School of Psychology
Marriage and Family Therapy Department
Clinical Training Program
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Training Program

The clinical training program is accorded a central role in the education of our students. Throughout the program, trainees are developing clinical skills under the supervision of marital and family therapy faculty and/or off-campus therapists. The following schedule shows the entire clinical training program, before briefly summarizing each of the three components. 

FT530 CLINICAL FOUNDATIONS (4 units) 

Students take a 2-unit clinical foundations experience during the fall and winter quarters of the first year. The training is conducted in the Marriage and Family clinical training rooms.  

Each lab is composed of eight to twelve students and taught by an experienced licensed therapist. In two-hour weekly sessions, students are video-taped while practicing their counseling skills in role play situations.  The video is reviewed and students are given immediate feedback from both the instructor and peers.  The main focus of the lab training experience is to develop student’s initial intervention skills and "use of self" in individual and marital and family counseling. 

The Director of Clinical Training meets with the clinical foundation instructor(s) at the end of the quarter to review the evaluations and progress of each student. A student will be informed of any expressed concerns at that time so that the student can address this in an appropriate way. This collaborative effort is intended to empower the student toward growth as a therapist. In some cases, it is deemed necessary to postpone the practicum experience until there is a mutually agreed upon readiness to become a trainee. Remediation or postponement of practicum may be required until satisfactory progress is determined. (See the SOP Student Handbook for more details). 

FT531 LIVE SUPERVISION (2 units) 

During  the second year of study, students engage in a live team supervision experience, under the supervision of licensed therapists, approved or certified supervisors. Through the medium of a specially equipped observation room with a one-way mirror, students learn various assessment and intervention skills by participating as a co-therapist and/or reflecting team member in live marital and family therapy sessions.  The Director of Training reviews the end of quarter evaluations of students.  Where concerns regarding a student’s progress are raised, the Director may meet with the student, the supervisor, or both. 

FT550 PRACTICUM (12 Units) 

Practicum spans 12-15 months or more and is a dimension of the clinical training program which occurs in an approved mental health facility in the community. During this training experience, students engage in the actual practice of assessing and treating individual marital and family issues, under the supervision of a State licensed MFT, psychologist, social worker, or board certified psychiatrist, who has held her/his license for at least two years, and has been approved by the Director of Clinical Training.  The supervisor is required by law to have a minimum of six hours of supervision training or coursework. 

Students may begin their practicum training as early as spring quarter of the first year of study, maintaining continuous involvement until all requirements are met. Trainees engage in a minimum of 300 client contact hours, 150 being couples, family and/or child counseling. Supervision must be held each week that clients are seen at a ratio of one hour of supervision for every five clients contact hours.  Twenty hours of the 60 hours of  supervision must be in a live observation mode. Graduation will be withheld until these conditions have been met.   

The Director of Clinical Training reviews the student’s evaluation each quarter to review the progress and satisfaction of the student’s clinical experience at the site. If any problems arise, the director will meet with the student and/or the supervisor/director to address and rectify the situation.  

Contact Fuller Theological Seminary

 Fuller Theological Seminary
135 N. Oakland Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91182
800-238-5537--Admissions
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