Program Basics

The training program is a full year starting on the Tuesday after Labor Day and ending in mid-August of the following year. There is a three week orientation in the beginning of the year. The schedule for the first three weeks during orientation will differ from a trainee's regular weekly schedule.

Hours per week:

• Therapy Practicum: 22 hours/week 

Evening hours:

• All Practicum Students are expected to work 3 days during the week and 2 evenings are required.

Required training days are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-5pm, as this is when required supervision, training seminars and meetings take place. 

Clinical Experience

Approximate caseloads are as follows:

• Therapy Practicum: 6-8 cases

Caseloads are made up of individual adults, adolescents, children, families and couples. It is not possible to know exact proportions since it changes from year to year.

Common presenting problems of clients include (but are not limited to) affective disorders, behavioral disorders, trauma and related disorders, marital/couple difficulties, parenting difficulties, and school problems.

Students are trained in:

• Individual, Couple, and Family Psychotherapy
• Multicultural Counseling
• Community Psychology
• Intake Assessments
• Crisis Intervention

Opportunities exist for work in:

• Community Prevention Program Development
• Group Psychotherapy & Skill-based Groups
• Community Health Services
• Applied Research

Supervision

The supervision experience at Health and Human Services is varied and intensive, totaling approximately 5 hours a week for Practicum Students. Practicum students receive one hour of weekly individual supervision and one hour of weekly group/dyadic supervision. Students are expected to audio and/or video record all therapy sessions (with client consent) and this material is reviewed during weekly supervision meetings.

Support, encouragement, and critical feedback are utilized to help students develop professional abilities that fit their own interactive style and enhance their therapeutic effectiveness.

Training Director:

• Audra Marks, Psy.D.

Supervisory Staff:

• Monica Saavedra, Psy.D.
• Maria Cornejo Garcia, Psy.D.
• Lauren Nichols, Psy.D.

Weekly Seminars and Didactics

Psychotherapy Seminar

Practicum students participate in a weekly Psychotherapy Seminar. This seminar focuses on the theory and practice of psychotherapy with particular attention to applied family psychotherapy skills. The seminar is experiential and didactic including case presentations, role playing, and live supervision.

Multicultural Counseling and Community Psychology Seminar

Practicum students participate in a weekly experiential and didactic Multicultural Counseling and Community Psychology Seminar (MCCP). This seminar focuses on increasing a therapist's self awareness, knowledge and skills as it relates to their work in the community and with diverse clients and settings.

During the year, students develop and implement programs designed to improve and sustain the health and well-being of the residents in Hoffman Estates. The research-based prevention programs seek to prevent the possibility of future development of severe health and/or mental health conditions that would otherwise require intensive treatment.

The Seminar trains students on evidence-based community work. Students will discuss the importance of self-awareness, knowledge and skills while working with clients and communities, learn theories on community prevention work, participate in community prevention projects and activities, learn the steps for developing a program, and implement a community prevention program.

A core focus of this seminar is to encourage a student's further growth of their competencies in issues of diversity. This focus is integrated into the seminar by asking students to share and process their reactions to content and experiential exercises.

How to Apply

Please send the items below to:

Audra Marks, Psy.D, Director of Training
Village of Hoffman Estates
Department of Health and Human Services
1900 Hassell Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169

Practicum Applicants:

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vita
• 2 Letters of Recommendation

The Department of Health and Human Services adheres to the ACEPT application rules. Additionally, we strictly adhere to all ACEPT notification guidelines.

Application Deadlines: All applications must be received by the following dates: (2024 Applications Dates are not yet available)

TBD - First day applications can be sent to Sites

TBD - Date by which sites inform applicants whether or not they will be interviewed

TBD - Pre-notification day

TBD - Practicum Notification Day

Questions regarding the application process can be e-mailed to Judith Aldana, Administrative Assistant at judith.aldana@hoffmanestates.org or call 847-781-4850