in accordance with the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
  • Knowledge and actions that are in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels.
  • Knowledge and actions that are in accordance with relevant professional standards and guidelines.
  • Ability to recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
  • Ability to conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.

Individual & Cultural Diversity

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves.
  • Knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical data on addressing diversity in professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
  • Ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles and to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity.
  • Commitment to consult and research issues of diversity with which they are unfamiliar.
  • Ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
  • Ability to initiate exploration of diversity variables in the context of the therapeutic relationship.
  • Knowledge of appropriate community resources for diverse patients.
  • Openness to feedback from clients and others regarding sensitivity to individual and cultural differences.

Professional Values, Attitudes & Behaviors

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Behavior that reflects the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others.
  • Ability to engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning.
  • Ability to engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being and professional effectiveness.
  • Ability to actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
  • Ability to respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as training year progresses.
  • Demonstrates self-awareness of personal functioning and engages in self-care to help sustain physical and emotional health.
  • Attention to being prompt and well-prepared for meetings, appointments, etc.
  • Accurate and up-to-date patient files, including required documents, records, reports, etc.
  • Timely submission of notes and other materials for review by supervisor.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
  • Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts.
  • Effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.
  • Ability to take appropriate initiative and seek help as needed.
  • Awareness of personal boundaries and ability to function as an effective team member.
  • Openness to supervisory or consultation feedback, integrates suggestions into clinical work.
  • Openness to alternative theoretical viewpoints in case conceptualization.

Assessment

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
  • Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective. Integration of objective screening tools during case consultation in supervision and when reviewing clinical documentation for screening, intake and follow up therapy appointments.
  • Communicate orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.
  • Clinical skills to engage in screening, crisis management, and intake assessments.
  • Timely and accurate risk assessment as evidenced during individual supervision and during group supervision in which high-risk patients are discussed.
  • Current knowledge in the use of diagnostic classification systems, functionality of behaviors, and sensitivity to ethical implications for establishing a diagnosis for patients.
  • Understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal and cultural); Consideration and integration of cultural variables in evaluations and diagnoses.

Intervention

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with patients.
  • Ability to develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals.
  • Ability to implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
  • Ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
  • Ability to modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
  • Ability to evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistently with ongoing evaluation.
  • Awareness of therapeutic process and relationship dynamics in both individual and group therapies.
  • A nondefensive stance in both offering and hearing feedback from clients.
  • Progress in developing a coherent personal theoretical orientation.

Supervision

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Good knowledge and use of supervision theory, models, skills. and contemporary evidence-based supervision literature.
  • Apply supervisory skills of observation, evaluation, guidance, and feedback.
  • A balance of supportive and challenging feedback to supervisee.
  • Sensitivity to ethical concerns and boundary issues in working with the supervisee.
  • Consideration and integration of cultural variables in supervision discussions.

Consultation & Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills

INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE:

  • Appreciation for the importance of interprofessional practice including values, ethics, and roles of different disciplines.
  • Ability to function effectively as a member of a treatment team working with professionals from other disciplines.
  • Knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions.
  • Apply the knowledge of consultation models and practices with individuals and their families, other health care professionals, interprofessional groups, or systems related to health and behavior.
  • Utilization of secure messaging to communicate appropriately and as necessary.
  • Ability to seek supervision/consultation as necessary for complex cases.

Evaluation Philosophy

PMHW espouses a training sequence that is developmental in nature, such that interns experience increasing challenge and autonomy as the year progresses. The earlier phases of training involve more goal-setting, didactic content and co-facilitated experiences. As the year progresses, interns are expected to assume increasing responsibility and clinical complexity. We transition together into their more advanced professional roles as discussant, leader and supervisor from their earlier ones as student, co-leader and supervisee.

Key to accomplishing the goal of a developmental sequence is the ability to match training opportunities and challenges to intern interests and current skills. We work hard to integrate multiple sources of information, including the intern’s assessment of their own training needs, in creating opportunities that will be on-target developmentally.

