St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) is a large teaching hospital affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University and Mohawk College. The Mental Health Program at SJHH provides services both within the general hospital site (also known as Charlton Campus) and the nearby West 5^th Campus. The West 5^thfacility is an innovative care facility that perpetually seeks to radically reduce the disability associated with mental illness, and the stigma and barriers that people with mental illness face on a daily basis.

With 200 inpatient mental health beds (and growing), as well as the capacity to serve almost 5,000 outpatients each year, SJHH has become the centre for adult mental health care throughout the central region of Southern Ontario.

Practicum Training

The clinical training faculty at SJHH is committed to providing high quality training opportunities through clinical practica, our APA/CPA accredited predoctoral internship program, and postdoctoral positions. Across the various clinical training settings the following are emphasized: (i) provision of a rich training experience with attention given to providing adequate breadth and depth of client contacts, (ii) provision of high quality supervision, (iii) opportunities to work in multidisciplinary environments. Additionally, through ongoing evaluation of the training needs, strengths, and interests of practicum students, practica will be tailored to maximize individual students’ growth in knowledge of clinical intervention and assessment strategies and the related research, and to facilitate the development of a professional identity. The primary supervisors of all training settings are registered Psychologists.

Eligible students are those currently registered in APA/CPA accredited (or equivalent) clinical, counselling, or school psychology programs. There is considerable flexibility regarding the types of practica available, including assessment, therapy, and opportunities for research. The information on this web page briefly outlines services in which practicum opportunities are currently available. Interested students should review the internship training website for more information about psychology faculty and programs at SJHH. Students may also contact faculty members with any questions about types of practicum experiences available in a particular service.

Practica may be full-time or part-time. Generally, practica begin in May, September or January and run for 16 to 32 weeks.

Applying for a Practicum

Application Deadline:

February 1, 2024: deadline for submission of applications for Spring/Summer 2024 and Fall 2024 /Winter 2025. Applications submitted after this deadline cannot be guaranteed a review.

Following a review of applications, students will be informed whether or not they will be invited to participate in an interview. All interviews will be held virtually for the 2024-2025 recruitment cycle (phone interviews will be considered in some circumstances). Decisions about placement will be made following these interviews. Students will be notified of placement decisions on the GTA Common Notification Date by email. The Notification Date is March 27, 2024. After the match date, there is no review of new applications until the next cycle.

Contents of Application submitted to psychologypracticum@stjoes.ca:

To apply for a practicum position in any program students must electronically submit (1) a curriculum vitae, (2) copies of unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts, (3) a letter of recommendation, and (4) a cover letter indicating what aspects of the practicum are of interest and why the learner believes the practicum would address their training needs (5) the Clinical Practicum Placement and Experience Form. Each of the five items must be submitted to guarantee consideration.

All application materials, including letters of recommendation should be submitted to psychologypracticum@stjoes.ca:

General Inquires:

General inquires about the practicum program or application process can be directed to Dr. Irena Milosevic. Students are also encouraged to contact supervisors in various rotations for more information about those opportunities. To assure that your applications materials are considered, please be mindful not to submit application materials directly to Dr. Milosevic or the practica supervisors.

Irena Milosevic, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Practicum Placement Coordinator, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
Practica inquiries: imilosev@stjoes.ca
To submit application items and letter of recommendation: psychologypracticum@stjoes.ca

Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic

The ATRC is an outpatient specialty clinic staffed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of professionals with a background in psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social work, or occupational therapy. The clinic receives more than 3000 new referrals per year, predominantly for assessment and treatment of individuals with panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Some opportunities are also available for working with patients who have other anxiety-related difficulties (e.g., specific phobias, illness anxiety disorder). Supervision is provided by registered psychologists (Drs. Jenna Boyd, Irena Milosevic, Liz Pawluk, and Karen Rowa). There might be opportunities for practicum training during the summer and during the academic year, although the number of available spots might differ from year to year. Both first year and advanced practicum students are welcome to apply.

