RANKIN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM 2023-2024 

 

Rankin Behavioral Health is pleased to announce an externship in Dialectical Behavior Therapy with a child and adolescent focus for the 2023 - 2024 academic year. Rankin Behavioral Health is a therapy practice providing research-based Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD.  We have two offices in the City of Falls Church in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Our diverse client population presents with a wide variety of concerns including mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders, trauma, eating disorders, relationship concerns, ADHD, addictions, Oppositional/Defiant Disorder, and personality disorders. 

 

Externs will participate in DBT groups (adolescent, adult, or parenting) approximately 3-4 hours per week and have approximately 3-5 individual therapy clients, primarily children and adolescents.  Externs will have two hours of  weekly individual supervision consistent with DC Externship Consortium guidelines.  They will attend an hour and a half weekly DBT Consultation Team meeting with other mental health professionals (12pm-1:30pm on Tuesdays).   We watch and code therapy training videos, consult about DBT cases, and have monthly DBT expert consultants join our Team. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RBH is currently offering both in-person and telehealth services, consistent with all CDC guidelines, and the regulations of local and state governments.  Up to date COVID vaccination is required for in-person appointments, for clients and clinicians.  Externs will learn diagnosis and evaluation of clients upon intake, taking a developmental history, administering additional diagnostic measures, parent training methods, as well as conducting individual and group DBT therapy with adherence. Externs work up to 16 hours per week and must be available on Tuesdays and one evening. The externship will start August 1st and ends June 1st. There is a stipend of $2,000. There is an option to extend the externship through July 31st (one full year of externship with additional stipend of $200). The externship is open to doctoral students in APA-approved clinical psychology training programs. Applicants must have completed a minimum of two years of doctoral coursework prior to beginning the externship, including at least one course in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Applications will be reviewed as received until February 1, 2022. We encourage early application. Please send the following materials: statement of interest, CV describing academic and clinical training, and two letters of recommendation. Address to Karen Kassem LPC, Clinical Director, at kkassem@rankinbh.com.