Training at WCSPP
Child and Adolescent Training
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY TRAINING (TWO YEAR)
The Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Training Program is a course of study exploring the clinical and theoretical aspects of the treatment of children, adolescents and their families.
ADMISSION
• PSYCHIATRY: M.D. from an accredited medical school, completion of one year of psychiatric residency plus ongoing residency while in training.
• PSYCHOLOGY: Ph.D. or Psy.D. in psychology from an accredited university or professional school. Eligibility for state licensure.
• SOCIAL WORK: Masters or doctoral degree from an accredited school of social work. Eligibility for state licensure.
• Other MENTAL HEALTH professionals are considered on an individual basis.
Admission is by application and interview. Each applicant must have current professional liability insurance, a copy of which will be retained in the WCSPP office.
REQUIREMENTS
COURSE WORK: The two year academic program is organized as a trimester system with one course per trimester. The course meets for one hour and twenty minutes for 11 weeks on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8:20 PM. On the twelfth Tuesday of each trimester candidates are expected to attend a Town Meeting where WCSPP candidates, graduates, and faculty assemble for discussion.
• SUPERVISION: A minimum of 80 hours of faculty supervision are required over two years. In order to earn credit, candidates must have at least 40 hours with the same faculty supervisor.
• CLINICAL REQUIREMENT: Candidates are required to provide treatment on a weekly basis to patients. Training patients are assigned through the Treatment Service for a minimum of 80 hours over two years. Upon graduation, training patients may be transferred to the candidate’s private practice.
• FEES: There is an annual $50 registration fee for each academic year to cover administrative costs. Course tuition is $375 per course and the tuition is to be paid prior to the start of each trimester. If needed, individual payment plans can be arranged. Supervision is $50 per individual session.
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY TRAINING PROGRAM
COURSES
FIRST YEAR
• FALL: In the Beginning – This course examines the fundamentals of working with children and adolescents. The focus is both practical and theoretical and covers a variety of clinical issues ranging from setting up a playroom to working with families, and understanding the nature of play.
• WINTER: Approaches to Child Psychotherapy – This course uses a case studies approach to understand the process of change in child psychotherapy. Readings include published case reports by therapists of different theoretical orientations to study the nature of effective clinical work with children.
• SPRING: Approaches to Adolescent Psychotherapy – This course reviews early theoretical understandings of adolescence, examines contemporary research on normal adolescent development, and explores modern theoretical conceptions of adolescence. The course then focuses on contemporary adolescent treatment from interpersonal, self-psychological and post-Freudian viewpoints.
SECOND YEAR
• FALL: Disorders of Childhood – This course is a survey course that considers the problems of childhood that typically lead to a consultation. The course considers ways of thinking about psychopathology and looks at children’s difficulties from the vantage points of attachment theory, neuropsychology, and affect regulation. Theoretical material is linked with clinical material in classroom discussion.
• WINTER: Child Development – This course emphasizes the relevance of attachment theory for enriching the psychotherapist’s understanding of the child’s behavior and sense of self. It includes a review of the history of attachment theory, comparisons with other theories of development, and the impact of this model on psychotherapy with children.
• SPRING: Working with Parents – Engaging parents and helping them think about their children offers a significant extra dimension to clinical work. Successful efforts to enhance a child’s development within a family and to foster rich relationships between parents and their kids are informed by the readings and discussions in this class.
