Thank you for your interest in the Internship Program at The Berkeley Therapy Institute. We have been offering training in psychotherapy for nearly fifty years. Currently, our training program consists of pre- and post-doctoral trainees who are working toward their doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology or licensure as psychologists, respectively. Currently, we only offer training positions to doctoral students or post-doctoral fellows.

 

Pre-Doctoral Training Program:

Our pre-doctoral training program is a part-time, two-year program with a roughly 20 hour per week commitment. 

 

Each intern is expected to participate in the following ways:

• A caseload of 15 clients, with the expectation that you will have 15 face-to-face client hours per week (in person or via Zoom). 

• 2 hours of individual supervision

• 2 hours group supervision

• 2-3 hours weekly didactic trainings

• Occasional clinical evenings with all BTI clinical staff

 

Interns receive annual stipends of $3500 and $4500 for their first year and second year, respectively. In addition, BTI provides malpractice insurance, telephone and answering services, administrative assistance and billing support.

 

Post-Doctoral Fellowship:

Our post-doctoral fellowship training program requires a roughly 25-30 per week commitment.

 

Each post-doctoral fellow is expected to participate in the following ways:

• A caseload of 20 clients, with the expectation that you will have 20 face-to-face client hours per week (in person or via Zoom)

• 2 hours of individual supervision

• 2 hours group supervision

• 2-3 hours weekly didactic trainings

• Occassional clinical evenings with all BTI clinical staff

 

Fellows receive an annual salary ranging from $52,500 - $78,000. In addition, BTI provides time-off benefits, professional development stipends, 403-B with match, malpractice insurance, telephone and answering services, administrative assistance and billing support.

 

Trainees will have opportunities to work with individuals, couples, and families in on-going psychotherapy. In addition, there are opportunities to do psychological assessment and to co-lead psychotherapy groups. Trainees will also participate in a wide variety of didactic trainings run by both BTI clinical staff and outside professionals.

 

Past training topics have included:

• developing a private practice

• couples therapy

• sex therapy

• trans-affirming care

• psychopharmacology

• cultural humility and competence

• working with trauma

• working with survivors of abuse

• working with survivors of cults

• sexual orientation and gender issues

• developing a heightened awareness of diversity and its impact on the therapeutic relationship

• working with sex offenders

• substance abuse

• suicide risk and assessment

 

The philosophy at Berkeley Therapy Institute is eclectic and multi-disciplinary. We are comprised of 5 MDs, 3 psychiatric nurse practitioners, eight PhDs, five PsyDs, and two MFTs. Our theoretical orientation includes the following: psychodynamic, multicultural, women’s, relational, gestalt, existential, cognitive-behavioral, and family systems. Interns are encouraged to bring their individual perspectives to BTI. We aim to further develop your orientation and refine your clinical skills.

 

All of us at the Berkeley Therapy Institute are committed to long-term psychotherapy. Interns who have been seeing clients at other agencies or practice locations are therefore encouraged to continue treatment with these clients at BTI. When interns complete the program, we offer their clients the choice either to follow the intern to their next practice location or to see another intern at BTI.

 

Pre-Doctoral Applications:

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Pre-doctoral applicants will either apply via their school’s training contract (if your school has one with BTI) or will have to register as Psychological Associates in order to be able to train at BTI. Applications can be submitted between October 1st - Jan 30th (for the following training year) and interviews will be held from Jan 2nd through March 1st. Decisions will be made by March 30th. Training year begins September 1st.

 

Prospective interns should submit the following:

• A letter of intent. In this please include: A brief description of yourself highlighting those aspects of your previous training experience that had the greatest impact on you, and the goals you have for the training year (1-2 pages)

• An autobiographical essay

• An essay outlining your therapeutic approaches/orientations

• Curriculum vitae

• Three letters of recommendation from people familiar with your clinical work. You can send these yourself or have the letter writer email them separately.

• Please send all materials to chehrzadshadman@bti.org

 

Post-Doctoral Applications:

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For post-doctoral inquiries, please email the following to  chehrzadshadman@bti.org:

• A letter of intent. In this please include a brief description of yourself highlighting those aspects of your previous training experience that had the greatest impact on you, and the goals you have for a post-doctoral position (1-2 pages)

• An essay outlining your therapeutic approaches/orientations

• Curriculum vitae

• Three letters of recommendation from people familiar with your clinical work. You can send these yourself or have the letter writer email them separately.

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Post doc applications are accepted on a rolling basis, however interviews are held in February and March and positions for each training year are most often filled by May. The training year begins September 1st. Prospective candidates typically receive one to two individual interviews. The interviews do not require advance preparation, sample reports, or a formal case presentation.  

 

If you have questions about the program, you can email me at: chehrzadshadman@bti.org. 

 

Thank you again for your interest in our internship program!

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Chehrzad Shadman, PsyD

Director of Clinical Training

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

License #: 32884