By Samantha Holdren (Clinical Liaison)

Hello all and welcome to my internship application journey during the year of COVID-19!

This is one strange, unpredictable year, and I have a feeling internship applications and interviews this year are going to reflect that. So I wanted to give you all a step-by-step discussion of my process as I apply and interview this year, with all the nitty-gritty details of what I do each week to prepare and how everything turns out. Since this blog is starting the first week of September and I have already done prep work over the summer, I will fill you in on that first. But thereafter, each week I will cover what I have done for the week and what my goals are for the next week. First, let me tell you a bit about my background, what my ultimate goal is regarding sites, and the specifications I am looking for during this process.

My background: I am in the clinical psychology program at Sam Houston State University, which is extremely forensic focused. I have done my practicums at the Psychological Services Center (PSC; community clinic), Walker County Probation Department, and Austin State Hospital (ASH). I have had the opportunity to do many competency and sanity evaluations through the clinic, and I have done several risk assessments through ASH. I have participated in two Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) evaluations, and I have done therapy primarily with legally involved individuals, many of whom had trauma histories and personality psychopathology. My research has focused on sex offender evaluations, particularly SVP evaluations, and how race effects evaluator decision-making.

What I want out of internship:

1. Sex offender treatment/assessment: Although much of my research has centered around sex offender assessment, I have had very little opportunity to work directly with sex offenders, neither for treatment nor evaluation. This is one of my top priorities during my internship year, as I hope to incorporate sex offender treatment and assessment into my career long-term. Ideally, I would be able to do SVP evaluations on internship, or at least be involved in that process.
2. Risk assessments: Though I have some risk assessment experience, I would like the opportunity to fine-tune my skills in that area. Therefore, the opportunity to complete risk assessments, of both sexual and non-sexual offending, is also a top priority.
3. Neuropsychology experience: While working at ASH, my supervisor has allowed me to do some neuropsychological testing (not full batteries, but enough to peak my interest), and I was able to take a neuropsych testing elective course that exposed me to a wide range of instruments (and required testing checks with a TA). I would love to be placed at an internship site that had a neuropsychology minor rotation or allowed for completion of full neuropsychology batteries.
4. ABFP Experience Waiver: One of my long-term goals is to become board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). To achieve this, one needs to have “accumulated 1000 hours of qualifying experience in forensic psychology over a minimum of a five-year period after the date of their doctoral degree in psychology.” However, this requirement can be waived if one successfully completes one of the postdoctoral fellowship programs that have been determined by ABFP to meet specific training standards. The list of accepted postdoc programs can be found here: https://abpp.org/BlankSite/media/Forensic-Psychology-Documents/03_Postdoc-Programs-Accepted-for-ABFP-Experience-Waiver-rev-1-1-2020.pdf. My goal is to complete one of these postdoc programs after internship so that I do not have to wait 5 years before becoming board certified. Ideally, the internship site I match with would also have a qualified postdoc (so I do not have to move, again). However, I am also fine with an internship nearby a qualified postdoc site that I can apply to (within driving distance).

There are a few other criteria that are not quite as important, but they will still factor into my decision-making. Ideally, I would be located somewhere on the West coast (my parents live in Arizona and I grew up in California, so I would love to be closer to that general region). I would prefer to be in a more liberal state than Texas, with progressive ideals and legislature. And of course, money talks. The higher the stipend, the better. Having health insurance provided by the site would be a great bonus, as I have not been able to afford health insurance for many years (thank goodness for my school clinic). Finally, I would prefer to not be required to do a rotation on an adolescent unit.

What I have done thus far:

1. 1). Narrowing down my list of sites: Let me just say, this task is DAUNTING. I have decided to go through every one of the 146 sites listed in the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) Student Committee forensic clinical internship database (https://www.apls-students.org/clinical-internship-database.html). I have created a spreadsheet with the following information: Site name, location, application due date, interview invite deadline, tentative interview dates, program start date, stipend, whether risk assessments are a part of the site experience, if sex offender treatment/assessment can be done, the types of rotations, if neuropsych is a component available, if training with adolescents in required, if the site offers a post-doc, if the post-doc (if applicable) qualifies for the ABFP waiver, if there is a nearby postdoc site that does qualify for the ABFP waiver, if health insurance is offered, and any other benefits offered. As I go through the 146 sites, if a site seems to meet many of my requirements, I have added it to my spreadsheet. My ultimate goal is to narrow down this list to approximately 15 sites.
2. Beginning my essays: I have been brainstorming the “story” I would like to tell when writing my essays. I have spoken with peers and supervisors about the information I would like to convey in my essays. This past week, I wrote a first draft of my autobiographical statement.
3. Letters of recommendation: At the beginning of September, I wrote my letter writers to ask if they would feel comfortable writing a STRONG letter of recommendation. But first, I had to narrow down who I would be asking to write those letters. My first writer was obvious—my dissertation co-chair has been a mentor to me in this program from day one. I completed the two SVP evaluations with him, and he has been my therapy supervisor for one year. My second letter writer was my supervisor while I was at Walker County Probation, so she supervised me for one year doing therapy and psychodiagnostic and/or substance abuse evaluations. I have also done several competency evaluations with her through the PSC. Finally, due to COVID-19, I will be at Austin State Hospital for two years instead of one, though I will have had a different supervisor each year. So I asked both supervisors to co-write a letter of recommendation, with my supervisor from the full year (as the second one will still be supervising me as I’m applying, so only for 4 months by that point) writing the bulk of the letter. I informed my letter writers I will be providing them with “cheat sheets” by September 15th to help them write their letters. This will include information about our work together and anything I want them to highlight in the letter, along with the sites I will be applying to. I gave a due date of November 1st, as several sites I will be applying to have application deadlines for that day.
4. AAPI Applications: I have created my login for the AAPI internship applications: https://aapicas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login. This is free to do, and they only charge you when you submit your applications to your sites ($50.00 for the first application submitted, $32 for applications 2-15; $60 for each additional application above 15.  Total for 15 = $498). I completed all the “Personal Information” section, along with the “Academic History” section. As part of the personal information, you will need to provide your Applicant Match Number, which you obtain through the National Matching Services website.
5. Register for the match: I registered through the National Matching Services at https://appic.matchprogram.org/auth/register. This costs $130 and provides you with a match number, which is your identification number throughout the process on the AAPI website and when ranking your sites through the matching service.

Goals for the week:

1. Complete my initial list of sites from the 147 listed on the forensic clinical internship database, and then narrow them down to approximately 15.
2. Create a list of required documents for each site (e.g., deidentified reports/writing samples, additional essays, etc.) Begin thinking about what reports I might want to submit, from which practicum experience.
3. Develop my “cheat sheets” for my letter writers over the next week so they will be ready to send on the 15th.
4. Write my theoretical orientation and multicultural essay first drafts.
5. Arrange to have transcripts sent to the application service, either electronically or by mail.

By Haley Potts (2020-2021 Chair-Elect)

Graduate school in psychology and/or law is a challenging time for anyone. Your schedule is full, your inbox is overflowing, and your to-do list is never-ending. It’s tempting to fall into an “I’ll do that after grad school” trap, as personal goals (e.g., developing healthy routines, learning a language, or even starting a family) take a backseat to research, coursework, and internships. Summed up in platitudes like “self-care “and “work/life balance,” we know that these sorts of meaningful life choices are what make us full and happy human beings; so, can we really wait these three to seven years (or more!) before we start living?

I wanted to know what parenthood might look like for graduate students, a population that is disproportionately female, overwhelmed, and at or beyond the average child-bearing age (i.e., late twenties to early thirties). So, I asked two psychology and law graduate students to explain how they balance the joys and chaos of parenthood with that of graduate school. A big thank you to Claire and Anna for their honesty and wisdom!

* Claire, Clinical PhD law and psychology student, two children (ages 34 and 28), and one grandchild (age 2)

* Anna, Experimental PhD law and psychology student, two children (ages 3.5 and 11 months)

Finally, make sure to check out @PandemicParent on Twitter, a science-based COVID parenting resource developed by two parents and professionals in law and psychology (Drs. Lindsay Malloy and Amanda Zelechoski).

What are the benefits of having children while in graduate school? Any disadvantages?

Anna: Children, in general, help you take perspective. They remind you of what’s important in life and force you to prioritize those things. They are not flexible or understanding. So, in a moment when you need to choose between an interesting webinar and baking with your toddler, or between a symposium and family dinner, they force you to choose. And I assure you, when you’re sitting in an ER in the late hours of a Sunday night, that research paper you were supposed to complete or that data waiting to be analyzed is the least important thing in your life. Important as it is, it isn’t nearly as essential as your real world, your commitment to your family or your responsibilities as a spouse and parent building a home. Don’t get me wrong – I assign enormous value to the work I do. And in some ways, my children are the very reason I do it – to create more kindness and justice in the world they will occupy. I do what I do so that one day I can tell them that their mother saw injustice and moved heaven and earth to do something about it.

But in the end of the day, my children remind me that my tombstone will not list my academic publications. It will not list the committees in which I participated, or the guest lectures I’ve been invited to teach. But it might reveal that I was a loving, patient, kind parent who loved my children more than life itself. I’m reminded that maybe our part in creating more justice and goodness and love in the world starts at home, raising children who have values of defending and protecting human dignity, of standing up for what’s right, of knowing when to be polite and when to shout at the top of your lungs until someone will hear you demand rightness.

