Training in the Core Areas of Psychology Practice
CONTACT US
For inquiries about the internship, please contact:
Robbin Rockett, PsyD
Psychology Training Director
Phone: 801-587-8926
Email: Robbin.Rockett@hsc.utah.edu
The Psychology Internship Program at Huntsman Mental Health Institute is an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited program that provides comprehensive clinical training for child, adolescent, and adult populations with severe psychopathology. HMHI currently offers six full-time doctoral-level internship positions. Students eligible for the internship must have completed all coursework in an APA-approved doctoral program in clinical, counseling, or school psychology.
Huntsman Mental Health Institute is the leading provider of inpatient and partial hospitalization programs in the Intermountain West. HMHI's psychiatric hospital is a 170-bed facility with inpatient units for adults, adolescents and children. In addition, there are child-focused and adolescent-focused day treatment programs and an outpatient clinic on site.
Program Experience
The internship provides intensive experiential training in the core areas of psychology practice including:
- Evidence-based interventions, including training in a variety of treatment modalities
- Evidence-based diagnosis and assessment
- Consultation and interdisciplinary communication and collaboration
- Integrating research into clinical practice
- Addressing the unique needs of every individual
- Application of ethical and legal standards to practice
- Supervision
- Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors
All training occurs in an atmosphere of collaborative interactions with supervisors and senior staff members. The breadth and depth of clinical experience combined with our training seminars/activities and quality supervision creates a unique and excellent clinical internship experience. The goal is to prepare interns for professional practice in a variety of settings.
Internship training is accomplished through:
- Direct clinical experience: The bulk of interns’ day is spent in direct clinical contacts. Interns conduct individual, family and couples therapy with a diverse array of presenting concerns, with a focus on acute and severe psychopathology. In addition to their regular case load, interns also carry a caseload of one to two outpatient clients. Outpatients are usually selected by the intern to provide addition depth in working with a particular disorder, treatment, or demographic.
- Group therapy: Interns lead group 2 or 3 times per week. Groups are DBT-focused on the inpatient units. In day treatment, groups are focused on social skills and emotion-regulation skills.
- Individual and group supervision: Interns receive a minimum of 2 hours each week of direct supervision with their primary supervisor and an addition 2 hours of group supervision with the Training Director during Psychotherapy Seminar. In addition, interns receive another hour each week of group supervision led by a postdoctoral trainee or early career psychologist on staff.
- Didactic seminars: Interns receive 2 hours of didactic training each week. Presenters include psychologists and psychiatrists from HMHI as well as outside presenters. Interns receive training in administering the ADOS and Rorschach as part of their didactic training.
- DBT consultation group: Interns and other therapeutic staff who utilize Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as a treatment modality meet every other week in a DBT consultation group.
- Supervision experience: Interns have the opportunity to supervise other trainees including externs who co-lead therapy groups with them.
- Treatment team staffing: Interns meet regularly with their multidisciplinary teams to discuss patient progress and coordinate care.
- Continuing professional education: Interns have the opportunity to attend bi-monthly , staff-education talks, and other trainings and didactics available at HMHI and nearby.
Internship Tracks and Rotations
All interns complete three four-month long rotations in either a Child Psychology Track or a Life Span Track. The caseloads and requirements are comparable across tracks, with the youth assessment rotation offering an additional emphasis on assessment in inpatient and day treatment settings.
On every rotation, interns provide individual therapy, family therapy and assessment services to support differential diagnosis and treatment planning. Experience with a wide range of measures addressing intellectual, cognitive, psycho-educational, affective, personality, and behavioral functioning is offered. Interns may also be asked to develop individualized behavioral management plans when patients do not respond to standard unit structures.
Internship Tracks
Child Psychology Track rotations
- Youth inpatient
- Child/Adolescent Day treatment
- Assessment youth inpatient
Life Span Track rotations
- Child-focused inpatient or adolescent-focused inpatient
- Adolescent day treatment
- Adult inpatient
Internship Rotations
Youth Inpatient Rotation
Psychology interns on the youth inpatient rotations provide psychological services to patients admitted to the inpatient child and adolescent units. On the youth inpatient services, nearly all patients work with a psychologist or a psychology intern as part of the team-based care provided at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Interns are integrated into multidisciplinary treatment teams and participate in daily rounds to coordinate treatment. Interns serve as the primary therapist and provide both individual and family therapy to each patient.