Training experiences may include:

Thorough training in diagnostic interviewing using the Diagnostic Assessment Research Tool (DART), initially including observing three interviews, conducting three interviews under observation, and then conducting additional interviews independently, under supervision.
Opportunities to provide individual cognitive behavioural treatment to patients with a range of anxiety and related disorders (e.g., panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and others).
Opportunities to observe treatment being delivered or to provide co-therapy with an experienced clinician.
Opportunity to co-lead a group for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder with an experienced clinician (as well as weekly supervision meetings to discuss the group sessions).
Weekly 1-hour team meetings to discuss assessment and treatment cases seen at the clinic.
Weekly individual supervision meetings (at least 1 hour) during which individual treatment and assessment cases are discussed.
Opportunity for additional supervision on an individual therapy case or on assessment cases from a psychology resident being supervised by a psychologist.
Opportunities to read relevant materials, watch videos of therapy being conducted, and to discuss related issues during supervision.
Opportunities to attend and contribute to weekly academic rounds presentations during which new literature is discussed.
Opportunities to participate in ongoing research or to develop independent research projects.

Contact Information:

Jenna Boyd, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Psychologist
Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic
Telephone: 905-522-1155 ext. 32749
Email: boydj@stjoes.ca
ATRC Website: www.stjoes.ca/anxiety

Borderline Personality Disorder Services

The Borderline Personality Disorder Services (BPDS) provides outpatient treatment to individuals over 17 years of age who are diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Treatment is based on principles of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Given the highly co-morbid presentation of BPD with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the service also provides evidence-based treatment for individuals with BPD and PTSD including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE). During this practicum, students will work with individuals diagnosed with BPD, develop a strong understanding of the DBT model, and learn how to deliver a range of DBT interventions.

Training experiences may include:

Co-facilitating weekly DBT Skills Training Groups
Providing individual skills training to clients
Individual therapy opportunities, depending upon supervisor availability and applicant experience
Learning how to conduct assessments to diagnose for BPD and assess for suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviours
Participating in weekly interdisciplinary team consultation meetings
Providing additional training and consultation, depending upon current opportunities and applicant experience
Participating in weekly individual supervision, with a focus on case conceptualization and application of DBT strategies

Practicum students are valued members of the team. Students who are enthusiastic about learning how to conceptualize and treat the complex, multi-diagnostic challenges experienced by individuals with BPD are encouraged to apply.

Please Note: A one-year commitment is required in order to be eligible to participate in this practicum opportunity. Only advanced students (doctoral-level) will be considered for this placement.

Contact Information:

Kerri Bojman, Psy.D., C.Psych.
Borderline Personality Disorder Services
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
West 5th Campus, 100 West 5th Street
Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 35230
Email: kbojman@stjoes.ca

Clinical Neuropsychology Service

The Clinical Neuropsychology Service (CNS) provides comprehensive assessment of the cognitive functioning and neurological integrity of a wide range of adult inpatients and outpatients including those with medical (e.g., brain injury, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases), developmental (e.g., autistic spectrum, learning disorders), psychiatric (e.g., schizophrenia, mood/anxiety) and substance abuse disorders. The service emphasizes the neurobiological underpinnings of these conditions and attempts to integrate neuropsychological findings into the diagnostic and treatment considerations of the multidisciplinary team.

The Neuropsychology rotation includes opportunities for training under the supervision of 4 registered psychologists specializing in neuropsychology (Drs. Christina Gojmerac, Jelena King, Emily MacKillop, & Heather McNeely) and two psychometrists (Abbie Coy, Catherine Dool); all of whom are actively engaged in research and evidenced-based practices and provide centralized neuropsychological assessment services to SJHH medical and psychiatric programs. These include but are not limited to: (1) the Schizophrenia Service; (2) Concurrent Disorders (3) Mood Disorders Program; (4) Seniors Mental Health and Geriatric Medicine; (5) Acute Psychiatry; (6) East Region Mental Health; (7) referrals from medical programs such as Dual Diagnosis, Respirology, Nephrology, and Neurology.

