Clinical Psychology Internship Program
About the Internship Program
Founded in 1912 as the Boston Psychopathic Hospital, the Massachusetts Mental Health Center was one of the nation's first public psychiatric teaching hospitals. An agency of the Department of Mental Health and an academic division of the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the MMHC has a proud history of providing state of the art treatment to those with serious mental illness, as well as excellent training and research in a rigorous academic program.
Learn about BIDMC's Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowships.
The internship program in clinical psychology at MMHC has been part of that tradition for over 40 years. The program provides training in the major roles of the contemporary psychologist and the mastery of skills essential to the practice of psychology. It aims to develop reliable competencies in evaluation and treatment planning, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic testing, neuropsychological testing, and research through supervised clinical experience, seminars, and relevant readings. The program honors and teaches the mission of MMHC to provide person-centered, trauma informed, and recovery-focused care to people with serious mental illness.
In terms of theoretical approach, our training experience is highly integrative. Our curriculum aims to train clinicians in contemporary cutting-edge evidence-based practice that is responsive to systemic oppression, while also remaining informed by its context in the broader history of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic thought. Accordingly, our training supervisors and course readings come from a broad range of approaches and theoretical orientations. This training requires a substantial time commitment to the core curriculum for psychology interns in the Psychology Department and a sustained, year-long involvement with multiple clinical placements.
Interns are assigned to at least two clinical sites for year-long placements, which allows for a more in-depth longitudinal experience. We offer a total of five positions, two within our General Track, and three within one of our Specialty Tracks:
- Psychosis Across the Lifespan
- Neuropsychology
- Mental Illness and Problematic Sexual Behavior (clinical placements)
At each clinical placement the intern works on a multidisciplinary team. Responsibilities may include providing individual therapy, both short-term and long-term; family interviewing and family therapy; group therapy; intake evaluation; crisis intervention; case administration; and consultation with community agencies.
The program includes experience with populations which have typically been underserved, particularly those with chronic and severe mental illness. MMHC serves an exceptionally diverse community, and psychology faculty view treatment through a social justice lens.
Psychology has substantial representation at MMHC. There are the members of the internship faculty, the clinical psychology interns, fellows, and practicum students, neuropsychology fellows, the psychologists on the clinical and administrative staff, and other psychologists engaged in research. Psychologists enjoy mutually respectful and responsible relationships with other mental health professionals at MMHC.
Applicants are selected for placement without regard for race, color, religion, sex, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, age, marital status, medical condition, disability, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage underrepresented applicants to apply.
The internship program in clinical psychology at MMHC is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-336-5979
Email the APA
Visit APA.org
The program is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and abides by its regulations.