Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is a vibrant, multidisciplinary department dedicated to advancing science and integrating this foremost mission with those of clinical innovation, educational excellence, community engagement and commitment, and professionalism and leadership development. The NICU Fellowship at Stanford serves as the culmination of training in psychology and is guided by the scientist-practitioner model. Residents are offered diverse clinical experiences in assessment and treatment utilizing evidence-based treatments, rich didactics based on current empirical literature, opportunities for scholarly inquiry, and supervision by Stanford faculty. The mission of the Fellowship Program is to train highly skilled, ethical psychologists who contribute to the field of psychology through clinical work, research and/or education. Program Goals and Competencies: The primary goal of the program is to provide advanced training in the areas of clinical service, scholarly inquiry, professionalism and ethical decision-making. The program design is based on seven core competencies, including: Integration of Science and Practice, Ethics and Legal Matters, Individual and Cultural Diversity, Theories and Methods of Diagnosis and Assessment, Theories and Methods of Effective Psychotherapeutic Intervention, Professional Conduct and Interpersonal Relationships and Dissemination Beyond Clinical Care. Additionally, fellows receive training in the following areas specific to children and adolescents: Life Span Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology Child, Adolescent and Family Assessment Methods Intervention Strategies Research Methods and Systems Evaluation Professional, Ethical and Legal Issues Pertaining to Children, Adolescents and Families Issues of Diversity The Role of Multiple Disciplines and Service Delivery Systems Prevention, Family Support, and Health Promotion Social Issues Affecting Children, Adolescents, and Families Specialized Applied Experience in Assessment, Intervention and Consultation 

Rotations: The fellowship is focused in the area of the mental health for parents of premature infants. Parents whose children are cared for in the NICU often experience psychological distress which can impact their overall functioning and parental abilities. The Stanford NICU has developed an innovative program for early intervention with parents based on principles of trauma-focused CBT with the goal of reducing symptoms of parental trauma, anxiety and depression as well as fostering attachment between the parent and infant. The fellowship training includes supervised clinical experiences (initial screening, individual and group psychotherapy) as well as research in program development and outcomes. Rotation opportunities in CL and young child treatment are available.

Clinical Training: Fellows spend 20 hours per week in direct patient care. They conduct one to two new patient evaluations each week and carry ongoing individual psychotherapy and/or family therapy cases.  

Didactic Training: Fellows attend several didactic training seminars that meet on a weekly basis throughout the year. Child Psychiatry Grand Rounds take place once a month. 

Supervision: Fellows receive a minimum of four hours of supervision each week.