The thoughtful use of evaluation measures is an important part of this process. Evaluations are intended to provide interns and home training programs with feedback about the trainee’s progress, as well as, communicate our expectations. But evaluations are also important for eliciting interns’ analysis of their growth. Evaluations enable interns to observe the feedback process modeled by PMHW supervisors and to develop their own feedback style with their extern supervisees. Finally, evaluation of our training program by current interns helps us further refine our program. Evaluation is a bidirectional process, and is intended to be an illuminating experience rather than a critical one for all involved.

Interns are provided with a link to the formal evaluations when they first arrive. We walk through these together, orienting trainees to the areas in which they may expect to learn and be evaluated. The expected competencies and skills are detailed in our goals section. Interns will work with supervisors for individual therapy, group therapy, and supervision of supervision. Supervisors will provide two evaluations per term: An informal one at the halfway point to assess progress and facilitate discussion of the supervision process, and a formal one at terms end. These formal, end-of-term evaluations will be forwarded to the intern’s graduate program. If an intern were to struggle to meet minimal levels of competency, the training coordinator and the training team would create a developmental action plan.

PMHW Intern Evaluation & Supervision Policy

The PMHW Doctoral Internship Program requires that interns demonstrate minimum levels of achievement across all competencies and training elements. Interns receive ongoing feedback from their supervisors and are formally evaluated by their primary supervisor twice annually, at the midpoint and end of the internship year. Evaluations are conducted using a standard rating form, which includes comment spaces where supervisors include specific written feedback regarding the interns’ performance and progress. The evaluation form includes information about the interns’ performance regarding all of PMHW Doctoral Internship Program’s expected training competencies and the related training elements. Each evaluation is based in part on direct observation (via video recording for patient sessions) by the individual supervisor. Supervisors review these evaluations with the interns and provide an opportunity for discussion at each timepoint.

Interns are expected to demonstrate behavior consistent with the most current Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association and State  and Federal law governing the conduct of psychologists. Interns are required to video record all patient sessions unless the patient declines to be recorded. This recording facilitates supervisors’ ability to directly observe intern work.

Interns are evaluated at the midpoint and 12 month points of the internship. The minimum level of achievement at the mid-year evaluation is a 3 on all learning elements and at the end of the year evaluation, the minimum level of achievement is a 4 on all learning elements. The rating scale for each evaluation is a 5-point scale, with the following rating values: 1 = Remedial, 2 = Beginning/Developing Competence, 3 = Intermediate Competence, 4 = Proficient Competence, 5 = Advanced Competence. If an intern receives a score less than 3 on any training element at the mid-year evaluation, or if supervisors have reason to be concerned about the student’s performance or progress, the program’s Due Process procedures will be initiated. The Due Process guidelines can be found in the PMHW Doctoral Internship Handbook.

Interns must receive a rating of 4, which indicates readiness for entry-level practice, or above on all training elements to successfully complete the program. Additionally, all PMHW interns are expected to complete 2000 hours of training during the internship year. Meeting the hours requirement and obtaining sufficient ratings on all evaluations demonstrates that the intern has progressed satisfactorily through and completed the internship program.

To provide feedback to the intern’s home program, the Training Director provides a written letter of progress to the intern’s program midyear and then again at the end of internship. The PMHW Internship does not complete any outside evaluation forms.

In addition to the evaluations described above, interns complete an evaluation of their supervisor and a program evaluation at the mid-point and end of the training year.

Feedback from these evaluations is reviewed by the PMHW Training Committee and used to inform changes or improvements made to the training program. All evaluation forms are available in the PMHW Doctoral Internship Handbook via live links.

