COUNSELING Ph.D. PROGRAM
PRACTICUM AND INTERNSHIP MANUAL
2014-2015
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
4123 Woodland Drive
New Orleans, LA 70131
www.olhcc.edu
Revised April 25, 2015
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SCOPE AND PURPOSE
In keeping with the stated philosophy of Our Lady of Holy Cross College, the Graduate Programs seek
to provide opportunities for intellectual, psychological, and spiritual growth to foster individual’s contributions
within a pluralistic society. The Catholic heritage of the college and the Christian understanding of service are
integral to the philosophy of the Graduate Programs.
The Graduate Programs are specifically designed to enhance the students’ knowledge, skills, and
attitudes in their chosen academic arenas and to prepare them to accept professional responsibilities. Success in
the Graduate Programs is based not only on completing the required course work but also on demonstrating
competencies and attitudes appropriate to the profession. Whether they counsel, administer, or teach, graduates
of the Graduate Programs of Our Lady of Holy Cross College promote holistic development of each individual
and the spirit of justice that brings social equity and global harmony.
PRACTICUM AND INTERNSHIP
Eligibility requirements for practicum and internship include doctoral level status and approval of the
department. Students must apply and be approved according to the procedures set forth in this manual prior to
enrolling in doctoral practicum or internship.
PRACTICUM (COU 845; 3 credits)
The goal of the doctoral practicum is for doctoral students to gain additional supervised clinical
experience as a counselor. Doctoral students must complete their practicum in a setting in which they render
clinical counseling services. Practicum students may also volunteer to supervise OLHCC counseling master’s
students who are completing their practicum.
A total of 100 hours of supervised work is required, of which 40 must be in direct service with actual
clients that contributes to the development of counseling skills. The practicum experience is a developmental
professional process. Students must earn no fewer than 5 hours each week and can count no more than 40 hours
each week toward the hours required for practicum. COU 845 is a three credit course and is the doctoral
practicum. The term in which the doctoral practicum is completed extends through the entire 15 week semester
and in summer can be no less than 10 weeks in duration.
Each week during the academic term in which doctoral students are enrolled in practicum they receive
one hour of individual and/or triadic supervision by a program faculty member. In addition, doctoral practicum
students receive an average of 1 ½ hours per week of group supervision that is provided on a regular schedule
throughout the practicum by a program faculty member. Doctoral practicum students are required to develop
program-appropriate audio/video recordings for use in supervision or are provided live supervision of their
interactions with clients.
Evaluation of the counseling performance of students is completed throughout the practicum experience,
and a formal evaluation is completed by each of the student’s supervisors (individual or triadic; group; and site)
at the completion of the practicum experience.
INTERNSHIP (COU 846 & 847; 3 credits each; total of 6 credits)
The goal of internship is to give doctoral students the opportunity to demonstrate they are able to apply
skills they have learned in their counseling master’s degree program and their courses in the doctoral program.
Students may accumulate internship hours through providing counseling and counseling-related professional
services, supervising counselors in training or other counselors, teaching or assisting to teach counseling or
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counseling-related courses, engaging in scholarly activities (including research, writing, making presentations at
conference, preparing manuscripts for submission to journals, or writing or administering counseling-related
grants), participating in counseling professional association activities and leadership, and providing supervision
to counselors in training or counselors. The doctoral internship provides students with the opportunity to
become familiar with a variety of professional activities and resources in addition to direct service. If the
doctoral practicum is to be completed at the student’s current work site, CACREP requires that the practicum
experience include new learning that is qualitatively different from the student’s occupational responsibilities.
Some examples of differences that might satisfy this requirement include taking on new responsibilities,
initiating a new project, or working with a different client population.
A total of 600 hours of supervised work is required for the doctoral-level internship, of which 240 must
be in direct service to clients or counselors, including leading groups. Typically doctoral students register for
internship for two semesters during their doctoral degree programs. COU 846 is the first doctoral internship
course and includes three academic credits; COU 847 is the second doctoral internships course and also
includes three academic credits. Each of two semesters, doctoral students log a minimum of 300 hours, of
which 120 are in direct service. In unusual circumstances, students may complete all of the 600 hours of
internship (240 in direct service) in one semester over 15 weeks (fall or spring semesters only).