Training experiences may include:

Medical chart reviews and literature reviews of pertinent evidenced-based practices and research outcomes.
Introducing patients and their family members to assessment procedures, reviewing limits of confidentiality, and obtaining informed consent.
Administering, scoring and interpreting, neuropsychological test measures.
Administering structured clinical interviews, psychopathology measures, and symptom validity tests to determine differential diagnosis.
Integrating test data with patient history and clinical presentation.
Summarizing the relevant aspects of the assessment in a clinical report.
Providing patients, caregivers, hospital staff, and team members with feedback regarding the results, implications, and recommendations from each assessment.
Participating in multidisciplinary team meetings to assist in the assessment, treatment planning, and evaluation of outcomes for patients.
Attend and present at Neuropsychology Seminar Series.
Attend weekly Psychiatry and Mental Health and Addictions (MHAP) Rounds.

Please Note: Students applying for a practicum to the CNS are expected to have completed at least one graduate level course relevant to the practice of neuropsychology (e.g., intellectual and/or neuropsychological assessment, intervention).

Contact Information:

Christina Gojmerac, Ph.D., C.Psych.

Clinical Neuropsychology Service, H131
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
West 5th Campus
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 39656
Email: cgojmera@stjoes.ca

Concurrent Disorders Program (CDP); Young Adult Substance Use Program (YA-SUP)

The CDP is an outpatient specialty clinic that provides assessment and treatment services for individuals struggling with substance use disorders and other concurrent psychiatric disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder; referred to as a concurrent disorder). Within the CDP, resides a specialty clinic targeting the needs for young adults with concurrent disorders (YA-SUP). Opportunities can be made available for both programs depending on experience and availability. The CDP is staffed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of professionals with a background in psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, and community mental health. Therapy modalities used in the CDP and YA-SUP include motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, and elements of dialectical behaviour therapy. Supervision will be provided by a psychologist in supervised practice. There are opportunities for practicum training during the summer and during the academic year. All students interested are encouraged to apply, but advanced practicum students will be prioritized.

Training experiences may include:

Training in psychodiagnostic interviewing using the Diagnostic Assessment Research Tool (DART) and other semi-structured interviewing methods to differentiate between presenting mental health and addiction-based difficulties. Initially assessments will be observed, then directly conducted under observation, and then conducted on a more independent basis.
Observe and co-lead groups for managing substance use difficulties (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy, relapse prevention) alongside other mental health concerns (e.g., mood, anxiety, emotion regulation) as well as weekly supervision to discuss group sessions.
Observe treatment being delivered or to provide co-therapy using a harm-reduction approach with an experienced clinician.
Interacting with individuals with lived experiences in addiction.
Weekly individual supervision (at least 1 hour) to discuss assessment treatment cases.
Possibility of additional supervision on an individual therapy case or on an assessment case from a psychology resident being supervised by a psychologist.
Opportunities to contribute to clinic rounds on clinical science and research topics
Opportunities to participate in ongoing research or to develop independent research projects.

Contact Information:

Sabrina Syan, PhD, PhD, CPsych
Psychologist, Concurrent Disorders/Young Adult Substance Use Program
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Email: ssyan@stjoes.ca

Early Intervention in Young Adult Mental Health

Youth Wellness Centre

The Youth Wellness Centre (YWC) focuses on youth ages 17-25 years experiencing either emerging or complex and ongoing mental health difficulties, with the goal of rapid assessment, treatment, and recovery. The YWC is an independent, youth-based clinic located in downtown Hamilton that is linked both to primary care and community referral sources, and to specialized mental health services within St. Joseph’s Healthcare. Two primary streams of the YWC are: 1) Early Intervention for early stage mental health difficulties; and 2) Transition Support for ongoing and complex cases among youth transitioning from child and adolescent services. Both streams are intended to ease and expedite access to services and resources, improve continuity and coordination of care, and advocate and support youth and their families. Practicum students gain experience in clinical assessment using structured interviewing techniques, report writing, consultation with other treating professionals, and individual and group treatments for youth with an array of mental health concerns (e.g., mood and anxiety concerns, emotion dysregulation) using evidence-based treatments.

The YWC includes an integrated program of research and evaluation led by faculty members from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University. This practicum training is supervised by Drs. Taylor Hatchard and Caitlin Davey, who is actively engaged in research and evidenced-based practices. As a practicum student, you would have the opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team, including a psychologist, psychiatrists, nurse care coordinators, primary care (e.g. nurse practitioner, family physician), endocrinologists, transition coach, family educators, social workers, youth mentors, and an occupational therapist. There are opportunities for practicum training during the summer and during the academic year.