All interns at the PMHW Doctoral Internship Program receive at least four hours of supervision each week throughout the year. Interns receive a minimum of two hours of individual supervision, either face-to-face or via telesupervision, each week from a doctoral-level licensed psychologist. Individual supervisors maintain overall responsibility for all supervision, including oversight and integration of supervision provided by other professionals. Interns receive two hours of group supervision each week. Interns may receive additional supervision based on their rotation or individual training plans. All individuals receive supervision from at least 3 doctoral-level licensed psychologists over the course of the year.

Interns have access to consultation and supervision at all times during which they provide clinical services. Contact information for all supervisors is provided to interns at the beginning of the year and is available via links in the PMHW Doctoral Internship Manual. All supervisors are appropriately credentialed for their role in the program.

To record in Google Meet, you will click on the three stacked dot button at the bottom right of your Google Meet screen, then click on Record meeting at the start of the session. This same method can be used for in office sessions by starting a meeting and hitting record for the duration of the in person session.

  • Make sure to save the file to your Supervisee Recording folder on the shared drive so that it can be shared with supervisor (never save to the desktop)
  • Save the file with the date of the session and the patients first name, last name (ex. John Smith_080621)
  • Videos can be reviewed in supervision on a tv or computer
  • Be prepared to present video clips in supervision

When recording an in-person session, make sure that your Google Meet settings (accessed by clicking on the gear in a meeting) have the “Leave Empty Calls” option disabled.

NOTE: All video recordings MUST be deleted after 30 days. It is the interns’ responsibility to set up a reminder system the best supports them in making sure to complete this task each month.

Grievances

The purpose of the grievance policy is to resolve differences in a manner that allows constructive relationships to be maintained during internship. We expect that differences and conflicts are a matter of course in training and aim to support you in learning how to navigate them successfully. As a developing professional, we expect that you will respond to differences and conflicts with integrity and professionalism. It is the desire of PMHW that grievances be resolved on an informal basis whenever possible and, if not resolvable, that the formal grievance procedure is followed. The internship grievance procedures are designed to protect confidentiality for all parties as fully as possible.

Grievance Procedures are implemented in situations in which a doctoral intern raises a concern about a supervisor or other faculty member, trainee, or any aspect of the internship training program. Interns who pursue grievances in good faith will not experience any adverse professional consequences.

Grievance Steps

Informal Review

First, the intern should raise the issue as soon as feasible with the involved supervisor, staff member, other trainee, or the TD in an effort to resolve the problem informally.

Formal Review

If the matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved using informal means, the intern may submit a formal grievance in writing to the TD. If the TD is the object of the grievance, the grievance should be submitted to the PMHW Chief Operations Officer (COO). The individual being grieved will be asked to submit a response in writing. The TD (or COO, if appropriate) will meet with the intern and the individual being grieved within 10 working days. In some cases, the TD or COO may wish to meet with the intern and the individual being grieved separately first.

In cases where the intern is submitting a grievance related to some aspect of the training program rather than an individual (e.g. issues with policies, curriculum, etc.) the TD and the COO will meet with the intern jointly. The goal of the joint meeting is to develop a plan of action to resolve the matter. The plan of action will include:

  • the behavior/issue associated with the grievance;
  • the specific steps to rectify the problem; and,
  • procedures designed to ascertain whether the problem has been appropriately rectified.

The TD or COO will document the process and outcome of the meeting. The intern and the individual being grieved, if applicable, will be asked to report back to the TD or COO in writing within 10 working days regarding whether the issue has been adequately resolved.

If the plan of action fails, the TD or COO will convene a review panel consisting of the TD and at least two other members of the training faculty within 10 working days. The intern may request a specific member of the training faculty to serve on the review panel. The review panel will review all written materials and have an opportunity to interview the parties involved or any other individuals with relevant information. The review panel has final discretion regarding outcome.

If the review panel determines that a grievance against a staff member cannot be resolved internally or is not appropriate to be resolved internally, then the issue will be turned over to Human Resources in order to initiate the agency’s due process procedures for that staff member.

All documentation of the grievance process will be kept in a secure folder on the Human Resources drive, separate from the individual intern folders.

