BEST PRACTICES IN
PRACTICUM TRAINING
Cindy Juntunen & Mike Scheel
2012 CCPTP Midwinter Conference
Miami, FL
Practicum Planning
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Identifying Readiness for Practicum
 Student
issues
 Program issues
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Developing Sequential Experiences
 Student
needs
 Site needs

Documenting the Practicum Plan
Need for Practicum Plan

Licensure issues
 Students
need to maintain and track
 Helps with AAPI
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Demonstrating CoA expectations
Broad and General with Specialty
Unique Counseling Psychology placements
Insert prac plan
Competency based assessment

1)
2)
3)
Use of the Competency Benchmarks Rating Form
Three levels of rating: 1) Readiness for practicum 2)
Readiness for internship 3) Readiness for entry to practice
UNL practicum sequence: a) pre-prac (1 sem.); b)
beginning on-campus clinic (one semester); advanced oncampus clinic (2 semesters); Field placement practicum (2
semesters); Second FP prac (optional; 1 or 2 semesters);
supervision practicum (2 semesters)
We designate which level to rate. E.g., Readiness for
practicum – post-bac doctoral students in on-campus clinic;
Readiness for internship – 2nd and 3rd year field placement
practicum
Competency Benchmark Rating Scale
PROFESSIONALISM
Professional values and
attitudes
Integrity
Deportment
Accountability
Concern for the
welfare of others
Professional identity

Individual and cultural
diversity
Self as shaped by ind.
and cultural diversity
Others as shaped by
ind. and cultural
diversity
Interaction of self and
others
Applications
Perceived advantages after two years
using competency rating scale
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Broadens the scope of professional practice that is
evaluated
Calls attention to the need to develop
professionalism
Integrates science with practice
Fosters more communication between site and
program about the professional role and the
professional competencies of a psychologist in
training.
Professionalism (cont.)
Ethical Legal Standards
and Policy
Knowledge of ethical,
legal, and professional
standards and
guidelines
Awareness and
application of ethical
decision making
Ethical conduct
Reflective practice/Self
assessment/Self care
Reflective practice
Self-assessment
Self-care
Participation in
supervision process

Rate 0 to 4 (never
to always)
Core clusters
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Professionalism
Relational
Science
Application
Education
Systems
Application core cluster

Traditionally the application cluster was the chief
emphasis of practicum evaluation covering the
functions of most traditional practica (e.g.,
counseling/intervention; assessment)
Application core cluster
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APPLICATION
Evidence-Based Practice
Knowledge and Application
of Evidence-Based Practice
Assessment
Knowledge of Measurement
and Psychometrics
Knowledge of Assessment
Methods

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Application of Assessment
Methods
Diagnosis
Conceptualization and
Recommendations
Communication of Assessment
Findings
Intervention
Intervention Planning
Skills
Intervention Implementation
Progress Evaluation
Strategies for Integrating EBP

Supervision/ Class
 Developmental
change
– exploring vs
selecting orientation
 Role plays with
multiple theories
 Student presentations
on advanced
techniques
 Intentional site-specific
demonstrations

Site Experience
 Clear
expectations
with supervisor
 Attending to models
endorsed by sites
Outcome based training
Outcome management systems – consistent and
continual monitoring of outcome
Patterns of treatment response can be identified
Treatment can be monitored and adjusted
“involving the regular monitoring of client progress in
real time to positively influence treatment process
and outcome” (p. 235; Lambert & Vermeersch,
2008).
OQ-45 used by Lambert and Vermeersch as an
outcome management system

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Use the Reliable Change Index (RCI; 14 points) and a
normal functioning cutoff score (i.e., 63) derived from
the OQ-45.
Use of feedback (a progress graph with a color coded
message indicating the status of client progress) and
clinical support tools – a signal alarm system
Five controlled studies (total N > 3000); NOT clients
achieved significantly better results in the feedback
condition
Clearly, outcome is positively influenced through this
system.
PCOMS outcome management systems
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Partners for Change Outcome Management Systems
(PCOMS; Miller, Duncan, Sorrell, & Brown, 2005)
a very short measure that employs two, 4-item
scales, one focusing on outcome and the other
aimed at assessing the therapeutic alliance.
Very clinician friendly
Facilitates discussion of assessment results by client
and therapist each session.
Outcome based practicum training
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The discussion each session of the two measures strongly
contributes positive training in practicum.
ORS is completed at the beginning of the therapy hour, and
then discussed. This allows the counselor in training to gain an
understanding of the client’s current state and discuss the
session treatment plan with the client
SRS is completed at the conclusion of the therapy hour,
allowing for discussion of the session and the relationship as it
has manifested during therapy that day.
The SRS is my favorite, because of its utility in focuings on the
client-counselor relationship each session
Training in processing SRS and ORS
results
Usually the practicum counselor initially doubts whether
the client will answer honestly each session. Students are
trained in a method of discussing the ORS and SRS.
“You marked all items very high. That indicates to me that
you like the direction we took in our session today.”
“Today, you rated each area very high, and I am
wondering if that corresponds with the way you are
feeling about how we are working together.”
“I see you marked the items very high, yet I sensed today
that you were not very satisfied with how we worked
together.”
Graphing PCOMS results
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Practicum counselors graph results over time, session
by session, to understand patterns of process and
outcome.
Graphs are shared with clients periodically and at
termination. Graphs facilitate discussions of patterns
of change with clients.
Initiating multi-site research (UNL and UCSB) to
gather evidence for the effectiveness of the PCOMS
as a training method.