Indian Health Care Resource Center Pre-doctoral Psychology Internship
Indian Health Care Resource Center's (IHCRC) psychology internship program is conducted in partnership with the Northeastern Oklahoma Psychology Internship Program (NOPIP). NOPIP is a fully accredited American Psychological Association internship consortium comprised of several agencies committed to providing quality clinical training in the provision of basic psychological services. There are currently five placement sites available at NOPIP: IHCRC, Oklahoma Forensic Center, Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital, the University of Tulsa Counseling and Psychological Services Center, and Tulsa Center for Child Psychology.
Our 2000-hour psychology internship emphasizes training interns to provide behavioral health services in an outpatient interdisciplinary medical facility while emphasizing cultural competency in providing service in the American Indian community. The program offers a general psychology internship with specialized experiences available in adult services, child, adolescent and family services, substance abuse services, and assessment.
Adult ServicesInterns have the opportunity to provide individual therapy to adults with a wide range of disorders from acute psychopathology (e.g. generalized anxiety, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress, depressive disorders) to chronic health issues. Group experiences are available with our adult depression group and adult anxiety group. Interns can also gain experience leading our Pegasys group for adults with a Hepatitis C diagnosis.
Child, Adolescent, and Family ServicesInterns gain experience in provision of individual therapy to children and adolescents presenting with internalizing disorders (e.g. generalized anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and depressive disorders), externalizing disorders (e.g. attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder), developmental disorders (e.g. autism spectrum disorders), and chronic health issues. Group experiences are available with our behavioral parenting group and adolescent depression group. Interns participate in our weekly family therapy clinic, with opportunity for co-therapy with a variety of treatment providers. Interns also gain experience in our Systems of Care Program, with opportunities to participate in wraparound services, observe home visits, Native Nations Youth Council, and Drum Group.
Substance Abuse ServicesDuring the internship year, interns gain experience with substance abuse evaluations by initially observing one of our substance abuse counselors and later by conducting evaluations themselves. Interns also have the opportunity to serve as a co-therapist in our ongoing substance abuse group and lead a psychoeducational substance abuse group.
AssessmentPsychological assessment experiences are offered throughout the internship year. Intern work closely under the direction of a supervising psychologist, learning new assessment measures, observing experienced providers administering measures, being observed administering measures, and ultimately conducting assessments and writing reports more independently. Interns gain assessment experience with children, adolescents, and adults. Common reasons for assessment referrals include the following: academic/achievement, cognitive, developmental disabilities, attention, memory, and court ordered psychological evaluations.
SupervisionInitially, interns participate in a period of orientation, observation and supervision during which interns works more closely with their supervising psychologists. The interns gradually take increasingly independent roles in clinical services. Supervision is structured to change in focus according to the needs and abilities of an individual intern throughout the year. By the end of the internship year interns are expected to function as relatively independent clinicians, albeit with continued supervision.
Primary Supervisors:
- Current Position: Director of Clinical Training; Interim Director of Behavioral Health
- Graduate School: Oklahoma State University, Clinical Psychology, 2005
- Internship: West Virginia University School of Medicine, 2005
Dr. Ballew (Cherokee) provides weekly individual supervision to IHCRC interns, as well as providing didactic trainings and group supervision. She runs IHCRC's adolescent depression group. Dr. Ballew's clinical interests include working with American Indian children, adolescents, and families, with specific interests in the areas of parenting, child abuse and neglect, mood and anxiety disorders, and trauma focused treatments. In addition to her clinical and training responsibilities she is actively involved with the Tulsa Indian Community Advisory Team (TICAT) and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
Tamara Newcomb, Ph.D. - Licensed Psychologist- Current Position: Project Director, Gathering Strength and Restoring Harmony
- Project Director, Strengthening Our Native Youth
- Graduate School: Oklahoma State University, Clinical Psychology, 2007
Dr. Newcomb (Muscogee Creek) Brief Bio
Secondary Supervisors:
Janet Willis, Ph.D.- Licensed Psychologist
- Current Position: Assessment Supervisor
- Graduate School: Oklahoma State University, Counseling Psychology
- University of Oklahoma, Nursing (Critical Care)
Dr. Willis has been affiliated with IHCRC since 2004. She provides weekly individual assessment supervision to IHCRC interns. Dr. Willis has an active private practice in Tulsa, where she specializes in child and adolescent psychological assessment and assessment and treatment of pervasive developmental disorders. Prior to pursuing a career in psychology she devoted 10 years to the profession of nursing.
Additional IHCRC Internship Training Faculty:
Joanna Shadlow, Ph.D.Dr. Shadlow (Osage), child therapist, provides individual therapy to child and adolescent patients. She runs IHCRC's behavioral parenting group, with co-therapy opportunities for interns. Dr. Shadlow also provides didactic trainings to interns. She is a faculty member in the University of Tulsa's clinical psychology department.
Elizabeth Dunklee, LCSWElizabeth Dunklee, licensed clinical social worker, provides crisis and resources services to IHCRC patients and provides intern guidance and observation experience.
Heather Walker, LADCHeather Walker, licensed substance abuse counselor, provides substance abuse services and individual therapy to adolescent and adult patients. She runs IHCRC's substance abuse evaluations and groups, with co-therapy and supervised experiences for interns. She also participates in the internship program by providing didactic training and guidance regarding substance abuse services.
Laura Taylor, D.O.Dr. Taylor (Cherokee), developmental pediatrician, provides child guidance services to IHCRC pediatric clients and provides intern guidance and observation experience.
Jill Warnock, M.D., Ph.D.Dr. Warnock, psychiatrist, provides adult psychiatry services. She also provides observation experience and monthly psychopharmacological training to interns. She is a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma medical school.
Nancy Murphy, M.D.Dr. Murphy, psychiatrist, provides adult psychiatry services and provides intern guidance and observation experience.
Shea Bowling, M.D.Dr. Bowling (Cherokee), pediatrician, provides medical services to children and adolescents and provides intern guidance and observation experience.
Michael Scott, M.D.Dr. Scott, IHCRC medical director, provides medical services to adults and provides intern guidance and observation experience.
NOPIP Program Description and Application:For a complete NOPIP program description and application information, please go to the NOPIP website at www.nopip.org.