We have an established and robust practicum training program for doctoral-level psychology students that includes both assessment and psychotherapy.
If you are interested in a collaborative professional environment that supports self-reflective practices, individual growth and development, and encompasses assessment and psychotherapy, please consider applying.
About Learning Solutions
Learning Solutions is an interdisciplinary psychoeducational assessment practice in Northampton, Massachusetts. We work with children, adults, and families in need of support for a range of educational, psychological, and cognitive needs. We pride ourselves in having a collaborative environment with professionals who love their work. We are a women-owned business, and all members of our team are valued for their contributions.
Our group includes psychologists, neuropsychologists, post-doctoral fellows, doctoral student trainees, speech therapists, educational evaluators, and psychometrists. We offer a wide variety of assessment and treatment services for language, learning and psychological issues. We diagnose and treat conditions including, but not limited to, learning disorders, autism, ADHD, behavior problems, fine motor coordination disorders, language-based learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury, memory issues, processing speed difficulties, psychiatric and psychological issues, gender diversity, and social skills difficulties. We also provide psychotherapy, consultation to schools, professional development and training, professional consultation groups and supervision, coaching, education and training, and school IEP and independent evaluations.
We value diversity and a non-competitive professional environment where we support self-reflective practices and help one another develop and increase knowledge with compassion, support, and respect. We are a three-women-owned business committed to a work-life balance. Our diverse staff of clinicians operate from various psychological theories and training models, allowing for multiple ways of viewing the client. We utilize a strength-based approach and client-centered language in our theoretical framework and clinical conceptualization. We view diagnosis as a tool, to assist the client in meeting unmet needs, providing appropriate interventions and/or accommodations, and helping frame their difficulties. We have monthly lunches and quarterly outside-of-work gatherings. We are a smart bunch of people with a good sense of humor and value integrity, ethical work, and creativity in our professional practices.
About our Training Program
We offer a robust training program customized to your needs and clinical interests. We view our pre-doctoral practicum students and post-doctoral fellows as members of our team and value your insight, input, experience, education, and what you uniquely bring to the practice. Many of our practicum students return for multiple years. We understand the importance of identity and professional identity and view the practicum training as an opportunity to explore and refine your identity as a psychologist in training.
Our program includes training and experience on a wide variety of testing instruments, collaboration with other professionals, report writing, clinical interviewing, feedback sessions, interventions and opportunities for focusing on areas of interest. Students attend weekly clinical meetings, professional development and training, and have opportunities for individual and/or group psychotherapy. Students will receive training in remote testing, report writing, conducting intakes, trauma, mandated reporting, adoption, child development, attachment theories, autism spectrum, neurodiversity, gender diversity, giftedness, ethical issues, self-disclosure, medical conditions, intellectual disabilities, privilege, and diversity. Other opportunities for training in educational/achievement testing, learning disabilities assessment, speech and language testing, co-facilitating groups and school consultations are also available. Students have the option to continue during the summer. Advanced practicum students may provide training and supervisory consultation to first-year practicum students. We welcome and encourage applicants of historically marginalized identities to apply.
The training includes:
- Assessment and evaluation, including administration, scoring, interpretation, report writing, and feedback meetings, for children, adolescents, young adults, college students and adults with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and presenting concerns with opportunities to specialize in areas and populations of interest. Types of assessments include:
- Psychological and neuropsychological, including cognitive, neurocognitive, executive functioning, personality, social/emotional, projective testing, comprehensive autism evaluations, and memory
- Social pragmatics and social communication
- School contracts
- Assessments for accommodations
- Attorney referrals
- Department of Child and Family Services referrals
- Remote testing
- Clinical team meetings
- Supervision with licensed psychologist(s) and/or neuropsychologist
- Clinical interviews/intake sessions with clients
- Feedback sessions with clients and families
- Professional development and training
Practicum Responsibilities
- Complete a minimum of 8 psychological/neuropsychological assessments (full battery)
- Write comprehensive, well-written reports in a timely fashion
- Work collaboratively with other professionals to integrate findings
- Conduct feedback meetings with clients and families
- Conduct consultation meetings with clients and families
- Weekly supervision with a licensed psychologist
- Attend weekly clinical staff meeting (Wednesdays 1-2:30pm)
- Attend monthly professional development series, including leading one on a topic of your choosing
- Supervise practicum students in psychology doctoral program with assessment and psychotherapy (advanced practicum students only)
- Optional: Provide psychotherapy services to a diverse population
- Optional: Facilitate groups for clients and families
- Work with our administrative assistant for scheduling
- Complete documentation for electronic medical records and insurance reimbursement in a timely fashion (within 24 hours)
Philosophy of Training
We view clinical training as an important component of our mission, and value the supervisory relationships, and growth and training that occur in that relationship. Our clinical training models the directed developmental interpersonal process that values diversity on all levels. We view training as an interpersonal and relational process incorporating the individual’s needs, style, strengths, and growing edges. We value mutual processing of the supervisory relationship.