Training experiences may include:

Training in comprehensive assessment using structured clinical interview and validated assessment measures for youth ages 17-25 years. Assessments will include writing a brief report, determining clinical stage of care, and developing a treatment plan, under supervision.
Providing youth, caregivers, and team members with feedback regarding the results, implications, and recommendations from each assessment.
Opportunities to provide brief individual youth centered, evidence-based treatment to youth presenting with a range of mental health and addictions concerns.
Opportunities to co-lead group therapy (e.g. emotion regulation skills, cognitive-behavioural therapy) with an experienced clinician (as well as weekly supervision meetings to discuss the group sessions).
Weekly individual supervision meetings (at least one hour) during which individual treatment and assessment cases are discussed.
Provision and discussion of literature relevant to early intervention in youth mental health.
Opportunities to participate in ongoing research or to develop independent research projects.

Please Note: Only more senior students will be considered for this practicum (e.g., students who have completed at least one practicum involving assessment and intervention). We will not be accepting summer 2022 practicum placements. We will be accepting placements for fall/winter 2022-2023.

**The Youth Wellness Clinic is not accepting applications for the 2024-2025 practicum cycle.

Contact:

Caitlin Davey, Ph.D., C.Psych. (she/her)
Youth Wellness Centre
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH)
38 James Street S, Hamilton, ON, L8P 4W6
Office Phone: 905-522-1155, ext. 36281
Email: cdavey@stjoes.ca

Eating Disorders

The Eating Disorders Clinic at St. Joseph's Healthcare provides outpatient treatment to adults age 16 and over, providing consultation and treatment to approximately 240 patients annually. The program offers services to patients with a range of eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and the spectrum of disordered eating understood as Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders. As a practicum student, you would have the opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team, including psychologists, a social worker, a psychiatrist, a nurse practitioner, two registered dietitians and a psychometrist.

Depending on your prior experience, training experiences may include:

Training in diagnostic interviewing using the DART semi-structured interview for eating disorders, as well as integrating information from self-report inventories into diagnostic reports and patient feedback
Opportunities to provide individual cognitive behavioural treatment to patients suffering from a range of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder
Opportunity to co-lead groups for anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder (e.g., CBT based symptom-interruption group, body image group, and specialized focus groups on such issues as perfectionism/self-esteem)
Opportunity to co-lead CBT-based group for body image.
Weekly multidisciplinary team meetings to discuss assessment cases seen over the course of the previous week and ongoing group and individual treatment issues
Weekly individual supervision meetings during which assessment and treatment cases are discussed
Opportunities to participate in ongoing research or to develop independent research projects
Opportunity to learn about and participate in formal risk assessments

Eating Disorders Program Contact:

Michele Laliberté, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Director, Eating Disorders Program Community Psychiatry Service
St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 34093
Email: mlaliber@stjoes.ca

Forensic Psychology

The Forensic Psychiatry Program at SJHH offers secure inpatient, as well as outpatient services for justice involved individuals with mental health issues. The Forensic rotation includes opportunities for training under the supervision of 4 registered psychologists specializing in forensics (Drs. Mini Mamak, Heather Moulden, Bruno Losier, and Peter Sheridan).

Training experiences include:

Diagnostic interviewing for psychiatric disorders
Assessment of Fitness to Stand Trial and Criminal Responsibility
Assessment of risk for reoffending and various forms of violence
Psychological assessments, using a wide range of psychological measures
Group therapy, specifically addressing criminogenic risk and responsivity factors
Working within a multidisciplinary team of professionals
Research projects related to the forensic field
Weekly individual and group supervision
Provision and discussion of literature relevant to assessment and treatment of individuals within the Forensic system and mental health rehabilitation

Please Note: Only more senior students will be considered for this practicum (e.g., students who have completed at least one prior practicum involving assessment).

Forensic Psychology Service Contact:

Mini Mamak, Ed.D., C.Psych.
Senior Psychologist, Forensic Service
West 5th Campus
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 36601
Email: mmamak@stjoes.ca

Health Psychology

Health Psychology practica are offered through a variety of hospital services: i) The Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry Service (Dr. Pellizzari), ii) The Women’s Health Concerns Clinic (Dr. Green), iii) Respiratory Rehabilitation (Dr. Pellizzari), iv) Firestone Sleep Medicine (Dr. Green), and v) Pain Clinic (Dr. Krsmanovic). Practica training is individually tailored and may be specialty based (e.g. women’s health) or involve a combination of experiences with our faculty members.

