Counseling Psychology PhD

Individuals who successfully complete programs accredited in health service psychology (HSP) must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and competence sufficient to produce new knowledge, to critically evaluate and use existing knowledge to solve problems, and to disseminate research. This area of competence requires substantial knowledge of scientific methods, procedures, and practices.

Doctoral students are expected to: 

• Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertation, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base. 
• Conduct research or other scholarly activities. 
• Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.

Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate competency in each of the following areas:

• Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with each of the following: 
• the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct; 
• relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and 
• relevant professional standards and guidelines. 
• Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities. 

Trainees must demonstrate knowledge, awareness, sensitivity, and skills when working with diverse individuals and communities who embody a variety of cultural and personal background and characteristics. The Commission on Accreditation defines cultural and individual differences and diversity as including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. 

Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate: 

• An 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 knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service. 
• The ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities). This includes the ability apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
• Demonstrate the requisite knowledge base, ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.

Doctoral students are expected to: 

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others. 
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness. 
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
• Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training. 

Communication and interpersonal skills are foundational to education, training, and practice in psychology. These skills are essential for any service delivery/activity/interaction and are evident across the program’s expected competencies. 

Doctoral students are expected 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. 
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well. 

Trainees should demonstrate competence in conducting evidence-based assessment consistent with the scope of HSP. 

Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate the following competencies: 

• Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
• Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal and cultural).
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
• 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.
• 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.

Trainees should demonstrate competence in evidence-based interventions consistent with the scope of HSP. Intervention is being defined broadly to include but not be limited to psychotherapy.  Interventions may be derived from a variety of theoretical orientations or approaches. The level of intervention includes those directed at an individual, a family, a group, an organization, a community, a population, or other systems. 

Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate the ability to: 

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services. 
• Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals. 
• Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables. 
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making. 
• Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking, 
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation. 

Supervision involves the mentoring and monitoring of trainees and others in the development of competence and skill in professional practice and the effective evaluation of those skills. Supervisors act as role models and maintain responsibility for the activities they oversee. Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of supervision models and practices. 

Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills are reflected in the intentional collaboration of professionals in health service psychology with other individuals or groups to address a problem, seek or share knowledge, or promote effectiveness in professional activities. 

Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions, as well as knowledge of consultation models and practices.