Clinical Practicum Placement

The UCC provides an immersive, experiential training program, where we believe in learning by doing rather than only observing. Since training at the UCC takes place within the context of a fast-paced, high-acuity, and brief therapy setting, we value clinical readiness to function in this environment and openness to feedback when considering applicants for all training positions. As such, please review the prerequisites below:

• Graduate level courses completed:
  • Counseling Theory 
  • Psychopathology 
  • Ethics 
  • Techniques of Counseling course 
• Previous direct clinical experience is preferred  
• Willingness to record counseling sessions and watch them individually and in supervision 
• Willingness to record supervision meetings with Doctoral Intern supervisors
• Time commitment:
  • Availability to be in-person at the UCC for 18-24 hours per week over the course of at least 3 days per week
  • Availability to attend mandatory, weekly seminars that are held on Monday mornings from 8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. 

Counseling Track 

• Individual therapy represents the primary focus of the UCC’s Counseling Track. Throughout the course of the training year, practicum students are exposed to a variety of presenting concerns, which provides opportunities to engage in short-term, solutions-focused work. Adjustment, mood, and anxiety disorders are among the most common presenting concerns seen at the UCC. Specialty areas can include eating concerns, trauma, and substance use concerns.  
• As a cohort, practicum students participate in a weekly seminar, which currently takes place every Monday from 8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. The seminar includes a combination of didactic lectures and case conference presentations by both students and staff. Seminar topics are associated with the mental health field and address core competencies expected for professional development. Practicum students also present cases to their cohort on a rotating basis and are given the opportunity to integrate feedback from their cohort as well as the seminar facilitators. 
• Supervision is another key component to the practicum student training experience. All practicum students receive at least two hours of supervision per week, with at least one hour of supervision with a licensed staff supervisor and one hour of supervision from a mental health professional who is: 1) a Doctoral Intern, 2) a Postdoctoral Fellow, or 3) a staff member who may be in process of accruing hours for licensure or fully licensed.  Practicum students generally build caseloads through the initial intake process and supervisors provide support by observing initial appointments, assisting in diagnostic formulation, and providing documentation edits. In addition, supervision throughout the year will involve recording sessions and reviewing tape.  
• Practicum students have advanced training opportunities that become available in the spring with evidence of foundational skill development from supervision. Advanced training opportunities at the UCC include co-facilitating groups and workshops and co-facilitating outreach presentations. While availability, supervisor recommendations, and the needs of the UCC are factored into these opportunities, practicum students’ clinical areas of interest and/or desired areas for growth further support in the decision-making process. 

Number of Positions Available  

• Counseling Track: 2-4 positions 

Time Commitment 

• Practicum training placements are an academic year commitment, which is from mid-August through early May. Please note that we are not able to accommodate practicum trainees during the summer. 
• Practicum trainees are expected to be present at the UCC for at least 18 hours per week to engage in:
  • Direct service hours at the UCC (both in-person and telehealth appointments are expected to be conducted while at the UCC for access to support)  
  • Documentation 
  • Supervision 
  • Weekly seminar on Monday mornings from 8:30 a.m. -10 a.m.

Therapeutic Orientation 

• The UCC does not identify with any specific theoretical orientation and is integrative in nature. Practicum students are not expected to adhere to any particular approach or orientation to therapy. However, the Center does place great emphasis on helping students cultivate an understanding of the interplay between one’s theoretical orientation, conceptualization, and intervention, as well as the centrality of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning when caring for others.  

Thank you for your interest in practicum training at the UCC! The application window for the 2026-2027 training year will open in January and will remain open through Friday, January 30, 2026. To apply, please submit the application materials below:

• Application: Please submit a practicum application that can be accessed using this link.
• CV: Once your application has been submitted, please email your CV as an attachment to ucc@vanderbilt.edu
• Consideration for out-of-state applicants: Applicants from outside of Tennessee are encouraged to request a letter of approval for an out-of-state practicum placement from their program’s Director of Clinical Training. Please submit this letter along with your CV to ucc@vanderbilt.edu