Training at Access Institute

Welcome to Access Institute.  Here you will find information about our mission, goals, and our rich and varied training opportunities.  We welcome applications from pre-doctoral psychology interns, as well as from post-masters interns in social work and marriage and family therapy. If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Director of Training, Ruth Simon, Ph.D. at ruth@accessinst.org.

Pre-doctoral and post-masters applications for the July 2010 training year can be submitted beginning in January 2010 and no later than Friday, March 5, 2010.  We will adhere to the CAPIC uniform notification date of Monday, April 5, 2010.

All applicants should follow the application procedures noted below.

Our Mission

Access Institute is committed to making quality mental health care affordable to Bay Area residents, particularly to those individuals and families who fall within the broad gap between those eligible for publicly-funded mental health programs and the more affluent who have adequate insurance or the financial means to afford treatment.  Along with providing direct service, Access Institute is committed to providing psychoanalytically-oriented clinical training and supervision to clinicians seeking licensure in a mental health discipline.

Our vision

We believe there are large numbers of people who can benefit from psychological treatment that is more intensive, focuses on the therapeutic process, and considers unconscious dynamics along with socio-cultural forces.  We believe the main reason that many are not getting this kind of treatment is that it has not been affordable to them.

We provide services which have no time limit, and in which a patient can see the same therapist for up to two years in a row.  Services are designed to meet the patient's needs, and if more intensive therapy is indicated, multiple visits per week can be arranged.  To ensure that treatment is affordable, services are offered on an income-based sliding scale.

We recognize that in order to increase access to care we must provide therapy at locations where those in need are already receiving other related services. To that end we not only provide psychological services at our Hayes Valley clinic, but also at two local elementary schools, and an adult day health center.  Access to therapy also means offering therapy in a patient's native language when possible.  Access Institute currently offers therapy in both English and Spanish.

Finally, it is our vision that Access Institute's training programs, integrating psychoanalytic approaches, a community focus, and a dedication to working with the underserved, will graduate clinicians who will carry this commitment with them as a part of their enduring professional identity.

Training Programs

Access Institute offers two unique training programs: The Psychoanalytic Psychology Internship Program and the Elder Psychotherapy Internship Program.

Psychoanalytic Psychology Internship Program

At the core of Access Institute's program is the two-year half-time internship in psychoanalytically-oriented psychological treatment. Two cohorts of eight interns participate in an intensive program where half of the 24 hour per week commitment is comprised of supervision and didactic training from some of the Bay Area's top clinicians. This internship begins July 1, 2010 and ends June 30, 2012 and pays a yearly stipend of $6000.  It is open to post-masters, pre-doctoral and post-doctoral interns.

Interns spend up to 12 hours per week providing direct clinical services.  This can include individual therapy for adults, adolescents, and children, as well as therapy with couples and families.  The psychodynamic approach supports the use of more frequent sessions, and many patients are seen at the clinic two and three times per week.  Four interns spend up to 6 of their clinical hours at a local K-5 elementary school providing play therapy to child patients, and consulting with parents, teachers and school staff.

Psychology interns and post-doctoral fellows in the Psychoanalytic Psychology Internship Program can also provide psychological assessment and testing including comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological assessments to children, adolescents, adults and seniors. Psychology interns in the testing program attend a weekly didactic and group supervision seminar in assessment. (See below for more information about the testing training.)

All trainees receive at least two hours of individual supervision and attend four one and a half hour seminars per week. Seminars are progressive throughout the two year period and are designed to facilitate the building of clinical thinking and skills. Interns also attend the weekly staff meeting where, in addition to covering general clinic business, they have the opportunity to consult on cases with the clinic's prescribing psychiatrist.

Classes for interns in the 2010-2012 training group will be held weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 2:30. Other seminars and required meetings occur on Tuesdays.

