BCC’s internship training program focuses on the development of all profession-wide competencies required for independent practice in health service psychology, while fully integrating a Christian understanding of God and humanity. BCC employs a structured, experiential pedagogical approach with gradual exposure to increasing levels of professional responsibility. Interns come to BCC with a foundation of theoretical knowledge and clinical skills from their academic programs and practicum experiences. Over the course of the training year, interns build on their existing knowledge and strengths, acquire new culturally-responsive, spiritually integrated clinical competencies, and implement these developing competencies in supervised practice.
The BCC internship training program emphasizes the integration of scientific findings, existing empirical literature, and evidence-supported treatments in all clinical work, and places high value on the importance of self-reflection, critical thinking, ethics and spiritual integration in the practice of professional health service psychology. We bring an intellectual rigor to the practice of therapy and an unwavering reflection upon that practice through supervision, didactic seminars, and group process.
Interns bring complex and diverse intersecting cultural identities and group memberships to their internship training process. Respect for and understanding of cultural and individual diversity is part of the psychological and theological foundation of Rosemead’s doctoral programs and Biola University. Unique to BCC’s training program is that interns work integratively with psychological and spiritual facets of human experience, enhancing competence in conducting therapy with religiously committed clients. Interns are also expected to consider their own religious beliefs and experiences in the context of their clinical training in order to be well-prepared to provide culturally-responsive services to clients diverse in culture as well as personal characteristics.
The BCC provides its interns a carefully designed structure of educational activities and training experiences, including practical seminars and instruction in evidence-based treatments, ethics, multicultural competence, clinician self-care and spiritual integration. Another primary vehicle for learning is the direct provision of clinical care under intensive, video-supported supervision by experienced, integrative practitioners. BCC also supports interns’ growth via mentoring, discussion of professional identity development and practical aid (e.g. funding and time for conferences and professional development activities). Interns gain exposure to the many roles and responsibilities of a health service psychologist in a university and a community counseling center, which provides a strong foundation for future work in either setting.
The internship year is an opportunity for professional growth and personal, spiritual integration. The BCC seeks to provide a learning environment where interns develop the competence and professionalism necessary to transition from graduate psychology students into entry-level professional health service psychologists. Individualized attention to the professional needs of our trainees, and frequent opportunities for trainees to meet and exchange ideas with each other and with training staff, contribute substantially to the development of a more mature, integrated professional identity.
Given the vulnerability inherent in experiential learning and reflective practice, careful thought is given to helping interns deeply engage in the training process while respecting their own and others’ boundaries. Full participation in experiential activities and reflective discussion are critical elements of BCC’s internship program and expected of each intern; however, interns are always their own “gate-keepers” in terms of the nature and depth of what they choose to share about their own personal, professional and spiritual development.
A comprehensive series of educational activities and learning elements are designed to support BCC interns’ achievement of the following nine profession-wide and two program-specific competencies.
Profession-Wide Competencies (PWCs)
At the completion of their training, a BCC intern will:
I. Research - Routinely seek out, evaluate, integrate and disseminate scholarly research, empirical findings and scientific theories in all their professional work and clinical practice.
II. Ethical and Legal Standards - Know and act in accordance with all legal, ethical and professional guidelines for psychological practice with a diverse public, and be able to recognize and resolve ethical dilemmas as they arise in their clinical work and professional activities.
III. Individual and Cultural Diversity - Sensitively and effectively integrate and apply cultural humility and self-awareness, as well as acquired knowledge and understanding of diversity, into all their clinical work and professional activities, while also valuing and pursuing ongoing learning and accountability in this realm.
IV. Professional Values, Attitudes and Behaviors - Intentionally pursue activities that nurture their personal well-being and maintain or improve their professional effectiveness, including self-reflection and self-care, accountability, consultation and responding to constructive feedback.
V. Communication and Interpersonal Skills - Respond professionally and effectively navigate complex clinical and collegial interactions, and be able to communicate clearly, sensitively and sufficiently, both verbally and in writing.
VI. Assessment and Diagnosis - Effectively integrate and apply, in individually and culturally responsive ways, empirical findings, psychometric science, professional standards, and their own acquired knowledge and understanding of contextualized human behavior into all their clinical assessment, psychological testing, and diagnostic work.
VII. Intervention - Effectively use culturally-informed, evidence-based approaches to conceptualize, treatment plan, intervene with, and measure outcomes for those, at varying levels of risk, to whom they provide psychological services.
VIII. Supervision - Know and act in accordance with all legal, ethical and professional guidelines for clinical supervision in health service psychology, and be able to flexibly and effectively integrate and apply culturally-responsive supervision models and best practices that ensure both quality client care and the professional growth and development of supervisees.
IX. Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills - Effectively navigate consultative and collaborative communications and relationships with campus colleagues and other healthcare professionals; and be equipped to create and deliver preventive outreach education designed to maintain or improve the psychological health and well-being of identified/at-risk people and groups using culturally-sensitive, learning-centered approaches.
Program-Specific Competencies (PSCs)
At the completion of their training, a BCC intern will:
X. Christian/Spiritual Integration - Effectively integrate and apply self-awareness, acquired knowledge and understanding, as well as theoretical and empirical research regarding religious/spiritual integration into all their clinical work and professional activities, while also valuing and pursuing self-reflection and growth in their own personal faith.
XI. Reflective/Psychodynamic Practice - Form and navigate effective psychotherapy relationships in which they capably conceptualize and intervene using psychodynamic perspectives and
The BCC has a longstanding commitment to supervision and training. This training is provided to second year, third year and advanced practicum students, doctoral interns and post-doctoral fellows. The full-time supervising staff is composed of licensed psychologists who are experienced integrative clinicians, and the part-time/specialty supervising staff includes Rosemead clinical faculty and alumni, as well as psychologists and other mental health practitioners who have private practices in the local community.
Biola University