Each week during the academic term in which doctoral students are enrolled in internship they receive
one hour of individual and/or triadic supervision, usually performed by the onsite supervisor. In addition,
doctoral internship students receive an average of 1 ½ hours per week of group supervision that is provided on a
regular schedule throughout the internship by a program faculty member. The doctoral internship site provides
the opportunity for students to develop program-appropriate audio-video recordings for use in supervision or to
receive live supervision of their interactions with clients or counselors.
Evaluation of the performance of students is completed throughout the internship experience, and a
formal evaluation is completed by each of the student’s supervisors (individual or triadic; group; and site) at the
completion of the internship experience.
If doctoral students plan to use the hours they accumulate in their doctoral practicum and internship for
applying to become Licensed Professional Counselors or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, they must
receive supervision from an LPC Board approved supervisor and must log their hours according to rules of the
LPC Board.
APPLYING FOR PRACTICUM AND INTERNSHIP
Students must complete the application included in this manual (and posted on the program website) and
the application must be approved by the Practicum and Internship Coordinator prior to students enrolling in
courses and beginning their doctoral practicum or internship experiences.
Applications to complete doctoral practicum or internship in summer term are due no later than March 1
each year. Applications to complete practicum or internship in spring semester are due no later than July 1 each
year. Applications to complete practicum or internship in fall semester are due no later than October 1 each
year. Applications must be submitted electronically.
After approving applications, the Practicum and Internship Coordinator will notify students by email
message. The Coordinator will also notify site supervisors by email message and will ask site supervisors to
confirm their agreement to supervise the students to perform the responsibilities listed in this manual.
SITES AND SITE SUPERVISORS
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Sites for practicum and internship must provide students with the opportunity to engage in appropriate
professional activities for counselors. Practicum sites must give doctoral students the opportunity to provide
direct counseling services to clients.
Site supervisors must have had extensive experience as mental health practitioners and should have had
experience supervising mental health professionals. Site supervisors must hold licenses or certifications
appropriate for the site where they are employed. Supervisors with doctoral degrees in counseling, psychology,
psychiatry, social work, or a related profession are preferred, but not required.
Doctoral practicum and internship students may have more than one site where they are earning hours in
an academic term. If students have more than one site, they must have an additional site supervisor for each site
and must meet regularly with each site supervisor for supervision of their work at that site. If counseling clients
or master’s student supervisees are available, doctoral students may counsel clients or supervise master’s
students in the Thomas E. Chambers Counseling and Training Center during their practicum or internship.
LOGS
Students must log all hours spent in practicum or internship and must submit them at the end of the
academic term by email attachment to the Practicum and Internship Coordinator, Dr. Tommy Fonesca, at
tfonseca@olhcc.edu. Logs are due no later than the last day of exams for each academic term. The form for
logging hours is included in this manual (and is posted on the program website).
PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
During the academic terms students are enrolled in practicum and internship, they must have in effect a
professional liability insurance policy. Many providers sell professional liability insurance, but most students
obtain policies from the Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO), which gives a 10% discount to
members of the American Counseling Association (ACA). Doctoral students who are members of ACA are not
eligible for the free master’s student level professional liability insurance that ACA provides. Information
about the ACA professional liability insurance program is available at http://counseling.org and
http://www.hpso.com.
EVALUATIONS
At the conclusion of each academic term, students must request that each of their supervisors
(individual, group, and onsite) complete the evaluation form included in this manual and provide it to the
student electronically. Students must electronically submit their supervisors’ evaluations of their performance,
their log, and their evaluations of all of their supervisors to the Coordinator of Practicum and Internship no later
than the last day of exams for the academic term in which they are enrolled. Group supervisors should confer
with the Coordinator of Practicum and Internship regarding the student’s grade for the academic term and must
submit the students’ grades to the Registrar by the grade submission deadline each academic term.