Training experiences include:

Psychological Consultation: These experiences prepare the student to perform the role of the psychologist as a consultant in a variety of health services:
- inpatient acute medical/surgical settings (CL)
- inpatient or day treatment rehabilitation settings (Respiratory Rehabilitation)
- outpatient medical specialty clinics (Respiratory Rehabilitation; Firestone Sleep Medicine; Pain Clinic)
- outpatient mental health specialty clinic (Women’s Health Concerns Clinic)

Psychological Assessment : These experiences prepare students to conduct psychological and behavioural assessments in the context of inpatient and outpatient health and medical services. Referral questions typically include differential diagnoses, treatment recommendations, and facilitation of referrals to internal and external specialty clinics relating to mood, anxiety, adjustment/coping to acute and chronic health and medical issues, somatization, adherence, disordered eating behaviours, and substance use (e.g. tobacco). Assessment processes include the review of histories (personal, health, medical), administration of semi-structured (e.g., mental status examination) and structured (e.g., SCID-IV & M.I.N.I.) diagnostic interviews, brief self-report symptom measures, consultation with existing healthcare providers that are part of patients’ circle of care, and providing feedback to patients, families, and interprofessional team members.
Psychological Intervention: Training in individual short term (e.g., 6-8 sessions), CBT-based interventions is available in all settings listed above. Additionally, with the exception of the CL service, all settings have the capacity for training in group-based treatments. Groups are short-term and typically a combination of CBT and health education (e.g., CBT for perinatal anxiety in women; CBT insomnia; CBT/health education group for patients with lung diseases; CBT for chronic pain).
Inter-professional Care: All settings provide training in working with other health care professionals and may include attendance at various team meetings or case conferences to address client needs and facilitate referrals.

Please Note: Only more senior students will be considered for this practicum (e.g., students who have completed at least one practicum involving treatment). Delivery of services in virtual formats may be negotiated.

Health Psychology Contact:

Sheryl M. Green, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Psychologist- Women’s Health Concern’s Clinic & Consultation Liaison
100 West 5th Street
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 33672
Email: sgreen@stjoes.ca

Mood Disorders

The Mood Disorders Program (MDP) offers opportunities for practicum students to gain exposure and experience in both clinical assessment and therapy in an outpatient adult mental health setting. The MDP employs a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, vocational rehabilitation therapists, recreational therapists, and occupational therapists who assess and treat individuals with unipolar depression, bipolar disorders, and related conditions. Learners have an opportunity to gain experience with structured diagnostic interviewing for DSM-5 disorders, delivering individual and group therapy, report writing, and consultation with clinicians. There may also be opportunities to administer comprehensive psychological assessments including personality assessments and cognitive testing, depending on case availability as well as the goals and interests of the learner. The primary treatment orientation on this rotation is cognitive behavioural, based on empirically validated protocols for the full spectrum of depressive and bipolar disorders and co-morbid conditions. Learners may also have the opportunity to be involved in delivering other forms of therapy (e.g., acceptance and commitment therapy [ACT], behavioural activation, brief emotion regulation skills).

There are also opportunities to be involved in quality improvement and program evaluation projects.

Training experiences may include:

Contributing to interdisciplinary teams treating patients with severe mood disorders.
Opportunities to provide individual cognitive behavioral treatment to patients suffering from a range of mood disorders.
Opportunities to observe treatment being delivered or to provide co-therapy with experienced clinicians.
Weekly individual supervision meetings (at least one hour) during which individual treatment cases, assessment cases, and professional development are discussed.
Opportunities for additional supervision meetings as needed.
Access to both hospital-wide and clinic-specific libraries stocked with relevant materials, videos, and other material.
Training in assessment and diagnostic interviewing for complex presentations with multiple comorbidities.

Training experiences will be aligned with the developmental stage, strengths, and goals of the student. Applications are accepted for placements in both summer and academic terms/semesters.

