Application Deadline: December 5, 2007

Interview Days: February 15 or February 22
(save one of these dates if you apply)

Nationally, clinical psychology has grown since World War II to award the largest portion of doctorates in psychology and to become the largest division within the American Psychological Association. Widespread public acceptance has resulted in far-ranging utilization of psychologists and increasing specialization of practitioners. Thus, clinical psychologists are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities.

The Clinical Psychology Program at Georgia State is designed to educate students for contemporary and innovative careers in teaching, research, and/or clinical practice. The field is viewed as a science and an art for the promotion of human betterment and the development of knowledge. Our program is devoted to psychological knowledge, in general, and clinical research and practice skills, in particular. The education of the clinical student is based upon the scientist-practitioner model of clinical training. This model combines the clinician's interest in understanding and remediating the problems in living experienced by individuals with the researcher's empirical orientation and methodological approach.

APA-Accredited since 1974

15 Full-time Clinical faculty (all licensed)

Firm commitment to a Scientist-Practitioner model of training

Clinical, joint Clinical-Neuropsychology, and joint Clinical-Community training programs

Extensive departmental collaborations (across Clinical, Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Community, Developmental, Social-Cognitive programs)

Clinical and research training opportunities with adults, adolescents, and children

Specialty clinical training facilities (The Psychology Training Clinic for Research, Therapy and Assessment, The Regents Center for Learning Disorders, and 15 off-campus practicum sites)

Multiple theoretical orientations (cognitive-behavioral, family systems, psychodynamic)

Strong commitment to diversity with many opportunities for multicultural research and clinical activities

Competitive graduate student funding

New, modern facilities (psychology clinic, research labs, faculty offices, graduate student labs and lounges)

Located in the heart of a thriving, metropolitan city

Faculty and Faculty Interests

Faculty members include Page Anderson, Lisa Armistead, Lindsey Cohen, Frank Floyd, Leslie Jackson, Tricia King, Akihiko Masuda, Mary Morris, Robin Morris, Dominic Parrott, Diana Robins, Erin McClure Tone, and Roderick Watts.

They represent a range of theoretical perspectives and their research and applied activities reflect the breadth of contemporary clinical psychology. In addition, clinical students and faculty often collaborate with faculty in other programs within the department and throughout the university. The two joint enrollment programs for students interested in clinical-community psychology or clinical-neuropsychology further promote collaborative opportunities among the relevant program area faculty. The primary theoretical orientations of the clinical faculty, which inform their research and clinical activities, fall into the following general areas: (1) cognitive-behavioral, (2) family and ecological-developmental systems, (3) psychodynamic, (4) interpersonal, and (5) neuropsychological. Representative areas of research of the clinical faculty include studies of adult functioning and psychopathology (e.g., stress and coping, eating disorders, mood disorders, health risks); child and family issues (e.g., family relationships, parenting, developmental disabilities, trauma and violence, couple relationships); human diversity, minority populations, and multicultural issues; community and school-based prevention and intervention; and developmental and clinical neuropsychology (e.g., the cognitive and social-emotional correlates of both developmental and acquired neurological disorders across the life span).

For further information about the research and applied interests of the clinical faculty, see Faculty Interests (Clinical).

In addition to our full-time faculty, the clinical program has a number of affiliates in the metro-Atlanta area who provide clinical supervision through internal and external practica. Some of these individuals have participated in thesis and dissertation committees for our graduate students as well. Some of our affiliates, including their areas of expertise are:

GENERAL CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: Jay Beard (sexual identity issues, couples psychotherapy, gay/lesbian parenting); Marjorie Blum (family systems, adult/couples/family cases); Michelle Robbins Broth (pediatric and adolescent HIV, trauma, intergenerational processes); Marianne Celano (family therapy, diagnostic evaluations of children and adolescents, community-based participatory research); Chris Crowe (anxiety disorders, PTSD, exposure therapy, CBT, depression, behavior therapy); Eugene Farber (psychotherapy, HIV/AIDS, psychological consultation in medical settings); Susan Furman (assessment of LD, social emotional issues, ADHD, cognitive behavior therapy fo older children, adolescents, adults, & families); Mark Gilson (cognitive behavior therapy, group therapy); Lisa Groth (child therapy and assessment, adolescent therapy and assessment, psychodynamic/interpersonal therapy); Ann Hazzard (child assessment, sex abuse, divorce issues); Lisa Heimann (child & adolescent individual and group therapy, parenting issues, social skills training, LD/ADHD, PDD/Asperger's Syndrome); Nadine Kaslow (women's mental health, family violence, suicide, serious mental illness, couples and family therapy); Gus Kaufman (individuals, teens, families, couples, & groups; GLBT issues, trauma/abuse, body-mind awareness and interventions); Sue Matthews (general psychotherapy with adults); Laura Mee (pediatric psychology in a medical hospital setting, pediatric solid organ transplant evaluations and follow-up, infants through young adults); Margaret Nichols (adolescents, adults, geriatric, couples; relationship work, family/domestic violence, drug & alcohol addiction, major psychopathology); Julia Perilla (domestic violence, child abuse, Latino families, immigrants/refugees, community interventions); Fontina Rashid (child clinical, learning disabilities, attention disorders); Ilene Schroeder (individual, couples, and group work; diverse client population); Chaundrissa Smith (child and adolescent therapy, psychological assessment (child), family therapy); Carol Webb (psychiatric emergency clinic); Avrum Weiss (experiential psychotherapy)

CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: All of our clinical neuropsychology affiliates conduct neuropsychological assessment. In addition, here is additional information about their clinical work: Vivian Auerbach (TBI, rehab planning, competency, forensic neuropsychology); Thomas Burns (imaging, epilepsy); Dan Drane (epilepsy [research interests: epilepsy]); Felicia Goldstein (dementia [research interests: vascular disease, cerebral white mater pathology]); Melanie Greenaway (dementia [research interests: mild cognitive impairment, memory remediation]); Anne Imhoff (psychological assessment, academic & career issues); Kevin Janer (children/adolescents, LD, Asperger's, TBI, stroke); Alcuin Johnson (acquired brain injury secondary to brain tumor, cerebrovascular accident, neurotoxicity [i.e., chemotherapy and radiation]); Ann Sollinger (dementia [research interests: Parkinson's Disease, Pre-surgical work-ups for PD]); Anthony Stringer (cognitive rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury, stroke, epilepsy)

Guiding Philosophy and Orientation

The Clinical Psychology Program provides students with a course of study that combines the clinical theory and therapeutic applications of professional psychology with the research orientation and knowledge base of scientific psychology. The clinical faculty believe that clinical psychologists who best contribute to the welfare of others and the advancement of their discipline are those who approach human behavior from a biopsychosocial perspective. This perspective is rooted in the fundamental knowledge and empirical stance of contemporary professional and scientific psychology. The clinical faculty also believe that the integration of the professional and scientific aspects of psychology best prepares psychologists to incorporate the results of clinically-relevant research in their clinical activities and to examine clinically-related issues in their research endeavors. Finally, the clinical faculty believe that this integration of practice and research is the most productive approach to advancing clinical psychology as a profession and a science.

The overall goals of the clinical program are to prepare clinical psychologists in the scientist practitioner tradition who can a) contribute to the knowledge base of clinical psychology through scientific research and scholarship; b) provide general clinical services that are grounded in the fundamental knowledge base and science of psychology; and c) approach research and clinical activities with the highest of professional and ethical standards. These goals are achieved through sequenced supervised experiences in coursework, research activities and clinical practica that are designed to build competencies in the following areas: the scientific methods of psychology, the broad base of psychological theory and research, the current methods of clinical practice including psychological assessment and intervention, individual and group diversity, and the development of professional and ethical behavior.