INDIVIDUAL/TRADIC, GROUP, AND SITE SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Individual/Triadic supervisors at the college are responsible for the following:
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Consults with the student’s site supervisor during the academic term regarding the student’s
experiences at the site. If the individual/triadic supervisor has never visited the site before or has
never co-supervised a practicum or internship student in the past with the student’s site supervisor,
visits the site and site supervisor early in the semester.
Meets weekly for one hour for supervision with the student individually or with one other practicum or
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internship student (triadic).
Completes the evaluation form at the end of the academic term, reviews the content of the evaluation
with the student, and gives a copy of the evaluation to the student who will submit the form to the
Practicum and Internship Coordinator.
Group supervisors at the college are responsible for the following:
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Meets weekly for 1 ½ hours for supervision with the student with a group of other doctoral practicum
or internship students.
Completes the evaluation form at the end of the academic term, reviews the content of the evaluation
with the student, and gives a copy of the evaluation to the student who will submit the form to the
Practicum and Internship Coordinator.
On-site supervisors are responsible for the following:
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Meets with the doctoral student prior to the beginning of the academic term and agrees to supervise the
student.
Responds to and email from the OLHCC Practicum and Internship Coordinator agreeing to these
responsibilities.
Meets with the student for one hour (individually or with one other professional) on a weekly basis for
supervision.
Contacts the OLHCC Practicum and Internship Coordinator if any problems arise with the student’s
performance.
Completes the evaluation form at the end of the academic term, reviews the content of the evaluation
with the student, and gives a copy of the evaluation to the student who will submit the form to the
Practicum and Internship Coordinator.
Arranges a suitable work environment for the practicum or internship student.
Provides an orientation to the site.
Includes the student in staff meetings to the extent possible.
Ensures the student is treated like employed counselors are treated at the site.
Provides information on how the student should handle crisis situations at the site.
Informs the student about services provided at the site outside the normal counseling duties.
Provides the student with opportunities to engage in professional activities appropriate for counselors
during the academic term.
Consults with the student’s individual/triadic supervisor at the college during the academic term
regarding the student’s experiences at the site.
Ensures the student has the opportunity to accumulate the agreed upon number of direct servicer hours
and indirect hours.
If possible at the site, assists the student in audio or video taping some counseling sessions during the
term for the college individual/triadic supervisor to review.
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APPLICATION
Ph.D. Practicum or Internship
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Counseling Graduate Program
Instructions: Complete this form in Word format and submit it by email attachment to the Practicum
and Internship Coordinator, Dr. Tommy Fonesca, at tfonseca@olhcc.edu. Applications to complete doctoral
practicum or internship in summer term are due no later than March 1 each year. Applications to complete
practicum or internship in spring semester are due no later than July 1 each year. Applications to complete
practicum or internship in fall semester are due no later than October 1 each year.
Course Information
Highlight or indicate the course in which you would like to enroll:
Practicum (COU 845)
First Internship (COU 846)
Second Internship (COU 847)
Highlight or indicate the semester in which you would like to enroll:
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Summer Term
Year:
Student Information
Name:
OLHCC email address:
Additional email address:
Cell number:
Site Information
Name of Site:
Mailing Address:
City, State, Zip:
Telephone Number:
If the doctoral practicum or internship is to be completed at your current work site, CACREP requires
that the practicum or internship experience include new learning that is qualitatively different from your
occupational responsibilities. Some examples of differences that might satisfy this requirement include taking
on new responsibilities, initiating a new project, or working with a different client population. If this
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application is to complete a practicum or internship at your current work site, give a description below of the
new learning that will take place that is qualitatively different from your occupational responsibilities.
Site Supervisor’s Name and Title:
Note: Either attach a copy of the site supervisor’s resume or curriculum vitae, or complete the
information below. Site supervisors must have had extensive experience as mental health practitioners and
should have had experience supervising mental health professionals. Site supervisors must hold licenses or
certifications appropriate for the site where they are employed. Supervisors with doctoral degrees in
counseling, psychology, psychiatry, social work, or a related profession are preferred, but not required.
