Didactic Seminars

The fellow begins the training year attending 2-day didactic workshops in TF-CBT and PCIT directed by certified instructors. The fellow can also choose to attend a weekly seminar for trainees, taught by staff members, that covers a wide variety of trauma-related topics.

Within-department didactic sessions include lectures on:

  • Introduction to Psychopharmacology
  • Vicarious Traumatization
  • Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Trauma
  • Cultural and Racial Considerations in Treatment

Throughout the year, the fellow can choose from a number of other educational offerings, depending on interest, such as the LEND Core Course through Kennedy Krieger Institute and Media Services Department, grand rounds at Kennedy Krieger and Johns Hopkins,  and seminars in professional development, assessment, and behavioral intervention through the Kennedy Krieger departments of Neuropsychology and Behavior Psychology.  All of these programs are in locations that are immediately adjacent or within walking distance to the Center.

Training in Evidence-Based Practices and Other Treatment Approaches

The fellow attends a supervision group providing them with consultation hours enabling them to meet requirements for TF-CBT certification at the end of their postdoctoral year. If a fellow has already acquired consultation hours prior to attending the post-doc, they are assigned to a supervision group consisting of staff level clinicians who practice TF-CBT in their daily work. This bi-weekly group is attended throughout the fellowship year and provides important opportunities to share cases, expand knowledge and fidelity to the model, and gain support with difficult clinical situations. The fellow also attends weekly PCIT consultation team meetings and receives clinical supervision in this model throughout the training year, with the goal of meeting requirements for PCIT certification, including continued training, supervision and case observation.

Depending on the fellow’s interest and background with other evidence-based treatments, opportunities exist for further training in other models and practices at the Center. The fellow may choose to join group supervision meetings in any of the specialty areas practiced at the Center, depending on the fellow’s interest and time in core training/practice activities. The fellow may also choose to co-lead with an experienced clinician, a variety of group therapy interventions, depending on clinical need and availability, which may include Yoga-Based Psychotherapy, Strengthening Family Coping Resources (SFCR), and expressive therapies.

Individual Supervision

The fellow receives a minimum of 2 hours per week of individual supervision by doctoral-level, licensed psychologists.  One hour (or more as needed), is dedicated to discussion of therapy cases currently seen by the fellow.  Another hour is for supervision of psychological evaluations and diagnostic intake assessments.  The fellow also meets weekly with the training director to support the fellow’s plan for professional development, to supervise their supervision of pre-doctoral externs at the clinic, and to facilitate progress on individual goals, i.e., research, plans for licensure, etc. 

Provision of supervision.  The fellow obtains supervisory experience by supervising doctoral interns who have full-time training appointments at the Center. The fellow meets regularly with interns to review psychological evaluation materials, including selecting measures, scoring, and interpreting tests.  As mentioned above, the fellow is supervised in this work by their clinical supervisors.  The fellow also attends a monthly staff supervisors’ training seminar to increase knowledge of theory and supervisory approaches.

Research

Fellows are encouraged to participate in research activities for which they have 4 hours per week of protected time. The specific research agenda varies by fellows’ interest but may involve writing and publishing previously collected data, participating in projects conducted by Kennedy Krieger faculty members, or developing new projects. A research/clinical mentor is matched with the fellow to help facilitate the fellow's professional goals.