Contact:
Danielle Rice, Ph.D., C. Psych. (Supervised Practice)
Psychologist
Mood Disorders Program
St. Joseph's Healthcare
100 West 5th Street
Hamilton, ON, L8N 3K7

For Mood Disorders specific inquiries please E-mail: drice@stjoes.ca

Ontario Structured Psychotherapy West Region

The Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program is an innovative, stepped care program that offers publicly funded, measurement-based CBT for depression, anxiety, and anxiety-related problems to adults (18+) across the province of Ontario with a focus on priority populations that often experience barriers to accessing mental health services (e.g., those who are Indigenous, people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA, Francophone). While the program provides evidence-based CBT protocols, individual case formulation and cultural adaptation are emphasized and measurement-based care is incorporated to monitor treatment progress and inform treatment planning. St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) and St. Joseph’s Healthcare London (SJHC London) are jointly working to oversee the provision of OSP in the West Region of the province (OSP West). Psychology practicum students completing a placement in OSP West gain exposure to a range of presenting concerns of mild to moderate severity, including depression, anxiety (panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, illness anxiety disorder, specific phobia, GAD), and anxiety-related concerns (PTSD and OCD). As noted above, practicum students will gain exposure to adult clients from diverse backgrounds. Supervision at OSP West is provided by registered psychologists (Drs. Peter Bieling, Jennifer Hewitt, Brenda Key, Colleen Merrifield, Matilda Nowakowski). Both first year and advanced practicum students are welcome to apply.

Training experiences may include:

Training in brief, semi-structured intake assessments (initially observing three interviews, conducting three interviews under observation, and then conducting additional interviews independently, under supervision).
Training in structured diagnostic assessments for more complex clinical presentations.
Working within a stepped-care model.
Opportunities to provide evidence-based individual CBT protocols for depression, anxiety, and anxiety-related concerns (including ERP for OCD and CPT for PTSD) delivered virtually and in-person.
Opportunities to observe treatment being delivered or to provide co-therapy with an experienced clinician.
Opportunity to co-lead a group for depression, anxiety, or anxiety-related concerns (including ERP for OCD and CPT for PTSD) (as well as weekly supervision meetings to discuss the group sessions).
Participating in weekly individual supervision meetings (at least 1 hour) to discuss individual treatment and assessment cases.

Practicum students are an active part of the multidisciplinary team that meets on a weekly basis for assessment and treatment case conferences. During the case conferences, students are expected to discuss diagnostic issues, treatment recommendations, and treatment challenges. OSP West integrates program evaluation and quality improvement projects and students have the opportunity to be actively involved in ongoing projects within the program.

Contact Information:

Jennifer Hewitt, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Psychologist
Ontario Structured Psychotherapy West Region
1 King St. West, Suite 400

Email: jhewitt@stjoes.ca
OSP Website: www.ospwest.ca

Schizophrenia Services

Schizophrenia and Community Integration Services at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton is a large service which includes three inpatient units and two outpatient clinics: Cleghorn Early Intervention Clinic and Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic (SOC). Practicum placements are typically available at the outpatient clinics and may be 2 days per week during fall-winter, and up to 4 days per week during spring-summer. Advanced practicum students with previous experience working with clients with severe and persistent mental illness may be considered for a placement in the inpatient program.

Cleghorn Early Intervention Clinic

The Cleghorn Clinic is an outpatient service that specializes in treatment of individuals who are experiencing symptoms of psychosis for the first time (i.e., first episode psychosis). Clients are typically between the ages of 16 to 35 and have had less than 6 months of treatment for psychosis. The clinic is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians including a psychologist, psychiatrists, registered nurses, family educator, occupational therapists, recreational therapist, social worker, and learners from various disciplines.

Training experiences may include:

Opportunities to provide individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for a variety of mental health conditions including psychosis, anxiety related disorders, affective disorders, OCD, and adjustment disorder.
Medical chart reviews and literature reviews of pertinent evidenced-based practices and research outcomes
Administering, scoring and interpreting, neuropsychological and psychological test measures.
Providing patients, caregivers, hospital staff, and team members with feedback regarding the results, implications, and recommendations from each assessment.
Psychodiagnostic and neuropsychological report writing.
Participating in multidisciplinary team meetings to assist in the assessment, treatment planning, and evaluation of outcomes for patients.
Ability to participate in ongoing research projects some of which include examining the role of cognitive functioning and insight on outcome as well as the examining the sustainability of first episode treatment on recovery.

Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic (SOC)

The Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic (SOC) is an outpatient service that strives to support individuals with diagnoses of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders to regain and manage their health and live meaningful lives through the provision of compassionate, innovative, specialized mental health services. The clinic is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, vocational rehabilitation therapists, and learners.

Training experiences may include:

Consultation for psychotherapy suitability, including observing and conducting interviews with clients, consulting with referring clinicians, and reviewing charts.
Training in diagnostic interviewing as part of assessments for diagnostic clarification.
Individual and/or group therapy opportunities using a recovery-oriented CBT for psychosis (CBTp) approach.
Opportunities to gain experience in cognitive screening and/or neuropsychological assessment depending on the skill set and training goals of the student.
Medical chart reviews and literature reviews of pertinent evidenced-based practices and research outcomes.
Psychodiagnostic and neuropsychological report writing.

Schizophrenia Inpatient Program

There are three 24-bed inpatient units with inter-disciplinary staff providing specialized assessment and treatment to individuals with primary diagnoses of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Duration of admission may range from several weeks to several months. Practicum placements on the inpatient units are restricted to experienced learners.

Training experiences may include:

Consultation for psychotherapy suitability, including observing and conducting interviews with clients, consulting with referring clinicians, and reviewing charts.
Training in diagnostic interviewing as part of assessments for diagnostic clarification.
Individual therapy opportunities using a recovery-oriented CBT for psychosis (CBTp) approach.
Group therapy opportunities as part of a recovery oriented weekly group comprised of stand-alone modules facilitated by inter-disciplinary allied health staff.
Opportunities to gain experience in cognitive screening and/or neuropsychological assessment depending on the skill set and training goals of the student.
Medical chart reviews and literature reviews of pertinent evidenced-based practices and research outcomes.
Psychodiagnostic and neuropsychological report writing.

Please Note: Advanced students only. Students applying to Schizophrenia Services are expected to have completed at least one graduate level course relevant to the implementation of CBT and/or the practice of neuropsychology.

Contact:

Heather McNeely, PhD, C.Psych.
Associate Professor and Academic Lead, Schizophrenia Division
Email: hmcneely@stjoes.ca

WSIB

The WSIB Specialty Clinic is a busy outpatient clinic that provides comprehensive assessment and treatment to individuals with workplace injuries who are experiencing difficulties with functional recovery. Our growing multidisciplinary team currently includes psychologists, a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, psychometrists, a neuropsychologist, and an occupational therapist. Supervision is provided by registered Psychologists, Drs. Stephanie Waechter, Samantha Longman-Mills, and Samantha Chen. There are opportunities for practicum training during the summer months (May-August, typically 4 days per week) and during the academic year (September-April, typically 2-3 days per week).

Please Note: Only more senior students (e.g., students who have completed at least one previous practicum involving assessment and/or intervention) will be considered for this practicum.

Training experiences may include:

Training in completing comprehensive clinical assessments using structured and semi-structured diagnostic interviews and self-report measures (e.g., DART; PAI; PCL-5; DASS-21), and in writing comprehensive clinical reports.
Providing workers with feedback related to the results and recommendations of the assessment.
Extensive exposure to the process of liaising with WSIB personnel and other members of patients’ care teams (e.g., physicians, community psychologists, Occupational Therapists).
Opportunities to provide evidence-based cognitive behavioural interventions for individuals with trauma and stressor-related disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and other difficulties.
Weekly individual supervision meetings (at least one hour) during which individual treatment and assessment cases are discussed; journal club; and peer case discussion meetings.
Discussion of relevant legislation, as well as research literature relevant to trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, and workplace psychological injury.

Contact Information:

Stephanie Waechter, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Psychologist
WSIB Specialty Clinic
Email: swaechte@stjoes.ca

Practicum Placement On-board Procedures:

Please visit the following link to learn more about on-board procedures for practicum placements:
http://www.joinstjoes.ca/learners/health-professional-learners