From a more practical lens, being a parent student also has very specific advantages as it pertains to my actual work. I have learned to juggle and to compartmentalize like a pro. Which means that my “work” time is hyper-productive. I sometimes feel like I can get done in one hour what many non-parents get done in four, because I have no choice. Especially these days, when I am literally a stay-at-home parent (I did not sign up for that!!), my workday starts at 8pm and often ends at midnight or 1am. I don’t have the luxury of binge-watching the hottest show, I don’t have the luxury of having time to complain about being too tired. There is no other time. I have no choice. So, I get it done. And I do it well, because my work gets my entire attention when it finally gets my attention at all. No one knows self-motivation and hard work like a sleep-deprived parent.

It’s not all rainbows, though. Parenting – even if your child is in daycare/school all day – is a full-time job. I don’t mean that as a hyperbole: you are literally on call every minute of every hour of every day. And every night. Forever. It’s a privilege, but it’s a huge challenge. It’s a privilege that means sacrifice. You can be a star in school. You can achieve just as much as your colleagues – if not more. You can rise to the top and become number one in your field. But when that phone rings and the school nurse is on the other end of that line, you drop everything and you go.

Claire: My oldest son had already left home when I began college at age 48 (now 56). The youngest was just finishing high school. The only advantage I had was not having to pay for college while I had a dependent at home. I have noticed at my current academic institution, my program provides free healthcare for the graduate student, and reduced healthcare for their family/children. My university also provides and free childcare for families, and a designated location for graduate student family housing.

How has being a parent impacted your research and/or clinical work?

Anna: To be honest, it hasn’t much impacted my research. I think I would probably be doing a bit more research if I were not a parent, but that’s not the life I chose. And I am completely and totally whole with my decision to build a family and raise tiny human beings who themselves will change the world one day. I’m still fully committed to my work, and I am doing my research and moving ahead with my requirements for my degree.

Claire: I noticed how my clinical training impacted my being a parent. My first practicum was in my university's counseling center, and I couldn't help but think about parenting styles. Parents who PUSHED their students to be "perfect" compared to my own style of allowing my sons to follow their own pathway in young adulthood.

Have the heavy or dark parts of the psycholegal world (e.g., researching psychopathy or working with offenders who commit crimes against children) impacted how you parent?

Anna: The dark parts of my work haven’t impacted my parenting in a negative way, they’ve just opened my eyes to some very real challenges in this world. The way I speak to my children about police or about their rights or about what they should expect in the world is now just more informed and well-rounded. Our home is a place where we discuss any topic, and we’re very open with our children about the reality of our world. I think my education has really helped me become a more informed parent in that way.

Claire: The intersection of my research and in law & psychology often causes me to worry about the safety of my sons. My previous and current practicum has placed me in the adult and juvenile justice jails and courtroom. Some of the recounting of police response and behavior at time of arrest of defendants of color (compared to White defendants) are clearly different, and more violent. Although my sons do not look as though they have Black roots, they do and in the current climate of race, policing, and racism in America, I wake up every morning, look at my mobile phone and feel relieved to see there are no messages of concern.

What advice do you have for graduate students about to become parents?

Anna: I’d tell them that no parent is perfect. Far from it. And that the juggle is very difficult. But it is so worthwhile. You don’t get rewarded and you don’t get acknowledged, but you’re doing something extraordinary. I’d also say that having a social support system in place is a huge source of relief and strength when you’re a student parent. Very few fellow students understand what it means to have children while trying to complete graduate school. Even those who want to understand… they just can’t. Find people who do understand and share your struggles and frustrations and joys over a margarita (or three) once in a while. Have at least one person you can text at 3am. And just remember not to compare yourself to anyone else – this is your life, your ride of a lifetime.

Claire: My advice would be to wait until you have finished your program to have children. The stress of clinical work keeps me away from communicating with my sons and granddaughter. Pre-COVID, I only saw her during Fall break (in October) and when the academic year ended (in May). Each visit was generally for a long weekend, and that was it. Only photos and the odd telephone conversation kept me close to my children. If you do decide to have children, try to keep your family very small (I recommend only 1 child) because children need their parents' love and attention (especially when they are not well) to learn and grow. 

What do your kids think of your work? Or what do they tell other people you do for work? (Only if they are old enough for this, of course)?

Anna: They’re a little young to fully understand, but they know that I do work to try to help make the world better. They know that I try to understand why people behave the way that they do, so that we can all understand the world a little better. It’s a little vague, but it works at 3 years old.

Claire: My sons are supportive of my work and research.  They do praise my successes, however, I tend to keep a lot of what I am doing to myself (I don't really know why I do that actually) because I do not want to come across as bragging. However, this week I defended my master's thesis and passed. I shared that news with my sons (via text :( message) and they were both very supportive and caring with their congratulatory words. Basically, I just want my sons to be happy with the fact that I am trying to be an educated mom, grandmother, mentor, and example for women in science, and for women of color in science. I mostly want to have my PhD degree so I can hand it to my one and only grandchild. To be honest, I haven't really asked my sons what they say to other people about their non-traditional, PhD seeking graduate student mom/grandmother. I can only hope they are proud and share any stories about my journey in a positive light.