Program Description
The Chicago School's Child Play Therapy and Adolescent Psychotherapy concentration, within the Applied Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program, provides students with a solid foundation in creative approaches to child and adolescent therapy. Subjects addressed within this concentration include such areas as directive, non-directive, and systematic approaches to play therapy and adolescent psychotherapy; sandplay therapy; foundations of play therapy; and psychotherapy with adolescents.The Psy.D. programs offered at our L.A. County and Orange County campuses prepare students to enter the work force with essential diagnostic, therapeutic, and consultative skills as well as in-depth knowledge of psychodynamic theory and exposure to a broad range of dynamically based clinical applications to assist the therapeutic process.
The Chicago School's post-master's psychology doctoral program is recognized for its culturally competent training and offers students a multitude of opportunities to apply their education in real-world settings. Students at the L.A. and Orange County campuses may apply to complete their clinical training hours at one of the Chicago School Counseling Centers, two of Southern California's largest and most well-respected community counseling centers. Through our innovative training model, students learn marketing and operations related to running a private practice, and provide individual and group psychotherapy services. Graduates will leave with the skills and training to sit for licensure and launch their careers.
Graduates are equipped with expert knowledge in theory, research, and practice in clinical psychology, and are prepared to serve as lead practitioners and/or senior administrators in both educational and clinical settings. The program can be completed in three years, including internship. Curriculum integrates the eight core competencies informed by the educational model of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP), and qualifies graduates to sit for the national licensure exam and licensure by the California Board of Psychology (BOP).
Department
Clinical Psychology
Concentrations
Licensure
Total Credits
66
Fieldwork Requirements
800 hours of practicum, 1,500 hours of internship.
Sample Courses
Foundations of Play Therapy
Provides an overview of play therapy principles and practice. Students learn and demonstrate play therapy skills and assessment procedures utilized in individual, family, and group play therapy with children in clinical and community settings. Topics include: the history of play therapy, selection of toys and play materials, play therapy assessment, and the stages of play therapy. Particular emphasis will be placed on the rationale for using play in child and adolescent psychotherapy through experiential based learning activities.
Sandplay Therapy
Introduces Sandplay therapy as a therapeutic intervention and process in child play therapy and adolescent psychotherapy in clinical and community settings. Topics include the history of Sandplay therapy, setting up a sandplay, and the extension of sandplay to group and family play modalities.
Psychotherapy with Adolescents
Overview of theoretical and treatment approaches to psychotherapy with adolescents in individual, family, and group treatment in clinical and community settings. Topics include the history of adolescent psychotherapy; its roots in psychoanalytic psychotherapy; and contemporary psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral and family systems therapeutic perspectives.
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