Supervisors: Linda Greenberg, M.A., Stephanie Margolese, Ph.D.
The children and adolescents (ages 3-15) who present to child psychiatry OPD exhibit a broad range of psychiatric problems (e.g., PDD, ADD, ODD, anxiety, depression, etc.). The service is open to both anglophone and francophone families from diverse cultural backgrounds. The role of the psychologists is to conduct psychodiagnostic assessments, psychological testing (both cognitive and personality), consultations, and individual, family and group therapy.
The psychologists form part of a multidisciplinary team, with 2 psychiatrists, a social worker, an occupational therapist, and generally a psychiatry resident, a social work student and two psychology interns.
The interns will gain experience in psychodiagnostic assessment of pre-school and school-aged children and adolescents using family interview and individual techniques. They will also learn to integrate the information derived from the assessment into a comprehensive report, and to present cases at regular team meetings.
Interns will gain experience in cognitive and personality testing using a battery of tests and will learn to write up the test results. They will have the opportunity to learn to give feedback and to make recommendations to both professionals and parents.
Interns will be sensitized to ethical issues in child psychiatry. They may have the opportunity to learn about issues relevant to youth protection, and may be required to provide consultation to youth protection services.
In addition to extensive experience in psychodiagnostic and psychological assessment, interns will gain experience in treatment of children and families. There are opportunities to learn individual, family and/or group therapy. Team members have interest and experience in play therapy, multiple family group therapy (MFT), child or adolescent group therapy, and divorce group therapy for families. Interns with a particular interest in a specific type of therapy may be able to pursue their interest with supervision and support from the psychologists.
By attending Child Psychiatry rounds, interns in OPD Child Psychiatry will be exposed on a regular basis to case presentations of children being followed not only in the OPD but also in the Day/Evening Hospital programs as well as in the Early Childhood Disorders program (ECD).
With respect to number of hours, the OPD service is flexible in accommodating to the university program requirements of interns, but as a minimum, interns must commit to three full days a week. We also accept Summer Practicum students who have the opportunity to develop their psychological testing and report writing skills. The OPD can also accept advanced practicum students who wish to gain experience and have supervision in therapy.