Students are expected to integrate the professional and scientific aspects of contemporary psychology from their very first days in the Clinical Psychology Program. This integration is promoted during students' initial years of study through an academic curriculum that balances these two aspects of psychology, through required seminars that complement the academic curriculum, and through experiential learning in research and clinical skills. In addition, clinical students may avail themselves of a complementary course of study in the Community Psychology Program or in the Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Program if they wish to pursue more specialized, formal training in either of these areas as part of their doctoral education. As a result of the education and training provided by the Clinical Psychology Program and the department of which it is a part, graduates of the program may function as academics/researchers or as practitioners, or in both capacities as their interests and professional opportunities dictate.

The clinical faculty are sensitive to issues related to cultural, ethnic, gender, lifestyle, and other individual differences. The clinical faculty believe that the consideration of diversity is an important part of effective clinical practice and meaningful clinical research. These issues are addressed in both general and specific course work and practica throughout students' course of study. Similarly, scientific and professional ethics are considered an important part of students' preparation and are also addressed in both general and specific course work and practica. Finally, the clinical faculty are committed to preparing clinical psychologists to succeed in a rapidly evolving professional environment. Given the uncertainties this entails, the clinical faculty believe that broad training in clinical assessment strategies, in the major approaches to therapeutic intervention, and in related consultation and supervision skills will best prepare students for successful and productive professional careers.

The clinical program is governed by the clinical faculty in accord with the accreditation requirements of the American Psychological Association and the scope of its authority within the department, college, university, and university system. The faculty meet regularly in concert and periodically in committees to conduct reviews, evaluate issues raised by students and faculty members, and initiate changes. Elected student representatives serve on faculty committees. The clinical faculty, as a whole, are responsible for establishing policy and devising procedures that will maintain academic standards and assure uniform quality in the clinical training program.

Facilities

In July 2005, the Psychology Clinic for Assessment, Therapy, and Research (for more information, go to Psychology Clinic) was moved to newly renovated space on the 10th floor of the Urban Life Building. This facility includes research space for a number of the clinical faculty and students, rooms equipped with video recording equipment and observation windows that can be used for clinical work or research, offices for the Clinic staff, a large waiting room, a student break room equipped with computers, and a conference room used for classes, seminars, and meetings. The Clinic is open year round and offers assessment and therapy services to children, adults, families and couples in the university and the Atlanta community.

Also housed on the same floor as the Psychology Clinic is the Regents Center for Learning Disorders (for more information, go to Regents Center), another on-campus site for clinical and research training. The Regents Center was established to provide high quality assessment services for university students who may have learning disorders that qualify them for academic accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition to clinical practica in assessment, the Regents Center offers many opportunities for clinical research. The Center consists of spaces for clinical services, faculty offices, and student workrooms.

Faculty offices and additional research space for the clinical faculty can be found on the 7th and on the 11th floor of the Urban Life building. The 11th floor also contains a workroom and lounge open to all graduate students.

Researchers using functional MRI now have a state-of-the-art MRI Training Facility on the 10th floor of the Urban Life building. This facility, known as a mock scanner, provides research participants with the opportunity to become familiar with the MRI environment, and to comply with task demands, such as lying very still for a long time. A motion-tracking system provides feedback on whether the participant is moving enough to disrupt data collection.

In addition to our on-campus facilities, clinical students can avail themselves of clinical and research opportunities in a number of off-campus locations. The program maintains clinical practicum agreements with over 15 sites in the Atlanta area such as hospitals, university counseling centers, and mental health centers, where students can obtain a wide array of clinical experiences. In addition, faculty have clinical research programs in community settings such as schools and after school programs, prisons, children's shelters, and migrant worker camps where students obtain valuable clinical and research experience. (For more information, go to Clinical Practica Sites).

Accreditation

The program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Inquiries may be directed to:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
The American Psychological Association
750 First Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 2002-4242
Phone: (202) 336.5979
Fax: (202) 336-5978
Web Address: http://www.apa.org//ed/accreditation