The post-doctoral program in psychology is a forty hours per week program that runs for 24 months. In addition to clinical work, all fellows will participate in the following:

Weekly:

• 3 hours individual supervision
• 1.5 hours clinical team meeting
• 3.0 hours Core Seminar, led by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. and Trauma Center faculty
• 1+ hour specialty project meeting(s) (dependent on current grant funding)
• 1 hour research meeting (if relevant)

Monthly:

• 1.5 hour Lecture Series
• Professional Development seminar

Note: Fellows may participate in additional seminars or meetings, dependent on specialty track, availability of advanced seminars, and/or participation in grant-funded projects.

The Core Curriculum

Core Seminar - Held Monday mornings from 9:30-12:30, this weekly seminar provides fellows with a theoretical framework for trauma treatment, as well as a rich case study population drawn from the experiences of a diverse practitioner pool. Faculty and guest lecturers are invited to speak on a wide range of theoretical approaches and treatment options. This seminar is led by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., Margaret Blaustein, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Hopper, Ph.D., and includes presentations by many of the Trauma Center faculty.

Monthly Lecture Series - As Medical Director, Dr. van der Kolk either speaks personally on his research or trauma theory, or invites colleagues in the trauma field do the same. These lectures occur once a month on Thursday afternoons between 12:00-1:30 and draw a wide audience from the Boston psychological community.

Additional seminars are often offered through The Trauma Center's Training Institute, and fellows are encouraged to participate in advanced trainings and consultation opportunities throughout the year. In year 2 of the Fellowship, the Core Seminar is replaced by advanced clinical seminars and consultation groups.

Supervision

Each fellow will be assigned a minimum of two clinical supervisors and one “track” supervisor (research or clinical specialty), one of whom will be designated a primary supervisor. Additionally, each fellow will meet individually on a quarterly basis with the Director of Training and also periodically in a group format with other fellows.

Consultation - Opportunities for consultation on dissociative disorders, EMDR, childhood trauma, and other areas are also available.

Fellowship Tracks

Clinical work is conducted with children, adolescents, and adults. Fellows who have experience with any of these populations will be considered; fellows are encouraged to work with the full age range while on fellowship.

Two positions will be available for fellows beginning in 2010-2011. Both fellowship positions will be salaried half-time (20 hours/week) at a $40,000 FTE (i.e., $20,000 salary) with benefits (half-time, prorated). The remaining time will be funded via fee-for service clinical assignments, including therapy and evaluation sessions; fellows may anticipate approximately $12,000 FFS income during their first year, with increased fees typical during the second year. One position is available beginning in 2010 – 2011 in each of the following tracks:

Track Description – Track 1: Clinical/Research Services – Yoga Pilot Study

The fellow in this track will be funded 20 hours per week as a research assistant on the Yoga Clinical Research study currently underway at the Trauma Center at JRI. Position may include clinical interviewing, research coordination, liaison with research participants, database maintenance, and/or other research tasks, as needed. Applicants for this position should have some experience working as a research assistant or equivalent. Familiarity with statistical analysis, database organization, and project coordination is desirable.

The remainder of the fellow's time will involve clinical assessment and treatment, as well as the array of training experiences described above.

Track Description – Track 2: Clinical Outpatient / Residential Services

The fellow in this track will spend 2 days per week working in a partner residential program administered by the Justice Resource Institute, with emphasis on provision of clinical care in a residential treatment setting to adolescents with a history of exposure to complex traumatic stress. In this setting, the fellow will function as part of a multi-disciplinary team, and will have additional opportunities for trauma-informed psychological evaluation, intensive clinical treatment, group treatment, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The applicant for this position need not have prior experience working in residential settings; however, clinical experience with adolescents is desirable.

The remainder of the fellow's time (3 days/week) will involve clinical assessment and treatment in the outpatient clinic of the Trauma Center at JRI, as well as the array of training experiences described above.