Assessment Youth Inpatient
Psychology interns on the Assessment Youth Inpatient Rotation specifically focus on conducting psychological evaluations for patients in inpatient and day treatment settings. They will have experience with a wide range of measures addressing intellectual, cognitive, psycho-educational, affective, personality, and behavioral functioning. During this rotation, they will have a reduced caseload of 2-3 inpatients and run four groups a week to allow additional time for test administration, scoring, and report writing.
Adult Inpatient Rotation
Psychology interns on the adult inpatient rotation provide psychological services to patients participating in the Adult Inpatient Program. Adult patients are referred by the treating psychiatrist and include patients who would benefit from additional therapy or assessment.
Day Treatment Rotation
The psychology interns on day treatment rotation work at one of two locations. Interns on the Child Psychology Track during their Child/Adolescent Day Treatment Rotation provide psychological services at one out of three-day treatment locations. At Kidstar they work with children (ages 4-12). At Teenscope or Teenscope South they work with adolescents (ages 13-18). Teenscope South is located at a site 8 miles from the hospital in Salt Lake City. Interns on the day treatment rotation work closely with parents and guardians. Interns provide parent training and address behavioral concerns as the patients transition back and forth daily between the program and their time at home.
Application Process
HMHI currently offers six full-time doctoral-level internship positions. All internship appointments are of a continuous 12-month period beginning at the end of June. Interns are paid a stipend of $41,600 and receive full benefits including comprehensive health/dental insurance and paid time off. Students of all geographies, cultures, faith traditions, physical abilities, and genders are encouraged to apply.
Application Deadline: November 15
Complete internship applications must be submitted to the psychology training director by November 15 or the first business day thereafter. Prospective intern candidates will be contacted in December to schedule a virtual interview.
The following qualities are considered when selecting internship applicants to participate in the interview process:
- Completion of all coursework in an APA-approved doctoral program in clinical, counseling, or school psychology
- Academic excellence
- Minimum of 500 practicum hours
- Minimum of 100 hours of psychological assessment and report writing experience
- Interpersonal maturity and sensitivity
- Diverse practical experiences
- High ethical standards and professionalism
- Good clinical judgment
- Ability to work as a team member
- Appropriate career interests
Application Materials
Required application materials include:
- Letter of application/interest
- Completed
- Curriculum vita (CV)
- Official university graduate transcripts
- Minimum of three letters of professional recommendation
- One sample of a psychological or neuropsychological evaluation
Application materials should be addressed to:
Robbin Rockett, PsyD, Psychology Training Director
Huntsman Mental Health Institute
501 Chipeta Way
Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
Psychology interns at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute are employees of the Â鶹ѧÉú¾«Æ·°æ Sciences Center. As such, they must meet all University of Utah employee requirements, including policies regarding a , , and mandatory Immunizations and Vaccinations. A comprehensive list of these policies can be found on the page.
For more comprehensive information, please review the Psychology Internship Handbook. For additional information and questions, please contact us.
Internship Staff
Huntsman Mental Health Institute's professional staff includes nineteen psychologists who are direct supervisors for the internship program, and several other licensed psychologists who fulfill other roles related to the internship.
Psychology staff members participate and support the internship training program in a variety of ways. They may provide individual intern supervision and mentoring, participate in didactic training and seminars, provide consultation, contribute to psychology staff meetings and treatment team rounds, provide case conferences, participate as members of the psychology training committee, and/or assist with ongoing program evaluation.
Program Leadership
Robbin Rockett, PsyD
Psychology Training Director
Dr. Rockett is the Psychology Training Director and a clinical psychologist on the child and adolescent inpatient units at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Dr. Robbin Rockett graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Her postdoc training at Ann Martin Children’s Center included both outpatient and school settings working with children and adolescents with a focus on child play therapy, grief therapy and psychodynamic therapy. She has been in private practice supporting families for over twenty years. Dr. Rockett was the assistant Clinical Director at the Community Institute for Psychotherapy, an outpatient clinic serving low-income families and adults. She founded and served as the Clinical Director at Marin Wellness Counseling (MWC), a private group practice that sees children, adolescents, adults, and couples. At MWC she created a training program that trains clinicians to work with adolescents and adults utilizing psychodynamic, family systems and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) approaches. Her conceptual orientation is grounded in psychodynamic theory, though clinically she integrates Cognitive-Behavioral strategies and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) based on the situation and needs of the patient. She served as Past President on the board for the Marin County Psychological Association. She is a current member of the Utah Psychological Association.
