UCHSC Psychology Training Program

Introduction
Summary of Training Experiences
Major Rotations
Minor Rotations
Additional Required Rotations
Required Seminars
Optional Seminars
Application Procedures
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Psychology Faculty
Supplemental Application
Affirmative Action

For additional information about the UCHSC Psychology Predoctoral Internship, please call or write: 

Clinical Psychology 
UCHSC
Box C258-48
4200 E. 9th Ave.
Denver, CO 80262
(303) 315-8848

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Pediatric Rehabilitation Psychology


 The Pediatric Rehabilitation Psychology minor rotation takes place within the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation housed at The Children’s Hospital, Denver. The intern will evaluate and treat patients, work with families, and attend interdisciplinary case conferences.  Additionally, the intern may have the opportunity to consult with physicians, nurses, and other care team members regarding patients on several different medical floors in the hospital, including the medical intensive care units and the Burn/Trauma unit.

Goals of the training program:

 The Pediatric Rehabilitation Psychology minor rotation is offered through the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine within the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Goals of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Psychology training program include:

 1.         Developing an understanding of psychological adjustment to new physical disability, traumatic or catastrophic injury, or chronic illness

 2.         Learning psychotherapeutic strategies and treatment options appropriate to various stages of adaptation to physicalinjury or illness in children/youth and their families.

 3.         Developing proficiency in administration of cognitive assessments and neuropsychological screening batteries with a medical population. 

Objectives of the training program:

 1.        The psychology intern will learn to conduct an assessment of psychosocial functioning in children/youth with a broad spectrum of physicalillness or injury, including Acquired Brain Injury, stroke, Spina Bifida, and Cerebral Palsy.

 2.         The psychology intern will demonstrate understanding of the major theories of adjustment to disability, through appropriate psychotherapeutic interactions with patients and family members.

 3.         The psychology intern will learn to use behavioral intervention strategies to maximize patient participation in a physical medicine and rehabilitation setting.

 4.         The psychology intern will demonstrate an understanding of basic neuroanatomy and the cognitive implications of common types of neurological injuryand/or disease. Will be able to link behavioral symptoms to underlying neurodevelopmental deficits especially in cases of Traumatic Brain Injury.

 6.         The psychology intern will learn to reliably administer and interpret several different neuropsycobiologicalassessment instruments.

 7.           The psychology intern will participate in an interdisciplinary team-based approach to patient treatment and will impart clinical information (i.e. diagnosis, cognitive functioning, psychological adaptation) effectively to other health professionals, family members and community agencies.

 Specific Training Activities:

 Required Activities:

      Neurocognitive Screening Assessments
      Psychotherapy
      Consultation
      Patient management activities
      Team meetings
      Trainings/In-services

  Types of Clinical Approaches

  • Patient and family psychoeducation regarding a wide array of topics, including behavior after brain injury, affective reactions to medical problems, family adjustment to new disability, etc.
  • Consultation with a wide variety of medical professionals
  • Problem-focused, brief psychotherapy with medical patients and their families
  • Consultation to interdisciplinary treatment team regarding psychological and/or cognitive factors within discipline specific treatment approaches
  • BrainSTARS Consultation model with family/school teams

Supervision:
 The primary supervisor for the Pediatric Rehabiltation Psychology rotation is Jeanne Dise-Lewis, Ph.D.  (Clinical Psychology, University of Denver, 1984). Dr. Dise-Lewis’ areas of specialization include traumatic brain injury intervention and research, adaptation to chronic illness and injury, particularly acquired brain injury and spina bifida, and stress and resiliency. Three additional licensed psychologists also staff this rotation and may be available for supervision depending on chosen activities:

Michael Kirkwood, Ph.D., ABPP in Clinical Neuropsychology

Nicole Swain, Psy.D.

Deedre Werner, Psy.D