Practicum Training

Practicum training opportunity

Clinical experiences primarily include conducting intake interviews (initially observed by a clinical supervisor) and providing individual counseling, and opportunities to co-facilitate group therapy may also be available.

Minimum qualifications and expectations for applicants

As a practicum student, you would be expected to participate in CAPS tabling events and other outreach opportunities. Practicum students function fairly independently as therapists and are responsible for the provision of a minimum of seven individual client contact hours per week, including intake assessments.

  1. Current enrollment in an accredited doctoral or master’s level academic program that leads to licensure as a mental health clinician.
  2. Prior mental health experience (this includes relevant work/volunteer experience). Doctoral students must complete at least one therapy/counseling practicum prior to placement at CAPS.
  3. Placement duration of at least two consecutive semesters, fall and spring. Continuation of placement into summer may be available dependent on staff availability and student interest.

Doctoral students are expected to have a minimum of 8–10 contact hours scheduled per week. To meet caseload, training, and supervision requirements, doctoral students will be on-site 16–20 hours per week.

Master’s students are expected to have a minimum of 12–15 clients scheduled per week. To meet contact hour requirements for licensure, master’s trainees are generally on-site 25–30 hours per week. Hour requirements may be negotiated at the master’s level on the basis of specific policies and guidelines put in place by the individual's academic program. 

David Lairmore, Psy.D., HSPP
Assistant Director of Practicum Training
dlairmor@iu.edu

Application procedures

All positions for the 2025–26 training year have been filled.

CAPS typically reviews applications and conducts interviews in late winter of each year. Information regarding application deadlines and interview timeframes for the 2026–27 training year will be updated on this page in the fall.

To apply please submit the following: 

  1.  A cover letter that addresses the following prompts:
    1. What interests you about completing a practicum placement at a university counseling center? What specifically appeals to you about a placement at IU Indianapolis CAPS?
    2. What are your training goals for the next year?
    3. What experiences have you had so far that have helped prepare you for working in the counseling profession?
  2.  A current CV that includes a section listing courses you have taken that are directly related to counseling.
  3. Two completed recommendation forms, one of which must be completed by your Graduate Training Director/Coordinator.

Training requirements and experiences

We strive to offer the best practicum experience possible and have outlined requirements and experiences below.

Time commitment

  • Placement duration of a minimum of two consecutive semesters starting in August, with the possibility to continue placement into the summer when extended placement can be accommodated by senior staff.
  • Availability Wednesday afternoons for didactic trainings and case consultation meetings.

Professionalism

  • Successful completion of background check.
  • Demonstration of professional liability insurance coverage.
  • Consistent behaviors in accordance with the guidelines established by the relevant professional codes of conduct (e.g. APA, ACA, NASW) and federal and State of Indiana laws and regulations.

Direct service provision

  • Provision of a minimum of seven hours of individual client contact hours each week.
  • Participation in outreach programming, such as tabling events, Fresh Check Day, and/or presentations within the campus community.

Training and supervision

  • Participation in a minimum of one hour of individual supervision per week.
  • Submission of at least two videotaped counseling sessions each semester.
  • Participation in didactic training sessions during the fall semester (Wednesday afternoons).
  • Participation in weekly case consultation (Wednesday afternoons).
  • Presentation of clinical work, including brief segments of videotaped counseling sessions, during case consultation.

Clinical experiences primarily include conducting intake interviews (initially observed by a clinical supervisor) and providing individual counseling. Opportunities to co-facilitate group therapy may also be available. Practicum students are expected to participate in CAPS tabling events and other outreach opportunities. Practicum students function fairly independently as therapists and are responsible for the provision of a minimum of seven individual client contact hours per week, including intake assessments.

For all practicum students, on-site weekly supervision is provided through use of a developmental model. Students will receive at least one hour per week of individual supervision provided by a licensed professional staff member. To increase the breadth of the trainees’ supervisory experiences during the placement, supervision assignments will rotate halfway through the training year when staff availability allows. Students are formally evaluated and receive written feedback regarding their performance at the mid and end points of each semester. Informal verbal and written feedback is provided on an ongoing basis throughout the training year.

The training curriculum also includes weekly case consultation sessions with other practicum students and select staff members. During these meetings, ongoing cases are discussed in depth by trainees.

During the fall semester, all trainees participate in a didactic training curriculum. The didactic presentations cover a range of topics, including crisis intervention, diagnosis and treatment planning, and individual/cultural differences.