Allison Smith, PhD
Inpatient Psychology Manager
Dr. Allison Smith received her Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University with a focus on child clinical/developmental psychopathology. Dr. Smith is the Manager of the Inpatient Psychology Program. She trained in a variety of settings, including inpatient, outpatient, group homes, and forensic settings, and she has therapy and assessment experience with both children and adults. She completed her internship and postdoctoral residency at the University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Dr. Smith's focus is on youth and families experiencing serious mental illness. Conceptually she works from the perspective of developmental psychopathology and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Clinically she integrates cognitive-behavioral strategies, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) skills, based on the situation and needs of the patient. Dr. Smith has an adjunct faculty appointment in the University of Utah Department of Psychiatry and is a member of the Psychology Training Committee.
Heather Lewis, PhD, BCBA
Psychology Postdoctoral Residency Coordinator
Dr. Heather Lewis is a psychologist in Huntsman Mental Health Institute Day Treatment programs. She works in both Kidstar and Teenscope providing individual therapy, coordinating psychological assessments, and facilitating group therapy. She received her PhD in School Psychology from the University of Utah. Dr. Lewis completed both her doctoral internship and postdoctoral residency at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. She has worked in various settings outside of Huntsman Mental Health Institute including schools, autism clinics, and outpatient clinics. Dr. Lewis is a board-certified behavior analyst, and often uses this as a framework for understanding patients. Her current therapeutic approach is best described as integrative, though she largely focuses on third wave cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma informed care. Dr. Lewis has an adjunct faculty appoint at the University of Utah in both the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Educational Psychology.
Carly Schuller, PsyD
Psychology Externship Coordinator
Dr. Carly Schuller is a clinical psychologist on the child and adolescent inpatient units at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. She received her B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University and her PsyD in School-Clinical Child Psychology from Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. Dr. Schuller completed her APA-accredited clinical internship at JCCA’s Edenwald Center in Pleasantville, New York and her postdoctoral residency at HMHI. Dr. Schuller has experience providing therapy and conducting neuropsychological assessments in community mental health, outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential, and inpatient settings. Clinically, she utilizes an evidence-informed approach, utilizing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches, while working collaboratively with families and involved care providers to promote lasting change
Amanda Stoeckel, PhD
Program Manager
Dr. Amanda Stoeckel is a licensed psychologist and the Program Manager for the Comprehensive Assessment and Treatment (CAT) program at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. She received her PhD in School Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado and completed her clinical internship at HMHI. Dr. Stoeckel completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research at the VISN 19 MIRECC VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. She has an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Utah Department of Psychiatry. Her primary focus is overseeing psychological services to youth and young adults within the CAT and Young Adult CAT Programs, and she has extensive training in psychological assessment. She also directs outcomes research within each program and is involved with research and clinical applications of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Along with her work in the CAT and Young Adult CAT Programs, Dr. Stoeckel also conducts psychotherapy at HMHI’s Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Clinic. Her therapeutic orientation is typically based on elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Amanda Miller Weeks, PsyD
Director of Intermediate Services
Dr. Amanda Miller is the Director of Intermediate Services, which includes the Kidstar, Teenscope and Teenscope South day treatment/partial hospitalization programs and the Youth Residential Treatment program (YRT). She received her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Baylor University and completed her postdoctoral residency at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. She has provided psychological services to the adolescent and child units (i.e., individual and family therapy and psychological assessment) and specializes in treatment of adolescents. She currently provides group therapy in day treatment. Dr. Miller also has extensive training and experience with adults in a variety of clinical settings. Her conceptual orientation is grounded in psychodynamic theory, though clinically she integrates Cognitive-Behavioral strategies, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Interpersonal Therapy based on the situation and needs of the patient. Dr. Miller serves as a primary supervisor within the internship program and is a member of the Psychology Training Committee.
Program Accreditation
Our internship program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation. For questions about the program’s accreditation status, contact:
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Website:
Resources
As an APA-accredited psychology training program, we are required to meet standards and expectations as outlined by the American Psychological Association – Committee on Accreditation (APA-CoA). Interns are evaluated based on profession-wide competencies developed by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Contact Us
For additional information, please contact:
Robbin Rockett, PsyD
Psychology Training Director
Huntsman Mental Health Institute
501 Chipeta Way
Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
Phone: 801-587-8926
Email: Robbin.Rockett@hsc.utah.edu