“The remainder of your practicum training has been terminated”: a unique challenge faced by trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has posed many unprecedented challenges to psychotherapists, as many clinics swiftly moved to providing services remotely or needed to close temporarily. While some practica were able to offer trainees the option to provide telehealth, some made the difficult decision to terminate psychotherapy training programs for the remainder of the academic year, or longer. This decision has had numerous implications for and impacts on students, such as concern over development of clinical and counseling skills, intervention and assessment hours, and uncertain effects on clients. These concerns are discussed from the perspective of a trainee, and several therapy-relevant resources and ways of managing are also highlighted.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• pandemic
• trainee
• practicum
• counselling
• coping

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brittany R. King

Brittany King, M.A., is a rising fifth-year doctoral candidate in the clinical psychology program at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Ms. King received her B.S. in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is currently a member of the Psychotherapy and Behavior Change Research Lab.