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Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC Psychology Postdoctoral Residency in Couple & Family Psychology

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Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
Aurora, Colorado

Starts on Monday, August 10, 2026

Applications due Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

This training experience is a planned and programmed sequence of training that aims to ensure preparation for advanced practice rather than one that is focused on providing supervised hours for licensure. Yes

This training experience ensures that training takes precedence over service delivery regarding the nature, content, volume, and quality of the postdoc’s activities. Yes

This training experience ensures that postdocs receive at least two hours of individual supervision per week for the duration of the experience. Yes

This training experience is administered by a doctoral-level licensed psychologist who directs and organizes the training experience and its resources, is responsible for the selection of postdocs, and monitors and evaluates the goals and activities of the experience. Yes

This training experience has two or more doctoral-level licensed psychologists who have sufficient time to provide quality supervision and training.   Yes

This training experience includes regularly scheduled structured educational activities that help postdocs its defined goals. These activities may include didactics, seminars, case conferences, and/or research activities. Yes

This training experience has written Due Process and Grievance procedures. Yes

This training experience has the stable and necessary financial (e.g., stipend) and physical resources (e.g., computers, physical space) needed for effective training. Yes

The Couple & Family Psychology Postdoctoral Residency is a full-time year-long training experience providing several evidence-based romantic and family relationship treatments for Veterans and their adult loved ones. The Family Program (FP) at VA ECHCS is a free-standing program that works collaboratively with all other programs within VA and offers evidence-based practices for couples and families addressing mental health diagnoses, relationship distress, and parenting issues. These include the following: 

Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT) is a treatment for romantic relationship distress and can be combined with other treatment techniques to target infidelity, intimacy, and communication and problem-solving skill deficits. This is the most frequent intervention provided in the Family Program clinic. 

Behavioral Family or Family Focused Therapy (BFT or FFT) is for families wanting to better support Veterans with a serious mental illness. 

Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (CBCT for PTSD) is a dyadic treatment for PTSD to improve symptoms and relationship functioning. Families OverComing Under Stress (FOCUS) is an intervention for Veterans and their co-parents to improve parenting skills. 

 PTSD 101 is a 2.5-hour psychoeducational workshop for loved ones of Veterans with PTSD and is regularly available in our clinic. There may be options to provide other group treatments such as communication skills groups depending on the year. 

The FP sometimes offers group-based treatments supporting loved ones and couples-based groups. Equivalency training for VA Provider status in IBCT (upon licensure) is available if desired by resident. Advanced competencies specific to working with relationships include assessment of interpersonal violence, infidelity, sexual issues, and LGBTQI-specific training in working across the gender and sexual orientation spectrum, most commonly same sex relationships, consensual nonmonogamy, or relationships in which one or more partners are transgender. The FP uses Clinical Video Teleconferencing (CVT) into the home based on Veteran preference. 

For additional information or questions about the Couples & Family Psychology Residency, please contact Briana Robustelli, Ph.D. (Briana.Robustellli@va.gov) or Martina Mihelicova, Ph.D. (Martina.Mihelicova@va.gov).

Additional Information

Agency Type
VA Medical Center
APPIC Membership
Yes
APA Accredited
Yes
Recognized Specialty
Clinical Psychology
Other Emphasis
Couple and Family Psychology
Research Time
No research time
Training Director
Barbara M. Dausch, Ph.D.
Contact Email
Barbara.Dausch@va.gov
Contact Phone
720-723-6873
Virtual Interviews
Virtual Only
Duration in Months
12
Hours Per Week
40
# of Licensed Supervisors
3
Number of Positions
1
Applications recieved last year
8
Accepts Int'l Students
Stipend
$60,185
Will follow APPIC Selection Standards
Yes
Estimated offer date
Monday, February 23 2026
Created Date
Wednesday, November 2 2016
Unfilled Positions
0
Fringe Benefits
11 Federal Holidays, 13 Annual Leave days, 13 Sick Leave days
Research opportunities
Because this is a one year postdoctoral residency, original research is not required. There are opportunities for involvement in program evaluation research within existing clinical programs.
Application Instructions
To be considered for our postdoctoral training program, an applicant must have completed all of the requirements for the doctoral degree, including internship and dissertation. The Department of Veterans Affairs requires that the applicant’s doctoral degree and internship be completed at programs accredited by the American Psychological Association. For more information, please see: http://www.psychologytraining.va.gov/eligibility.asp The following materials must be submitted in one packet: 1. Cover letter expressing interests, career goals and goodness of fit with residency. Please note residencies for which you are seeking consideration. 2. Curriculum Vita 3. A signed letter of status of completion or expected completion from APA-accredited internship. 4. Letter from your dissertation chair regarding your anticipated defense date -if not already completed. 5. Three signed letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an internship supervisor. Deadline: December 10, 2025 Please feel free to contact us with any questions or requests for brochure. General inquiries and applications to: Barbara M. Dausch, Ph.D. Training Director, Postdoctoral Fellowship Program; Barbara.Dausch@va.gov Specific information: Briana Robustelli, Ph.D. at Briana.Robustellli@va.gov or Martina Mihelicova Ph.D. at Martina.Mihelicova@va.gov

This record was last updated on Wednesday, February 25, 2026

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