The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
and
Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital

Advanced Practicum in Clinical Psychology

 Brochure 

 Requests for information and application materials may be sent to:

Deadline: Applications will be accepted from November 3rd, 2025, until January 5th, 2026.

Prospective candidates should provide all of the following:

• Cover letter, detailing your relevant experiences and specific interest in the Advanced Practicum 
  • Please indicate in your cover letter whether you are interested in adult or adolescent services 
• Curriculum Vita 
• Unofficial Transcript 
• Three letters of reference, at least one from a field training supervisor 
• Fully redacted, HIPAA-compliant case formulation, including a comprehensive biopsychosocial history and mental status exam 
• If available, a fully redacted, HIPAA-compliant psychological or neuropsychological testing report  

Overview

Thank you for your interest. As part of an integrated, multi-level training program, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan) and Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital (WRCH) are pleased to offer an advanced practicum in clinical psychology focused on intervention, assessment, and professional development in working with adults with serious and persistent mental illness and adolescents with complex psychiatric and psychosocial issues. 

Clinical training occurs at WRCH, a large, urban, state psychiatric facility for adult and adolescent patients located in a developing biotechnology park and on the site of the former Worcester State Hospital. The advanced practicum will offer one adolescent and three adult part-time positions. Trainees will be expected to be onsite 24 hours per week over a 10-month period between July and May and will receive a $4,000 stipend. 

Applicants must be in good academic standing in a doctoral program in psychology or counseling and be in at least their third year of clinical training. Preference will be given to applicants interested in supporting marginalized individuals, pursuing careers in the public sector, and with some experience working in inpatient settings, but all interested are encouraged to apply. Our program follows the guidelines of the Massachusetts Practicum Training Collaborative (PTC). Offer notifications will be made on the date selected by the PTC (02/09/2026).  

Additional important information for applicants:

As of August 10, 2021, all faculty and staff employees of UMass Chan Medical School must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment; this applies to psychology interns, who are considered UMass Chan employees. (Employees of WRCH are also required to be fully vaccinated). UMass Chan allows certain exemptions for individuals with approved medical or religious accommodations. If you have questions or would like to learn more about this policy, please contact the UMass Chan-WRCH Director of Intern Training. Further, UMass Chan requires all of their employees to receive the annual flu shot. All vaccines are provided free of charge by UMass. If you have received these vaccinations elsewhere, you will be asked to provide proof of vaccination to the Human Resource Department.

Setting

WRCH is the Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) newest facility. Built on the ground of the former Worcester State Hospital and replacing three other state hospitals, the physical space was designed to promote the personal dignity of patients and promote dual-recovery-oriented, person-centered care. The recovery center is composed of two adult court evaluation units; nine adult continuing care units; two adolescent units; and a unit with a mixed acute/continuing care population of hearing and Deaf/hard-of-hearing adults. A forensic service (composed of evaluators from UMass Chan and DMH) provides forensic evaluation services to the hospital.

Beyond the wide range of clinical presentations, our patient population is composed of people diverse in ages, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, and language and communication needs. Consequently, we are committed to providing equitable, trauma-informed mental health treatment.

Structure

The training year begins during the first week of July with an approximately two-week mandatory orientation, much of which is completed alongside incoming interns and postdoctoral fellows. The orientation consists of a hospital orientation required for all new employees as well as an orientation to the Department of Psychology’s workflow, administrative procedures, and a range of foundational, clinically-focused seminar modules. 

Training opportunities throughout the year may include:

• Individual psychotherapy
• Group psychotherapy (e.g., Cognitive Enhancement Restructuring Treatment (CERT), CBT for Psychosis, DBT, Relapse Prevention Planning, Legal Education/Competency Restoration, Mentally Ill/Problematic Sexual Behavior (MIPSB))
• Admission/Annual assessments
• Violence, suicide, fire-setting, and problematic sexual behavior risk assessments
• Cognitive and psychological assessment 
• Weekly individual supervision with staff psychologists and interns
• Year-long didactic program
• Hospital-wide consultation groups (e.g., CBT for Psychosis, DBT, MIPSB)
• Observation of recommitment hearings

For more information, please review the brochure, hyperlink provided above.

Advanced Practicum Directors:

Ariel Ingber, PsyD: Ariel Ingber is a licensed clinical psychologist and Designated Forensic Psychologist. She earned her doctorate from William James College and completed pre-doctoral internship training at South Florida State Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship at Bridgewater State Hospital. Dr. Ingber became a staff psychologist at WRCH in 2021 and joined the practicum training committee as a co-director in 2023. Her clinical interests include forensic assessment and treatment, assessment and treatment of Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, risk assessment and mitigation, and cognitive and personality assessment.

Faith Therrien, PsyD: Faith Therrien is a licensed clinical psychologist in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in forensics from William James College in 2019.  As a former advanced practicum trainee at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, she returned to the facility to work in 2020 and assumed the role of advance practicum co-director in 2023.  Her clinical interests are individual and group therapy treatment for persons with severe and persistent mental illness, risk assessment, racial trauma, and positive behavior interventions and support (PBIS). 

Heidi Putney, PhD: Heidi Putney is a licensed clinical psychologist, a Designated Forensic Psychologist, and the Training Director for the Comprehensive Psychology Training Program. She earned her doctorate from Central Michigan University and completed her pre-doctoral internship training at Western State Hospital in Washington and the forensic postdoctoral fellowship here at UMass Chan/WRCH. Dr. Putney became a DFP at UMass Chan/WRCH in 2022 and joined the psychology training program as the training director in 2024. Her interests include forensic evaluations, training and education, research in the areas of forensic public policy, professional development, and diversity training.

Thank you for your interest in the Advanced Practicum in Clinical Psychology at
Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital!