The Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment (CCTA) is excited to announce the continuation of our Clinical Psychology Externship program for the 2025-2026 academic year.
The Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment was founded by Dr. Katie O’Meara in 2005, with a vision to provide evidenced based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to children and teens in the Northern Virginia community. Since that time, CCTA has grown to a team of more than 20 full and part-time multidisciplinary staff focused on treating patients across the lifespan using a range of interventions, including psychodynamic therapy, play therapy, ERP for OCD, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), trauma treatment and EMDR, coparenting and collaborative divorce consultation, group therapy, and psychological assessment.
The focus of this externship program will be to develop and refine clinical skills pertaining to child/adolescent individual psychotherapy, with specific emphasis on differential diagnosis, treatment planning, and delivering high-quality targeted interventions to the clients and families we serve. Our practice works with clients of all ages; however, the primary focus of this externship will be child-and adolescent-focused.
Externs will benefit from training in basic and more advanced CBT skills, and supervision can be provided from a variety of theoretical orientations based on best fit for the extern. CCTA is open to a wide range of theoretical orientations, and our externs will learn to integrate CBT skills within a psychodynamic formulation of their patients. We encourage applicants to review our website for our full range of offerings to gain familiarity with the types of treatments we offer and populations we treat. We do not treat patients who require a higher level of care, such as those struggling with psychosis, eating disorders or active suicidal ideation.
Externs will be expected to meet in person with up to eight clients weekly and will receive one hour of individual supervision and one hour of group supervision per week. Externs will have access to a variety of in-house and local trainings, including at least one monthly didactic training. Externs are invited to participate in optional Child/Adolescent and Adult Consultation groups offered to our fulltime staff.
Externs will also learn to conduct admissions testing for Emerging Scholars, a non-profit that helps low-income families access private school education for qualified children. Additionally, CCTA has established a partnership with two local shelters for survivors of domestic violence or homelessness, and interested externs will have the opportunity to see adult clients through these pro-bono partnerships.
Based on extern interest, other opportunities open to externs at the practice, may include: group therapy, additional assessment services, and learning to the “behind the scenes” of running and growing a successful private practice.
Externs will be provided a stipend of $1,500 dollars in consideration of their time, dedication, and excellent care they will be providing to clients in our community. CCTA offers full-time clerical and administrative support, allowing our clinicians to focus fully on the clinical needs of their clients, professional development, and training goals. Externs will be provided with fully furnished modern offices, therapy supplies, and office supplies. Complementary on-site parking is provided for externs at both CCTA office locations.
Program Dates:
August- July 2025 Specific start and end dates will be determined collaboratively with the CCTA team and trainee based on academic calendar and training goals
Scheduling:
The CCTA externship requires externs to be in the office two days a week for a total of 16 hours/week. Externs are expected to work some early evening hours to accommodate clients seeking after school or after work appointment times.
Application Deadline: All applications are due by 5pm on Friday, January 31st .
Application Materials: Interested students should submit a cover letter, current CV, 2 letters or recommendation from clinical supervisors and 1 letter from an academic advisor or professor (3 total) and one sample of written clinical material (psychological testing report or case summary are both acceptable).
How to Submit Your Application: Those interested should submit a statement of interest and a CV to the Director of Clinical Services, Dr. Adam Rosen (arosen@centerforcbtva.com). More information on the practice can be found at the Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment website, www.centerforcbtva.com.
Interview Timeline: In person interviews will be offered to best fit candidates on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified about interviews via email. Offers will be made according to the guidelines of the Greater Washington Clinical Psychology Programs Council Externship.