Due Process

Due Process Procedures are implemented in situations in which a supervisor or other faculty or staff member raises a concern about the functioning of a doctoral intern. The PMHW internships’s Due Process procedures occur in a step-wise fashion, involving greater levels of intervention as a problem increases in persistence, complexity, or level of disruption to the training program. PMHW may initiate contact with an intern’s home doctoral program at any point in the Due Process procedures in order to best support the intern.

Rights and Responsibilities

These procedures are a protection of the rights of both the intern and the doctoral internship training program, and also carry responsibilities for both.

Interns: The intern has the right to be afforded with every reasonable opportunity to remediate problems. These procedures are not intended to be punitive; rather, they are meant as a structured opportunity for the intern to receive support and assistance in order to remediate concerns. The intern has the right to be treated in a manner that is respectful, professional, and ethical. The intern has the right to participate in the Due Process procedures by having their viewpoint heard at each step in the process. The intern has the right to appeal decisions with which they disagree, within the limits of this policy. The responsibilities of the intern include engaging with the training program and the institution in a manner that is respectful, professional, and ethical, making every reasonable attempt to remediate behavioral and competency concerns, and striving to meet the aims and objectives of the program.

Each intern has a right to conditions favorable to learning. Interns have the right to pursue training free from discrimination based on gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or physical disability. Interns at the PMHW enjoy freedom of speech, expression, and association, and freedom from harassment. It is the sincere intent of PMHW to ensure that all interns receive fair and equitable treatment and to provide an easily accessible procedure to resolve grievances in a manner that allows constructive relationships to be maintained during internship.

PMHW Doctoral Internship Program: PMHW has the right to implement these Due Process procedures when they are called for as described below. The program and its faculty/staff have the right to be treated in a manner that is respectful, professional, and ethical. The program has a right to make decisions related to remediation for an intern, including probation, suspension and termination, within the limits of this policy. The responsibilities of the program include engaging with the intern in a manner that is respectful, professional, and ethical, making every reasonable attempt to support interns in remediating behavioral and competency concerns, and supporting interns to the extent possible in successfully completing the training program.

Definition of a Problem

For purposes of this document, a problem is defined broadly as an interference in professional functioning which is reflected in one or more of the following ways:

  1. an inability and/or unwillingness to acquire and integrate professional standards into one’s repertoire of professional behavior;
  2. an inability to acquire professional skills in order to reach an acceptable level of competency; and/or
  3. an inability to respond appropriately to personal stress or psychological concerns which interfere with professional functioning. It is a professional judgment as to when an issue becomes a problem that requires remediation. Issues typically become identified as problems that require remediation when they include one or more of the following characteristics:
    1. the intern does not acknowledge, understand, or address the problem when it is identified;
    2. the problem is not merely a reflection of a skill deficit which can be rectified by the scheduled sequence of clinical or didactic training;
    3. the quality of services delivered by the intern is sufficiently negatively affected;
    4. the problem is not restricted to one area of professional functioning;
    5. a disproportionate amount of attention by training personnel is required;
    6. the trainee’s behavior does not change as a function of feedback, and/or time;
    7. the problematic behavior has potential for ethical or legal ramifications if not addressed;
    8. the intern’s behavior negatively impacts the public view of the organization;
    9. the problematic behavior negatively impacts other trainees;
    10. the problematic behavior potentially causes harm to a patient; and/or,
    11. the problematic behavior violates appropriate interpersonal communication with organization’s staff.

Stage 2: Formal Review

If an intern’s problem behavior persists following an attempt to resolve the issue informally, or if an intern receives a rating below a “3” on any learning element on a supervisory evaluation, the following process is initiated:

A. Notice: The intern will be notified in writing that the issue has been raised to a formal level of review, and that a Hearing will be held.

