Counseling Center's Externship Program

The University of Maryland Counseling Center, accredited by the International Association of Counseling Centers, has provided mental health services to university students for over 70 years. As the primary mental health agency on campus, our services target a large and diverse student population. Our services include brief assessments (intakes), short-term individual therapy, groups therapy, vocational counseling, outreach/consultation, and collaboration with other university departments and services.

The center is open Monday-Thursday - 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Externs are not expected to work the evening hours. 

The externship requires 16 to 18 hours per week. Externs usually are scheduled to be at the Counseling Center for two full days per week. Externs are responsible for ensuring that their hours meet the criteria for their respective programs. The following is an outline of weekly activities.

1. Individual Therapy (7-9 hours per week)
The provision of individual therapy is the primary training activity of the externship. Clients are generally seen once a week. Sessions take place at the Counseling Center. All sessions with clients are recorded. Externs will initially carry 4-6 individual clients during the first few weeks of their externship and gradually pick up their caseload to 7-9 individual clients per week, depending on whether the extern is involved in other clinical services.

2. Supervision on Individual Therapy Cases (2 hours per week)
Each extern will have two clinical supervisors for individual therapy cases. A licensed psychologist and/or pre-licensed senior staff will provide supervision.

3. Clinical Case Conference (1 hour per week; Mondays or Thursdays, 1-2 p.m.)
The externs are required to attend the weekly case conference meetings either on Mondays or Thursdays depending on the schedule of the externs. The case conference consists of several senior staff, 2 interns, and 1 extern. Like other staff and trainees, externs will be expected to write up a brief case presentation for the clients they will present at the case conference (due one week prior to the conference).

4. Brief Assessment Administration (1 hour per week)
Each extern is required to observe three brief assessments conducted by a senior staff member. Following this, the extern will conduct three brief assessments under the observation of 3 senior staff members and obtain approval from all observing staff before the extern can perform a brief assessment independently (once per week).

5. Workshop Facilitation (Optional)
Externs may choose to facilitate a series of coping skills-focused workshops after they have received the appropriate training.

6. Group Counseling (Optional)
During the spring semester, externs may have the opportunity to serve as co-facilitator in ongoing general therapy groups or themed groups co-led by members of the staff. Opportunities to co-facilitate a therapy group are based on staff availability and group times and cannot be guaranteed.

7. Outreach (Optional)
Externs will have the opportunity to provide outreach/consultation projects within the University community and will receive outreach training during orientation. The externship coordinator will inform externs about outreach opportunities as they arise. In addition, externs are encouraged to contact the outreach/consultation coordinator to further discuss their outreach interest (e.g, topic, audience population).

8. Professional Development (Optional)
Throughout the training year, the externs will have the opportunity to participate in the staff development training programs which are generally scheduled 2-3 times per semester (usually on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon).

Applicants must be doctoral students in APA-accredited counseling psychology or clinical psychology training programs. Externs are typically in their fourth year of academic training. Preference is given to applicants who have completed a minimum of 3 clinical practica. Questions about the externship may be directed to Dr. Grace-Ellen Mahoney.

All application materials should be submitted together via email as a single PDF. Letters of recommendation can be submitted directly to the externship coordinator if preferred. Emails from letter writers should include your name, followed by “Externship Letter” in the subject heading.

To apply, students should send:

1. A statement of interest
2. A curriculum vitae describing academic and clinical training
3. One (1) letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor or program training director
4. Two (2) letters of recommendation from clinical supervisors

All materials must be received by Monday, February 2, 2026 by 4:00pm EST.

Please send applications by e-mail to Dr. Grace-Ellen Mahoney.

UMD Counseling Center is NOT part of the Consortium and the offers to applicants will be made prior to the Consortium match date.