Georgia Southern University Counseling Center earns full ten-year re-accreditation for doctoral psychology internship
Georgia Southern University’s Counseling Center has earned a full 10-year re-accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA) for its doctoral internship in health service psychology. The re-accreditation follows a rigorous, multi-year review process that included comprehensive self-study, program evaluation and an on-site assessment by APA-appointed reviewers.
Mark Taracuk, Ph.D., training director for the Counseling Center, said this achievement underscores the program’s exceptional training quality and its impact on preparing future psychologists for careers in collegiate mental health. He said receiving the maximum 10-year accreditation term reflects the strength, stability and national recognition of the program.
“Our re-accreditation is vital to the continued success of the internship and enables us to keep contributing to the field of psychology by training psychologists with the specialized skills, knowledge and experience needed to succeed in collegiate mental health,” said Taracuk. “The University’s strong support throughout this process has been essential and reflects its broader commitment to holistic student development, including mental health, by investing in the training of competent providers in the specialty of collegiate mental health.”
One of only 10 APA-accredited doctoral internships in the state of Georgia and among more than 700 sites nationwide, the program has grown significantly since it was established in 2010. After earning initial accreditation in 2017 with two interns per year, the program now accepts four doctoral interns annually through the National Match Service. To date, 42 interns have completed the program.
Liz Deibel, a Counseling Center intern from Roosevelt University’s Clinical Psychology program, said the variety in cases and responsibilities has been constructive to her career ambitions.
“Georgia Southern has been a great site for my internship,” said Deibel. “Everyone at the Counseling Center is very supportive and has helped me in growing my professional independence and getting specialized training prior to graduation. I’ve been able to facilitate group therapy, provide relationship counseling and get more experience with rural populations.”
At Georgia Southern, interns are immersed in a learner-centered, year-long training model that blends instruction with hands-on clinical practice in a collegiate setting. This approach prepares interns to understand and treat the unique mental health needs of college students while working within a multidisciplinary campus environment.
Throughout the year, interns develop proficiency in nine profession-wide competencies required by the APA: research, ethical and legal standards, individual and cultural diversity, professional values and attitudes, communication and interpersonal skills, assessment, intervention, supervision, consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills. Along with supervision from licensed psychologists, interns refine skills in therapy, psychological assessment, crisis intervention, outreach and consultation.
“Graduate students typically complete several practicum experiences, but the doctoral internship is the most essential hands-on training they receive,” said Taracuk. “Our program gives interns supportive, comprehensive and formative experiences that help them integrate theory, research, and professional standards into their practice.”