B. Hearing: The supervisor or faculty/staff member will hold a Hearing with the Training Director (TD) and intern within 10 working days of issuing a Notice of Formal Review to discuss the problem and determine what action needs to be taken to address the issue. If the TD is the supervisor who is raising the issue, an additional faculty member who works directly with the intern will be included at the Hearing. The intern will have the opportunity to present their perspective at the Hearing and/or to provide a written statement related to their response to the problem.

C. Outcome and Next Steps: The result of the Hearing will be any of the following options, to be determined by the Training Director and other faculty/staff member who was present at the Hearing. This outcome will be communicated to the intern in writing within 5 working days of the Hearing:

  1. Issue an “Acknowledgement Notice” which formally acknowledges:
    1. a) that the faculty is aware of and concerned with the problem;
    2. b) that the problem has been brought to the attention of the intern;
    3. c) that the faculty will work with the intern to specify the steps necessary to rectify the problem or skill deficits addressed by the inadequate evaluation rating; and,
    4. d) that the problem is not significant enough to warrant further remedial action at this time.
  2. Place the intern on a “Remediation Plan” which defines a relationship such that the faculty, through the supervisors and TD, actively and systematically monitor, for a specific length of time, the degree to which the intern addresses, changes and/or otherwise improves the problematic behavior or skill deficit. The implementation of a Remediation Plan will represent a probationary status for the intern. The length of the probation period will depend upon the nature of the problem and will be determined by the intern’s supervisor and the TD. A written Remediation Plan will be shared with the intern and the intern’s home doctoral program and will include:
    1. a) the actual behaviors or skills associated with the problem;
    2. b) the specific actions to be taken for rectifying the problem;
    3. c) the time frame during which the problem is expected to be ameliorated; and,
    4. d) the procedures designed to ascertain whether the problem has been appropriately remediated.
      1. At the end of this remediation period as specified in ‘c’ above, the TD will provide a written statement indicating whether or not the problem has been remediated. This statement will become part of the intern’s permanent file and will be shared with the interns home doctoral program. If the problem has not been remediated, the Training Director may choose to move to Step D below or may choose to extend the Remediation Plan. The extended Remediation Plan will include all of the information mentioned above and the extended time frame will be specified clearly.
  3. Progress to Stage 3 as outlined below.

Stage 3: Suspension

Place the intern on suspension, which would include removing the intern from all clinical service provision for a specified period of time, during which the program may support the intern in obtaining additional didactic training, close mentorship, or engage some other method of remediation. The length of the suspension period will depend upon the nature of the problem and will be determined by the intern’s supervisor and the TD. A written Suspension Plan will be shared with the intern and the intern’s home doctoral program and will include:

  1. a) the actual behaviors or skills associated with the problem;
  2. b) the specific actions to be taken for rectifying the problem;
  3. c) the time frame during which the problem is expected to be ameliorated; and,
  4. d) the procedures designed to ascertain whether the problem has been appropriately remediated.

At the end of this suspension period as specified in ‘c’ above, the TD will provide to the intern and the intern’s home doctoral program a written statement indicating whether the problem has been remediated to a level that indicates that the suspension of clinical activities can be lifted. The statement may include a recommendation place the intern on a probationary status with a Remediation Plan. In this case, the process in #2 above would be followed. This statement will become part of the intern’s permanent file.

Stage 4: Dismissal

If the problem is not rectified through the above processes, or if the problem represents gross misconduct or ethical violations that have the potential to cause harm, the intern’s placement within the internship program may be terminated. The decision to terminate an intern’s position would be made by the Training Committee and a representative of Human Resources and would represent a discontinuation of participation by the intern within every aspect of the training program. The Training Committee would make this determination during a meeting convened within 10 working days of the previous step completed in this process. The TD may decide to suspend an intern’s clinical activities during this period prior to a final decision being made, if warranted. The internship program will notify APPIC and the intern’s home doctoral program of the decision.

All time limits mentioned above may be extended by mutual consent within a reasonable limit.

