The program aim is to provide advanced doctoral students training opportunities in delivery of services to children, adolescents, and young adults and their families. The focus is teaching students how to apply family therapy case conceptualizations with the emphasis on family. This would include individual, family and opportunities for group therapy.  Patients present with a broad range of behavioral, developmental, emotional, health and learning areas of concern.

The Training Leadership consists of:

  • Dr. Alicia Sullivan (Director of Training)
  • Ms. Karen Janowiak (Training Coordinator)

The program recognizes the importance of cultural and individual differences and diversity in the training of psychologists. Our training program follows Kennedy Krieger Institute’s policy, as an equal opportunity employer, of commitment to diversity at all levels. The internship training program welcomes and encourages qualified individuals to apply and enter on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance, and merit and embraces cultural and individual differences.

“Kennedy Krieger Institute is committed to excellence. Diverse thoughts, backgrounds and perspectives create a robust community that fosters the best innovation and ideas. We aspire to have individuals of all backgrounds, races, religions, ethnicities and identities thrive in an environment of respect, encouragement, equity and inclusion.” 
- Bradley L. Schlaggar, MD, PhD
Kennedy Krieger’s president and CEO

Please see below for clinics currently offering externship positions:

Please note that opportunities for externship training in these clinics is subject to supervisor/resource availability and may vary by training year.

The Child and Family Therapy (CFT) Clinic directed by Dr. Gina Richman

  • Application Due Date: February 7, 2025
  • Training experience typically begins August and ends June

Training experience requires:  

  • 10 month commitment
  • 2-3 full workdays onsite per week commitment
  • On-site service provision
  • On-site supervision

Applicants are advanced doctoral students (3rd or 4th year) seeking a treatment focused clinical experience utilizing a family therapy approach to treatment.

Previous clinical experience should include:

Compensation: Unpaid training experience.

CFT Extern Training Experience

Our training model involves a multi-tiered training approach including weekly didactics covering a wide variety of clinical areas, direct patient contact hours, co-treat opportunities, direct observation of sessions and feedback by supervisor, and individual supervision. Externs will receive a minimum of 1 hour per week of individual supervision with Licensed Supervisor(s) and 1 hour week of didactic activities.

The Child and Family Therapy (CFT) Clinic offers an externship training in evidence-based intervention for children, adolescents and young adults and their families for the academic year (August to June).

The CFT experience provides training in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Externs receive clinical training addressing parent-child conflict, executive dysfunction (e.g., ADHD), behavioral concerns, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation. Further, trainees will gain experience with people of diversity including various ethnicities, preferred languages, spiritualities, and LGTBQIA+ from Baltimore City as well as across Maryland. In addition, trainees will learn to successfully navigate an academic medical center and will consult with professionals within the hospital (e.g., psychiatrists, speech therapists, and lawyers) as well as beyond (e.g., pediatricians and teachers). Didactic training and supervision will be provided in evidence-based modalities (cognitive-behavioral, dialectical behavior, and acceptance and commitment therapies) to support increased skill and flexibility with common presenting concerns as well as professional development (e.g., obtaining an internship). Externs will be well equipped to provide individual, group, and family therapy at additional externships or internship for a wide array of externalizing and internalizing concerns in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. Finally, externs will gain experience as clinical scientists administering assessment at the outset of care as well as standardized measures during treatment to monitor clinical gains and outcomes. Externship is offered in Baltimore City at our Fairmount building located across the street from Johns Hopkins Hospital.

For questions or additional information, please call Karen Janowiak, Training Coordinator, at 443-923-7533 or email Psychology@KennedyKrieger.org