First Year Courses
Diagnosis and Formulation
Beginning Treatment and Technique
Psychological Impact of Trauma
Substance Abuse
Child Treatment
Couples Treatment
Group Treatment
Case Conference
Psychoanalytic Theory I
Psychodynamic Technique in a Community Clinic
Faculty Presentation
Interdisciplinary Team Work
Process Group
Grand Rounds

Second Year Courses
Sociocultural Processes
Lifespan Development
Identity Formation
Psychoanalytic Theory II
Case Conference
Primitive Mental States
Neuropsychoanalysis
Transference/Countertransference
Ethics
Termination
Professional Identity Development
Supervision
Process Group
Grand Rounds

Overview
All first year interns are required to choose one of the above three areas of emphasis.  Interns in their second year of training have the option to apply to the Testing rotation or join the Intake team.  If they don't participate in either of these tracks in their second year, they will provide psychotherapy for their entire 12 hour clinical commitment.

Interns who are interested in receiving supervision in child psychotherapy, but who do not want to be part of the school-based program are welcome to apply to the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Internship. 

Bilingual Services
Access Institute provides therapy in both English and Spanish and strongly encourages applications from Spanish bilingual interns.

Elder Psychotherapy Internship Program

The Elder Psychotherapy Internship is open to psychology pre- and post-doctoral interns, and post-masters interns in social work and marriage and family therapy. It is a single year, full-time internship that runs from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. There is an $8,000 yearly stipend for this position.

Interns are based at an adult day health center where they offer individual, group and family psychotherapy, attend seminars and receive individual supervision. The staff of the adult health center is included in various aspects of the training program in order to create an atmosphere where the domains of psychotherapy, social work, nursing and physical therapy inform each other, enabling a truly integrated approach to the elders.

In addition to providing on-site service at the adult day center for eight hours per week, interns are also trained to provide psychotherapy to outpatient adults and seniors and at Access Institute's Hayes Valley Clinic.  There, they provide up to twelve hours of clinical service.

The training component of the internship includes intensive individual supervision (three hours per week), a case conference specific to elder issues and specific didactic courses in working with elders.

Elder Psychotherapy Courses
Elder Case Conference
Outpatient Clinic Case Conference
Neuropsychological Testing/Assessment with the Elderly
Cognitive and Emotional Assessment for the Elderly
Medical Issues/The Aging Body
Technique and Special Issues in Working with the Elderly
Geropsychology Team Meeting
Diagnosis, Formulation and Intake Conference
Sociocultural Process
Loss and Termination with the Elderly
Grand Rounds

Application Procedures

1) To apply to the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Internship program, please submit the CAPIC application form along with a cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae and three letters of recommendation. Post-masters applicants should provide a cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, an autobiographical statement describing your relevant personal and professional development as well as a statement about your theoretical orientation and how it influences your clinical work. These materials should be sent to:

Ruth Simon, Ph.D., Director of Training
Access Institute for Psychological Services
110 Gough Street, Suite 301
San Francisco, CA 94102

• If you are interested in participating in the School Based program, please indicate this in your cover letter and be prepared to discuss a child case in your interview.

• If you are interested in participating in the Testing Program, please include a complete testing report in your application.

• If you are interested in receiving supervision in child psychotherapy, but are not applying to the School-Based program, please indicate this in your cover letter.

2) To apply to the Elder Psychotherapy Internship, you must have had training in psychodynamic psychotherapy and demonstrated an interest in working with older adults. Psychology interns should submit the CAPIC application form along with a cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae and three letters of recommendation. Post-masters students should send a cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, an autobiographical statement describing your relevant personal and professional history as well as a statement about your theoretical orientation and how it influences your clinical work. These materials should be sent to:

Avvy Mar, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Services
Access Institute for Psychological Services
110 Gough Street, Suite 301
San Francisco, CA 94102
avvy@accessinst.org

Access Institute for Psychological Services is a CAPIC approved agency and follows the CAPIC application procedures and deadlines. The application deadline is Friday, March 5, 2010 for pre-doctoral and post-masters applications. All application materials including letters of recommendation must be received by the deadline for equal consideration. We adhere to the CAPIC uniform notification date of Monday, April 5, 2010.