Developmental Action Plan Steps

In the event that an intern is not consistently meeting the performance standards and/or the competency benchmarks, documented action may be necessary with the use of a Developmental Action Plan. The primary purpose of the Developmental Action Plan is to collaborate with the intern in support of their successful continued development and growth.

  • PMHW reserves the right to modify or bypass this process when a violation warrants.
  • Each step will be documented and retained in the intern’s file.

Stage 1 – Identify the Problem (Informal Review)

  • Review and bi-directionally identify the generalized missed performance standards in the Intern Handbook AND Competency Benchmarks in Professional Psychology
  • Attempt to informally resolve the problem through increased supervision, didactic trainings, and/or readings
  • Co-create an agreement that addresses these problems and document in a staff memo

Focus: Finding common understanding of problem and why it is happening and co-creating solutions

Responsible Parties: Supervisor and Intern

Stage 2 – Formal Review

  • Identify key people to model how the problem is worked through
  • Look for mirroring of the mode in the supervisee
  • Hold a hearing to review concerns and determine next steps (notice, remediation/probation, suspension

Focus: Breakdown in compliance, taking direct corrective action, further training

Responsible Parties: Supervisor, Intern, HR Manager, Training Director

Stage 3 – Return to Orientation/Remediation Plan with Home Program

  • Following a hearing, Training Director will create a Competency Remediation Plan up to and including reduction in duties or probation
  • Intern’s home program will be contacted
  • Intern must demonstrate full capacity to carry out necessary competencies without further evidence the problem in order to progress successfully from this stage
  • Intern progress will be documented in a follow up document on the Competency Remediation Plan

Focus: Severity of the issue, final warning status

Responsible Parties: Training Director, Intern, Supervisor, HR Manager, Internship Committee, Intern’s Home Program

Stage 4 – Expulsion from Training Program

  • Termination of participation in PMHW Internship Program

Focus: Expulsion

Responsible Parties: Intern, Training Director, Supervisor, HR Manager, Internship Committee, Intern’s Home Program

Appeals

Interns have the right to appeal any decision made to changes in standing (outlined below). This request must be made in writing to the TD within 5 working days of notification regarding the decision with which the intern is dissatisfied. If requested, the Appeals Hearing will be conducted by a review panel convened by the TD and consisting of the TD (or another supervisor, if appropriate) and at least two other members of the training faculty who work directly with the intern. The intern may request a specific member of the training faculty to serve on the review panel. The Appeals Hearing will be held within 10 working days of the intern’s request. The review panel will review all written materials and have an opportunity to interview the parties involved or any other individuals with relevant information. The review panel may uphold the decisions made previously or may modify them. Decisions made by the review panel will be shared with the intern and the intern’s home doctoral program.

If the intern is dissatisfied with the decision of the review panel, they may appeal the decision, in writing, to the Executive Director of PMHW. This level of appeal must be submitted in writing within 5 working days of the decision being appealed. The Executive Director has final discretion regarding outcome. Decisions made during these appeal processes will be shared with the intern and the intern’s home doctoral program.

Standings in the Program

The definitions of each progress standing are as follows:

  • Good Standing: Indicates a performance that meets the conditions that qualify for excellence or that meets acceptable standards. During Step 1 on the Developmental Action Plan, an intern is still considered to be in good standing.
  • Probation: This indicates the presence of a problem(s) judged to be serious, or potentially serious, or condition(s) that may jeopardize the intern’s standing, or a problem previously brought to the intern’s attention which has not been corrected. Examples include a pattern of late preparation and submission of paperwork, written work that is consistently of poor quality, ethical violations, poor interpersonal relationships, poor clinical skills, evidence of poor clinical judgment, evidence of concerns with professional functioning, etc.
  • Suspension: Under certain extenuating circumstances, the intern is placed on suspension and is temporarily removed from the internship for a designated period and will be on probation upon reassignment to internship activities.
  • Expulsion: The intern is permanently removed from the internship and will not be readmitted. Expulsion from the program is appropriate if a serious breach of ethics or illegal act has occurred or if some concern regarding judgment or functioning with respect to clinical activities proves irremediable.

