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INFORMATION FOR

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of generalist training in assessment, treatment, consultation, knowledge of childhood disorders, and professional development. All students take part in both didactic and applied clinical experiences over the course of the two years. Courses vary in length, from an academic year to a few weeks. All intern’s clinical experiences are for the entire year, rather than rotations.

Requirements and Areas of Focus

  • Year 1: Required Seminars and Conferences

    Summer Introductory Training Course

    During the initial two months of training, interns are oriented to the program through a variety of topics tailored to meet the training needs of each internship class. Interns are introduced to a variety of topics that serve as an orientation to the program. Topics generally include psychological and neuropsychological instruments and assessment techniques, assessment of learning disorders, techniques in psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral intervention, crisis intervention, and ethical issues for clinical psychologists.

      • Administration and Interpretation of ADOS-2
        This seminar focuses on the use of the ADOS-2 in the evaluation of suspected autism spectrum disorders.
      • Evidence-based Evaluation and Treatment Autism Seminar
        This seminar focuses on the evaluation and treatment of autism spectrum disorder and other social disabilities.
      • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
        This seminar covers Dialectical Behavioral Skills Training
      • Grand Rounds
        Theoretical, research and clinical papers by faculty, trainees, and outside speakers. All Child Study Center faculty and fellows attend this weekly conference.
    Psychopharmacology Seminar

    This seminar covers the spectrum of childhood psychiatric disorders and the use of psychopharmacological agents as an adjunct to therapy. Case discussions are important components of the seminar.

    Foundations of Culturally Adaptive Clinical Practice

    This course is designed to expand the skills of behavioral health clinicians in providing excellent clinical care to a community with broadly diverse perspectives and experiences. Anchored in critical self-reflection, instruction focuses on enhancing culturally adaptive care practices. Sessions include understanding the sociopolitical context of New Haven in relationship to Yale, and fostering cultural awareness in clinical care to support the mental health of all children and families.

    Anxiety Treatment Seminar

    Evidence-based Treatment is infused throughout the curriculum of the Child Study Center. All interns are trained in CBT for Anxiety Disorders and Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE). Each intern completes one or two cases under the supervision of Eli Lebowitz and Anxiety Program faculty. In addition, other evidence-based treatments are incorporated into clinical work and/or in the areas of focus. Didactic content on evidence-based treatments is also presented through seminars, such as Grand Rounds and Autism Seminar.

  • Year 1 (Predoctoral): Internship Applied - Required General Clinical Settings

    Comprehensive Psychological Assessment

    Predoctoral Psychology fellows conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations of school-age children. Children are referred by schools, parents, pediatricians, and other practitioners, within and outside of Connecticut. Fellows receive intensive weekly supervision during each evaluation. A variety of referral questions are addressed including differential diagnosis, need for treatment, and educational planning.

    Clinical Services

    Our Clinical Services encompass all of the Child Study Center’s treatment and evaluation services. Interns and postdoctoral fellows participate in many of the specialty evaluations, comprehensive assessment, and treatment.

    During the internship year, the primary generalist experience in outpatient evaluation and treatment is gained within the Child Study Center Outpatient Youth Services. Interns are members of a multidisciplinary clinic team. Depending on their specialty track, each intern carries approximately 8-10 treatment cases concurrently, encompassing child, parent, and/or family therapy and representing both generalist and specialty cases. Outpatient treatment experiences in the area of specialty continue in the second year.

    Focus Area

    During the first year, each intern is involved in the clinical activities of their area of focus 10-15 hours per week.

    During the postdoctoral year, each fellow continues their involvement in the clinical activities of their focus area for approximately 20 hours per week, continuing the clinical involvements of the first year and adding additional activities that meet the training goals of the fellow.

  • Year 1: Professional Development

    Fellows Seminar

    Interns meet weekly with the training director and other faculty to discuss a broad range of clinical and professional issues relevant to the practice of psychology. Professional development, culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS), special education law, provision of supervision, and program evaluation are examples of topics recently covered in this seminar. Interns are provided with a teaching opportunity during the year in order to share their clinical expertise and research and to prepare them for dissertation defense or job talks. Each intern also leads a discussion of a topic related to providing effective, respectful, and high quality child mental health care. This weekly meeting also serves as a forum to discuss issues related to training and the training program.