Site Supervisor’s Graduate Degrees and Majors (include Institutes where earned):
Site Supervisor’s Licenses and Certifications Held:
Site Supervisor’s Professional Work Experience (positions held and years worked):
Note: In the event you will have more than one site this semester, duplicate the section above that
begins with “Site Information” and provide information for each additional site and site supervisor.
Thomas E. Chambers Counseling and Training Center
If counseling clients or master’s student supervisees are available, doctoral students may counsel clients
or supervise in the Thomas E. Chambers Counseling and Training Center during their practicum or internship.
If you would like to counsel clients or supervise master’s students as a part of your practicum or internship,
please indicate your interest and availability below:
Verifications
I will have a professional liability insurance policy and it will be in effect through the term of my
practicum or internship.
I have read the OLHCC Catalog, Counseling Ph.D. Program Handbook, and Counseling Ph.D. Program
Practicum and Internship Manual. I agree to abide by all policies and procedures in these documents.
I verify that I am the person who completed this form and I am submitting the completed form from my
email address as an email attachment.
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LOG
Ph.D. Practicum and Internship
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Counseling Graduate Program
Instructions: Complete this form in Word format and submit it at the end of the academic term by
email attachment to the Practicum and Internship Coordinator, Dr. Tommy Fonesca, at tfonseca@olhcc.edu.
Logs are due no later than the last day of exams for each academic term. For practicum, a minimum of 100
hours are required; 40 of which must be direct service. For 3 credits of internship, a minimum of 300 hours are
required; 120 of which must be direct service. For 6 credits of internship, a minimum of 600 hours are required;
240 of which must be direct service.
If an exception for beginning is needed, contact the Practicum and Internship Coordinator.
If completing practicum or internship at more than one site, submit a separate log for each site.
Name of Student:
Site:
Week
(indicate
beginning and
ending dates)
Total
Number
of Hours
at Site
Of the
List Primary Professional Activities During the
Total
Week
Number
of
Hours,
Number
of Direct
Hours
TOTAL HOURS
FOR
ACADEMIC
TERM
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EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE
OF DOCTORAL PRACTICUM OR INTERNSHIP STUDENT
Ph.D. Practicum and Internship
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Counseling Graduate Program
Instructions: All supervisors of doctoral practicum and internship students should complete this form,
review it with the student, and send it to the student electronically as an email attachment so that the student can
deliver it to the OLHCC Coordinator of Practicum and Internship. Completed forms should be provided by
supervisors to students no later than the last day of exams for the academic term.
Name of Supervisor Completing this Form:
Date Form Completed:
Role of Supervisor (highlight or indicate from the list below):
Site Supervisor
Individual/Triadic Supervisor at College
Group Supervisor at College
Site:
Name of Student:
Based on your knowledge of the student’s performance in practicum or internship this academic term,
please provide a summary of the strengths of the student as a counseling professional.
Based on your knowledge of the student’s performance in practicum or internship this academic term,
please list any areas you suggest the student work toward improving.
Additional comments (if any):
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EVALUATION OF SUPERVISOR AND SITE
BY DOCTORAL PRACTICUM OR INTERNSHIP STUDENT
Ph.D. Practicum and Internship
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Counseling Graduate Program
Instructions: Doctoral practicum and internship students should complete a separate form for each
supervisor they received supervision from for the academic term (site individual/triadic supervisor; college
group supervisor; and college individual/triadic supervisor if one was assigned) Deliver forms electronically to
the OLHCC Coordinator of Practicum and Internship no later than the last day of exams for the academic term.
Name of Doctoral Student Completing this Form:
Date Form Completed:
Site:
Name of Supervisor:
Role of Supervisor (highlight or indicate from the list below):
Site Individual/Triadic Supervisor
College Group Supervisor
College Individual/Triadic Supervisor (if one was assigned)
Based on your experience as a supervisee during practicum or internship this academic term, please
provide a summary of the strengths of this supervisor.
Based on your experience as a supervisee during practicum or internship this academic term, please
identify any ways the supervisor could have improved upon the supervision you were provided.
What were the positive aspects of this site for a counseling doctoral internship?
What could be improved at this site for a counseling doctoral internship?
Additional comments (if any):
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