Documentation

  1. All steps need to be adequately and appropriately documented in a manner consistent with the due process procedures.
  2. The Training Director has the responsibility of sending reports that provide feedback to the intern’s academic program. For each report, the most recent evaluation constitutes the primary basis for comments. In the event there are serious problems with regard to a intern’s ability to perform counseling duties, incidents of unethical behavior, or particular behavioral/interpersonal difficulties substantiated by supervisory report or appeal, the Training Director will notify the academic program in writing. A copy of any report or letter sent to the intern’s academic department will be placed in the intern’s permanent file maintained at PMHW by the Training Director and the intern’s personnel file maintained by the Human Resource Manager.

Communication between PMHW Doctoral Internship Program and interns’ home doctoral programs is of critical importance to the overall development of competent new psychologists. The internship is a required part of the doctoral degree and, while internship supervisors assess intern performance during the internship year, the doctoral program is ultimately responsible for the evaluation of readiness for graduation and entrance into the profession. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Training Director to initiate contact with interns’ home doctoral program Directors of Clinical Training (DCT) at the following time points and as needed throughout the training year:

  • A Match letter is sent to both the intern and their DCT within 5 days of learning of a successful match to verify the terms of the internship (i.e., start and end dates, stipend).
  • At each evaluation period, mid-year and end of year, PMHW sends a letter of progress to the intern’s home program DCT.
  • Doctoral programs are contacted within one month following the end of the internship year and informed that the intern has successfully completed the program.
  • If successful completion of the program comes into question at any point during the internship year, or if an intern enters into the formal review step of the Due Process procedures due to a concern by a faculty member or an inadequate rating on an evaluation, the home doctoral program is contacted. This contact is intended to ensure that the home doctoral program, which also has a vested interest in the interns’ progress, is kept engaged in order to support an intern who may be having difficulties during the internship year. The home doctoral program is notified of any further action that may be taken by PMHW Doctoral Internship Program as a result of the Due Process procedures, up to and including termination from the program.

The Training Director and the HR Manager are responsible for maintaining intern records. Intern evaluations, certificates of completion, and a record of the intern training experience (a copy of the intern manual from that year) are maintained indefinitely by the Training Director and HR Manager in a secure digital file. Records related to Due Process procedures are also maintained in intern files, as described in the PMHW Doctoral Internship Due Process Procedures. Records related to grievances or complaints are kept in a separate secure digital file, as described in the PMHW Doctoral Internship Grievance Procedures.

We maintain electronic files of intern records and formal complaints. These are stored on PMHW cloud storage. These files are encrypted and backed up. Permission to access these files is granted by the Internship Training Director and HR Manager. Typically, only the Training Director and HR Manager have access to these files, though other members of the Internship committee and PMHW management team may have access as needed. Intern records are kept permanently.

Application Process

  • Please note that we only accept applications through the National Match Service Application for Psychology Internship Form (AAPI). Go to https://www.appic.org/ for instructions.
  • Application materials should be submitted through the AAPI Portal and are due Monday, November 10, 2025 by 11:59 PM (EST).
  • Well-written and carefully edited materials will receive the strongest consideration.
  • Make sure your cover letter is specific to our site. The clearer this is, the more readily we can determine “goodness of fit”.
  • We require three letters of reference.
    • Two letters of reference must be from your most recent direct clinical supervisors. These supervisors must have directly observed and supervised your clinical work on site, rather than as a practicum coordinator.
    • The third letter should be from your advisor, a faculty member in your program, or an additional supervisor.
  • You must have advanced to doctoral candidacy, passed any required qualifying exams/comprehensive exams, and successfully proposed your dissertation prior to the submission of the ranking list in February.
    • If you have a unique circumstance that might affect the date of your dissertation proposal, you may email to request an exception.

