Counseling & Psychological Services

At CAPS we are engaged in ongoing, yearly continuing education beyond what is required of our various licensing boards and agencies (please see a list of these requirements for psychologists and social workers). Primarily, this education occurs as part of our “training program” for graduate and postgraduate student trainees, which provides us numerous opportunities to study and learn as a staff. This helps ensure we are staying current on issues important and relevant to college students.

As part of this process, CAPS staff engages in a weekly full staff reading group throughout each semester. Topics range from reading specific theorists and practitioners who are important to us, such as Donald Winnicott, Jessica Benjamin, and Thomas Ogden to specific areas of interest including: eating disorders, anti-racism, attachment, suicide, trauma, gender, sexuality and intersectionality. (View examples of recent reading lists.)

Trainees engage in further weekly reading groups focusing on matters specific to learning to work with college students, including: conceptualizing students and their context, thinking about the role of the counseling center and learning about development within society and culture. (View the Training Seminar schedule.)

Staff, trainees and contractors meet regularly as well to share ideas, provide feedback to one another and work to ensure we are practicing at the highest level possible.

Beyond these trainings, CAPS has annual speakers and consultants. This provides us with opportunities to work closely with outside therapists and consultants on a variety of specialized topics. For example, Anton Hart presented to CAPS staff on February 17th and 22nd on "radical openness.” CAPS staff and trainees also attended (on 2/19/21) a training entitled “Addressing anti-blackness in psychotherapy: Implications for practice and advocacy" with Dr. Daniel Jose Gaztambide.

Past speakers have included: