By Courtney Cox
The demand for psychological services has never been greater, yet access to care remains uneven, especially in underserved communities. Meanwhile, many long-time practitioners are preparing for retirement, creating both a challenge and an opportunity for the next generation of psychologists.
At The Chicago School, that opportunity starts with connection. Through clinical partnerships across the country, students gain hands-on experience in settings where their developing skills can make an immediate impact. In our psychology graduate programs, these partnerships bridge the gap between academic preparation and real-world practice, allowing students to learn directly from the communities they’ll one day serve.
Learn how these collaborations are reshaping the student experience and advancing the future of mental health care.
Preparing Tomorrow’s Clinicians Through Clinical Psychology Programs
The Chicago School prepares psychologists who can meet real-world needs with skill and compassion. “When I came to The Chicago School, one of the areas that I have spent a lot of time focused on is how we can get our students to work in areas where there is a true need,” says Teresa Collins-Jones, Ph.D., associate dean for the College of Professional Psychology.
For students in the Psy.D. Clinical Psychology program (offered at campuses in Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Anaheim, and Washington, D.C.), that means an education grounded in real clinical practice. Each program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and designed for the complex, evolving demands of clinical practice.
Doctoral students can specialize in one of four areas:
- Clinical health psychology
- Clinical child and adolescent psychology
- Clinical neuropsychology
- Forensic psychology
Note: Not all specialties are available at all campuses.
Across all four specialties, the Psy.D. curriculum adapts to the realities of modern care. “Coursework is customized to emerging trends in clinical practice, such as telehealth and telesupervision,” Dr. Collins-Jones says. “This allows students to gain confidence and exposure prior to graduation.” Advanced courses, practicum experiences, and dissertations all align with each student’s chosen focus, so their work feels purposeful from start to finish.
Experience is woven into every step of the journey. Students take on applied training as they complete three years of practicum and a fifth-year internship before graduating. “The student has the ability to be in some of the specialty areas,” Dr. Collins-Jones says. “This could include a hospital setting, a community mental health center, a prison, or some other kind of correctional facility.” Through the practicum requirement, students earn 300 hours of practical experience each year in a range of clinical contexts.
Faculty Expertise Strengthens Psychology Graduate Programs
The Chicago School uses a practitioner-scholar model for faculty. This means that, in addition to remaining current on technological and research advancements in their fields, faculty also bring current, firsthand understanding of what clients and clinicians face right now. Due to this work, faculty can better empathize with their students and serve as responsive mentors.
Dr. Collins-Jones still works as a practitioner herself, and she can attest to the importance of continuing to work as a clinical psychologist while at The Chicago School: “When we talk about clients coming in after COVID having struggled, or those that are struggling now with what they see on the news, or the political climate, or things happening in their communities.”
This approach impacts the day-to-day work happening in the classroom, and it positions faculty to remain networked and help students secure professional partnerships.
Clinical Partnerships Prepares Students for Real-World Readiness
Faculty remain connected in their professional communities of research and practice, so they can better provide opportunities for students to take advantage of professional partnerships.
Dr. Collins-Jones shares some of these varied clinical opportunities students completed in recent semesters:
- Working in the Los Angeles District Attorney office
- Completing research projects with international universities, including the University of Ottawa
- Studying abroad to work with peer mentors providing mental health support to HIV positive students in Botswana
Students interested in study abroad opportunities can earn elective credit while gaining professional experience. The Chicago School provides the opportunity for partnerships with agencies around the world, as well as study abroad trips to locations such as Greece, Argentina, and the Netherlands.
For the recent trip to Botswana, 12 students were joined by three faculty members while completing a child and adolescent clinical course. This group spanned four different campuses from The Chicago School, all working together to create curriculum and provide clinical support internationally.
“While there, many of our partners asked if we would like to partner on different projects, which are now turning into research opportunities,” Dr. Collins-Jones says. “For example, one of our partners provides services to children and adolescents who are HIV positive. While we can’t provide direct services to those children, our doctoral students are able to provide training for their youth peer mentors to support them in these initiatives. This includes psychoeducation, one-on-one support, and group support.”
Building Clinical Confidence Through Technology and Mentorship
Given advancements in clinical technology and evolving needs of clients, future psychologists need confidence navigating digital platforms that expand access to care. For instance, teletherapy makes clinical intervention accessible for those who might otherwise not have access.
For students early in their training, virtual simulations provide the opportunity to work with a client before being placed into a practicum assignment. Through the use of AI, students work with a virtual patient to try out the methods they learn about through their classroom studies.
“Instead of just doing role-play, they get to spend time outside the classroom practicing with a client,” Dr. Collins-Jones explains. “This way, they’re really learning and developing their skills.” Students are also given feedback on their sessions from the AI software, so they are able to further improve their clinical work before meeting with human clients.
Technology used for training purposes is always supported by faculty mentors: real people reviewing student performance, identifying areas for growth, and offering guidance grounded in experience. Faculty are also able to review the results and see where students struggled. This blend of innovation and human connection gives students the chance to build their confidence in a low-stakes setting before entering the complex, unpredictable realities of clinical work.
Self-Care and Resilience in Psychology Graduate Training
The work of becoming a psychologist is both deeply rewarding and undeniably demanding. At The Chicago School, faculty understand that preparing students to care for others starts with helping them care for themselves.
Central to this work is the necessary commitment to self-care. Dr. Collins-Jones explains that self-care is a foundation that graduate students learn from the start. “Self-care is one of our profession-wide competencies in our field,” Dr. Collins-Jones says. “Starting in the first semester of our first year, we start talking about that, sharing how important it is that we take care of ourselves so that we can be present for those that we treat.”
This commitment runs through every layer of the program. Students are encouraged to reflect on their own mental health, manage stress, and build habits that will sustain them throughout their careers. Faculty model the same balance in their own lives and practices, showing that resilience and empathy grow from the same foundation: genuine self-awareness and care.
Progress in Action: Advancing Psychology Education Through Clinical Training
The future of mental health care depends on how we prepare the people who provide it. Through our psychology degree programs, The Chicago School is helping redefine what it means to prepare psychologists today: rooted in community, grounded in experience, and focused on meeting people where they are.