To ensure that applicants’ educational and practicum experiences align with the aims of our internship program and meet the expectations for doctoral training in clinical psychology, PMHW requires the following practicum experience:

  • A minimum of 500 total practicum hours, with at least 450 hours in intervention.
  • Demonstrated experience providing individual psychotherapy, preferably in outpatient, integrated behavioral health, or community mental health settings.
  • Exposure to psychodynamic, relational, and trauma-informed approaches is preferred, as these align with our program’s clinical focus.
  • Experience working with diverse and marginalized populations, particularly in settings that emphasize cultural humility and responsiveness.
  • Strong foundation in case conceptualization, clinical documentation, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

While we prioritize applicants who meet the practicum hour requirements, we also take a holistic approach, considering applicants’ professional goals, self-reflective capacities, and demonstrated commitment to depth-oriented and trauma-informed clinical work.

  • The PMHW internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.
  • We will provide a midyear and end of internship progress letter to the intern’s home program DCT in addition to our evaluation forms.
  • All applicants will be notified by Friday, December 12, 2025. Be sure we have a phone number where you can be reached and your current email address.
    • Those invited for interview will receive an email notification or a phone call to set up an interview time. Interviews are scheduled in order of response, so the greatest flexibility of days/times will go to candidates who respond quickly.
    • All candidates who are not invited to interview will be notified by email.
  • Due to the number of applications received, we ask that you please do not contact us for the status of your application.
  • We regret that due to the number of applications received we are unable to provide individual feedback to candidates about the decision-making process.
  • We will be conducting interviews via Google Meet. Each selected candidate will join us via Google meet for a half-day interview on one of the following dates January 6 or January 8, 2026.
  • Candidates and staff will have a chance to meet as a group to hear about staff roles and to get an idea of staff culture and interactions. Candidates will have individual interviews with 2-3 staff members and an additional individual interview with the Training Director.
  • We will ask a set of prepared questions and give you an opportunity to ask us any questions you may have about the internship at PMHW.
  • You do not need to prepare anything formal to present during the interviews, but we may ask you questions about your clinical experiences, diversity issues, professional interests, supervision experiences, ethical dilemmas, programming and consultation, and other relevant topics.
  • We look forward to meeting you!
  • The PMHW Doctoral Internship in Psychology contract is officially from mid-August through mid-August the following year.
  • The current stipend for PMHW psychology interns is $35,000.
  • Benefits include:
    • Paid health leave (40 hrs)
    • Paid holidays (80 hours)
    • Paid vacation (80 hours)
    • Health, dental, vision insurance covered at 60%Employer Paid Life/AD&D
    • Voluntary Short Term Disability
    • Monthly public transportation pass (TriMet) covered at 50%
    • 20% discount on vitamins & supplements through Fullscript

PMHW Internship Stipend, Benefits, and Resources Policy

The annual stipend for all interns at Portland Mental Health & Wellness (PMHW) Doctoral Internship Program is $35,000 subject to taxes and withholdings for employee contributions to benefits. As employees of PMHW, interns receive comprehensive health benefits, as well as 80 hours of vacation time and 80 hours of floating holiday time. Questions regarding specific benefits packages can be directed to PMHW’s Human Resources department at humanresources@portlandmh.com. Interns should submit requests for time off to the Training Director at least three weeks in advance of any anticipated leave date(s). Interns are responsible for communicating anticipated absences to all supervisors for whom work will be missed. Sick leave must be communicated to the intern’s primary supervisor as soon as the intern is physically able to do so. Supervisors and the Training Director are available for any questions related to time off or release time.

PMHW interns have access to numerous resources. All interns are provided with individual office space, a desk, laptop computer, virtual phone, voicemail, printers, software, and basic office supplies. Intervention manuals, assessment materials, other training materials, and access to the DSM 5 and ICD-10 are provided by PMHW. Additional materials that may be needed may be purchased using internship funding with approval from the Director of Clinical Training and the PMHW Controller. Each intern additionally has access to administrative and IT support, as well as client scheduling support.