    Second year fellows attend selected meetings and continue to present and teach on their research and clinical work. Additional sessions for postdocs only focus is placed on professional development planning and preparation for the EPPP.

    Clinical Supervision

    In keeping with the multidisciplinary orientation of training at the Child Study Center, trainees may receive supervision from professionals from varied disciplines. Currently, each intern receives approximately 3 hours of individual supervision by a psychologist each week.

    A psychologist supervises ongoing treatment and evaluation of children and families seen through our Clinical Services. For psychological assessment, interns is assigned a clinical psychology supervisor. An additional supervisor is provided for each specialty area.

    During the postdoctoral year, fellows continue to provide treatment with an emphasis on patients from their specialty area. Additional supervisors are assigned for all of the second year clinical placements.

  • Year 2: Didactics

    Grand Rounds

    Theoretical, research and clinical papers by faculty, trainees, and outside speakers. All Child Study Center faculty and fellows attend this weekly conference.

    Fellows Seminar

    Interns meet weekly with the training director and other faculty to discuss a broad range of clinical and professional issues relevant to the practice of psychology. Professional development, culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS), special education law, provision of supervision, and program evaluation are examples of topics recently covered in this seminar. Interns are provided with a teaching opportunity during the year in order to share their clinical expertise and research and to prepare them for dissertation defense or job talks. Each intern also leads a discussion of a topic related to providing effective, respectful, and high quality child mental health care. This weekly meeting also serves as a forum to discuss issues related to training and the training program.

    Second year fellows attend selected meetings and continue to present and teach on their research and clinical work. Additional sessions for postdocs only focus is placed on professional development planning and preparation for the EPPP.

  • Year 2: Required Placements

    Postdoctoral Fellowship Applied

    During their postdoctoral year, each fellow has a rotation as a primary clinician at the Yale New Haven Hospital Children’s Psychiatric Inpatient Service, and has a rotation at the Yale New Haven Hospital Emergency Department’s Clinical Intervention Center, in addition they conduct comprehensive psychological assessments, provide treatment in their specialty, and attend a small number of seminars. In addition, each fellow devotes approximately half of their time to clinical and research activities within their area of focus.

    Pediatric Emergency Department Clinical Intervention Center

    The Child Study Center provides crisis evaluation and consultation to the Pediatric Emergency Department Clinical Intervention Center at Yale New Haven Hospital. Hundreds of children receive psychiatric assessments each year in the Pediatric ED following indications of serious psychiatric impairment, including injury to themselves or others. These assessments, conducted in collaboration with hospital social work staff, are the responsibility of psychology fellows and child psychiatry fellows.

    All second year psychology Fellows have rotations in the Clinical Intervention Center.

    Children's Psychiatric Inpatient Unit (Second Year Fellows)

    Postdoctoral Fellows are placed at CPIS as their psychiatric inpatient placement where they serve as primary clinicians on the unit during their rotation. As primary clinicians, Fellows develop skills as case managers and behavior consultants and work with unit staff in designing interventions that will generalize to home, school, and community settings.

    Comprehensive Psychological Assessment

    Postdoctoral Psychology fellows conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations of school-age children. Children are referred by schools, parents, pediatricians, and other practitioners within and outside of Connecticut. Fellows receive regular supervision during each evaluation. A variety of referral questions are addressed including differential diagnosis, need for treatment, and educational planning.

    Focus Area

    During the first year, each intern is involved in the clinical activities of their area of focus approximately 10-15 hours per week.

    During the postdoctoral year, each fellow continues their involvement in the clinical activities of their focus area for approximately half of their time, continuing the clinical involvements of the first year and adding additional activities that meet the training goals of the fellow.

    Professional Development Curriculum

    Career Development and EPPP Preparation Seminar: Fellows meet regularly with the training director and other faculty to discuss a broad range of clinical and professional issues relevant to the practice of psychology. Career planning and CV/resume preparation are addressed together as a group and individually. A modular seminar includes mentoring for study approach and the development of a timeline for preparation and choosing a test date.

  • Areas of Focus

    Autism and Developmental Disabilities

    The Autism Program at the Yale Child Study Center is one of the leading clinical and research sites in the country, with a diverse portfolio of research projects across multiple labs. The Autism Program researchers at the Child Study Center have a long-standing record of scientific productivity and have pioneered the development of new approaches to understanding child development from a range of scientific perspectives. Ongoing research in this section integrates biological and behavioral strategies for studying and intervening to improve quality of life for autistic people and their families.