Our clinical training is consistent with American Psychological Association Standards of Accreditation. Our clinical training models the directed developmental interpersonal process that values diversity on all levels. We see training as more than a supervised work experience, and value students in their role as trainees. Students can individualize their training, by focusing on specific populations of interest, incorporating psychotherapy clients into their training experience, and/or working on special projects of interest (such as groups or psychoeducation).
We view training as an interpersonal and relational process. Supervision and training take place within a context of relationships. Both having and understanding these relationships are significant for the training of clinical psychologists. Supervision is ultimately a relational enterprise, and not purely a didactic one. We value the individual student’s needs, style, strengths, and growing edge. We value mutual processing of the supervisory relationship between the student and supervisor.
We value diversity, both in the clients we serve and in the staff. We believe that for the fullest understanding of human beings and for the widest applicability of skills that training should encompass diversity on multiple levels.
We value an ethical framework and professional socialization as part of training. We value the importance of self-reflection, with regards to our power and privilege in society and especially with clients. We utilize the parameters of the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists, while simultaneously appreciating that these principles demand vigilance and practice in order to understand and apply them. These practices are integrated into our clinical work, ongoing education and training for staff, and personal lives.
We value social justice in our training and believe that an awareness of issues of social justice that exist in the clinical world is essential to the practice of psychology. Many of our clients are underserved and/or disempowered, and often our work with them is to help with issues of inequality or barriers to accessing education and/or treatment. We utilize a socio-cultural lens when conceptualizing our client’s present situations and presenting problems and recognize that not all identities are visible. We acknowledge that white privilege exists, oppression and discrimination are real, and condemn violence against people of color and experiencing oppression. We stand with people of color and of oppressed identities. We support the political movements aimed at dismantling racism, improving equality, and increasing diversity.
Practicum Goals and Objectives
Our intention is that by the end of the practicum year, students will increase their competence with:
- Assessment skills through use of diagnostic measures, as well as utilizing clinical skills.
- Psychological and neuropsychological assessment skills by gaining greater proficiency in administering, scoring, and interpreting psychological tests.
- Report writing skills.
- Knowledge of appropriate recommendations for various presenting difficulties and cognitive profiles.
- Aptitude to address the influence of culture and socioeconomic status on individuals and families in the mental health care system.
- Utilization of multidisciplinary model for working with clients.
- Integrating psychological and neuropsychological assessment measures, as well as educational/achievement and speech and language assessments.
- Understanding and awareness of one’s personality, biases, impact on others, and interpersonal interactions in order to improve professionalism and inform clinical practice.
- Telehealth skills by learning to conduct assessments, therapy, group therapy, intake appointments, and/or summary meetings via teleconferencing platforms.
- Knowledge and skills involving the specific treatment of adults with emotional, psychiatric, and behavior problems during individual (and sometimes group) interventions.
- Case conceptualization skills in articulating various models of treatment.
- Psychotherapy skills by working with a diverse range of individuals in student’s chosen populations (i.e. children, families, adolescents, college students and young adults). (optional for students interested in psychotherapy)
- Supervision skills by providing supervision to a practicum student (for advanced practicum students only and when available)
- Comfort and aptitude working with various professionals within psychology and mental health as well as other related services and fields, both within and outside of the organization.
Dates: September-May/June, flexible dates, $1000 stipend
Requirements
-Currently enrolled in doctoral level program (Ph.D, Psy.D, Ed.D) in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, or Educational Psychology
-Coursework in assessment, tests and measurements
-Coursework in psychotherapy and clinical interviewing
-Curiosity and willingness to learn
-Sense of humor
-Self-motivated
-Must be able to attend clinical meetings on Wednesdays (preferably in person)
-Availability on Fridays (can be remote)
For Advanced Practicum Applicants
-Prior experience in psychotherapy and clinical interviewing
-Prior experience in assessment and testing
To Apply:
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, redacted report or writing sample, and CV and two letters of recommendation to:
Rachael Goren, MPH, Psy.D
Director of Training
Learning Solutions
90 Conz Street, Suite 101
Northampton, MA 01060
rgoren@learningsolutionsls.com
Email applications are encouraged. Deadline for application materials is January 4, 2027. Interviews will be conducted virtually in January 2027 and applicants will be notified in early February 2027 if they have been offered a position.