    This area of specialization offers comprehensive training in the evaluation of autism and co-occurring disorders from toddlerhood through adulthood.

    A primary placement is the Yale Child Study Center’s Developmental Disabilities Clinic, which offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluations for individuals from school-age through early adulthood, focusing on diagnosis and intervention recommendations. Our multidisciplinary team includes psychology, speech-language, and psychiatry faculty and trainees. Fellows take an active role in multi-disciplinary teams, including providing developmental/cognitive evaluations and administering the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule—Second Edition (ADOS-2).

    In the postdoctoral year, fellows participate in evaluations at the Toddler Developmental Disabilities Clinic as well as the school-age Developmental Disabilities Clinic.

    In terms of treatment, all autism fellows co-lead social skills groups for pre-adolescents and adolescents. Each intern also carries a small treatment caseload of children on the autism spectrum. Elective treatment opportunities include providing social communication interventions to young children with ASD, as well as facilitating additional social skills, parent, or sibling support groups. The clinic is highly integrated with the research program, and both involve highly experienced professionals from a variety of disciplines. Involvement in research is welcomed.

    Prior experience with the ADOS-2 is essential to being able to take advantage of the training experiences offered within the Autism area of focus.

    Trauma and Children

    The Children and Trauma area of focus provides strong, multi-faceted training through the Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery (YCTSR). YCTSR is focused on early identification and intervention for children and adolescents impacted by trauma, as well as the development, evaluation, and dissemination of early/acute interventions for children and adolescents exposed to violence and trauma. During the internship year, the trauma intern participates in conducting acute consultations for children and families exposed to violence who are referred from the New Haven Police Department, the Yale Sexual Abuse Clinic, the Yale New Haven Emergency Department and other community agencies through training in the provision of our Acute Consultation Service. In addition, they are trained in the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI). CFTSI is a 5-8 session trauma-focused, evidence-based treatment model for children and families exposed to recent traumatic events which was developed and validated at the YCTSR.

    Interns also provide assessment and longer-term treatment for children impacted by violence and trauma, including Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and other trauma-informed treatments. They receive individual supervision and attend a weekly clinical team meeting to support these activities. In the postdoctoral year, each fellow continues to provide CFTSI and TFCBT, as well as participate in the Acute Consultation Service. In addition, each fellow will develop and pursue an individualized professional development plan, in consultation with their faculty mentor, faculty sponsor, and the training director. This plan may include participation in elective research, clinical teaching, and/or additional clinical training, in line with the fellow’s individual strengths and needs and their career goals.

    Pediatric Psychology

    Fellows in the Pediatric Psychology area of focus spend a portion of their time working with children and families experiencing medical illness in multiple clinical settings. Through their rotations, the trainees learn a range of evidenced-based assessment and interventions skills necessary for becoming a pediatric psychologist in an academic medical center. During the 2026-2028 training period, we anticipate the following program opportunities:

    During the Internship Year, the pediatric intern participates in the following rotations:

    • Pediatric Gastroenterology Rotation:
    • Fellows join the GI Psychology service to offer GI-informed CBT services to a diverse patient population. Fellows offer fully embedded care, involving a combination of warm hands offs, interdisciplinary visits, and routine follow-ups. Patient populations seen and treated by GI Psychology include but are not limited to the following: disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs), motility disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, ARFID, celiac disease, and EoE. In addition, the first-year pediatric psychology fellow will provide evidence-based outpatient psychotherapy services to youth referred by providers within the Pediatric Gastroenterology team.
    • Pediatric Neurology-Neuroimmunology Clinic-:
      Fellows are embedded within Yale’s Pediatric Neurology division. Interdisciplinary clinic serving patients with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, radiologically isolated syndrome, MOG, or ADEM who may have co-occurring anxiety and depression. Fellow conducts new patient evaluations, brief psychoeducational and treatment interventions, and family psychoeducation.
    • New Haven Primary Care Consortium
       The first year pediatric psychology intern will join the Integrated behavioral health team within a primary care setting offering brief diagnostic assessments and treatment decision making during warm hand-offs, brief therapeutic treatments in collaboration with medical providers, program development and interdisciplinary trainings.
    • ProgramPediatric Orthopedic Clinics
       The pediatric psychology intern will join this Interdisciplinary clinic which serves patients with a range of orthopedic conditions by providing pre- and post-op assessments, assessments of psychosocial coping in the context of injury, lifestyle changes and impact on identity. Provide direct patient intervention to address rehabilitation adherence, pain management, concussion recovery, and transition back to activity following injury.

    Additional electives: The pediatric psychology intern will also have the opportunity to elect one of the following six month rotations:

    • GI Clinic: Neurogastroenterology and Motility
    • GI Clinic: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic-IBD
    • Sleep Clinic
    • Oncology Clinic

    During the Postdoctoral year, the Pediatrics Fellow participates in the following rotations:

    • Yale Child Study Center's Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Service --year-long
      The CL Services provides all mental health consultations to Yale New Haven Hospital Inpatient Pediatrics floors, under the direction of child psychology and psychiatry faculty. During this year-long placement, the postdoctoral pediatrics psychology fellow and child psychiatry fellows consult to the medical inpatient units as a multidisciplinary team. Patients seen by this service are impacted by combined medical and psychological disorders. Services provided include staff consultation, diagnostic evaluations, and behavioral and psychotherapeutic interventions. The psychology post-doc is on call for the CL service two full days per week.
    • Elective Rotations in Pelvic Pain, GI Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Sleep Medicine, Oncology, Primary Care, and Neurology Comprehensive Headache Clinic
    Early Childhood

    Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health has been a longstanding area of clinical, research, and training focus within the Yale Child Study Center. With careful attention to the unique needs of young children and the relationships that shape early development, we provide evaluation, treatment, and consultation services to young children and their caregivers. Our approach emphasizes understanding children's experiences within the broader contexts of culture, systems, family life, and development, with particular attention to the conditions that support emotional growth and adaptation.

    Across both the internship and postdoctoral years, trainees within the Early Childhood area of specialization receive advanced training in the evaluation and treatment of children from infancy through early school age (up to age five). Training emphasizes comprehensive, developmentally informed assessment and case formulation, encouraging fellows to integrate children’s strengths, developmental histories, relational experiences, and broader environmental influences into their understanding of presenting concerns and intervention planning.

    Evaluation services include:

    • Training in conducting comprehensive psychological and developmental evaluations within a multidisciplinary assessment team as well as individually (off-team) through our Outpatient Clinical Services
    • Evaluation of infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) within the NICU GRAD (Great Results After Discharge) Newborn Follow-Up Clinic at Yale New Haven Hospital in the Department of Pediatrics, a multidisciplinary follow-up program designed specifically for infants and young children at risk for medical and/or developmental difficulties due to conditions faced in the newborn period.

    The Early Childhood area of specialization also provides psychotherapy services for young children and their caregivers through our Outpatient Clinical Services. Children are commonly referred by their caregivers, pediatricians, schools, and the Department of Children and Families for concerns related to development, emotional and behavioral functioning, trauma, adjustment, and relationship-based stressors. Across assessment and treatment services, trainees are encouraged to consider the meaning of children's behaviors within their developmental and relational contexts and to support caregivers in understanding and responding to their children's internal emotional experiences.

    Treatment services include:

    • Direct training in trauma and attachment/relationship-based interventions, including Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). Fellows become nationally rostered as CPP clinicians by the end of the two-year internship and fellowship.
    • Supervised provision of individual and dyadic play therapy to young children, with specific attention to the ways play can illuminate children's internal worlds and relational models, communicate needs, and support the processing of difficult experiences
    • Participation in ongoing individual and group reflective supervision designed to support thoughtful clinical practice, deepen case formulation skills, and increase awareness of the relational and emotional processes that emerge in work with young children and families.
    • Opportunities for group-based prevention and intervention services for caregivers (e.g., Circle of Security-Parenting) as well as potential exposure to evidence-based caregiving interventions such as Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), Father’s for Change (4C), and/or Parent Management Training (PMT).

    Postdoctoral Elective:

    During the postdoctoral year, there may be opportunities to participate in preschool consultation services with area daycare providers. Through collaboration with educators and program leadership, trainees develop skills in supporting early childhood settings around child development, social-emotional functioning, early learning, and understanding children's needs within the context of their caregiving and educational environments. Consultation may also include guidance related to accessing and coordinating early intervention and developmental services.