Center for Health and Counseling
Harper Center for Life & Learning
602 North 20th Street, Suite 1034
Omaha, Nebraska 68178
402-280-2735
Fax 402-280-1819
Match Code 141616
Training Director:
Thomas G. Grandy, Ph.D.
Phone: (402) 280-2735
E-mail: tgrandy@creighton.edu
Type of Facility:
The Counseling Service located within the Center for Health and Counseling is a university mental health center serving approximately 7,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The Counseling Service is joined with the Student Health Service to provide comprehensive physical and mental health services to the university student population. These two departments enjoy a cooperative, congenial relationship with mutual referrals and consultation. Creighton University, one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the nation, enrolls students in nine schools and colleges, including medicine, dentistry, law, allied health professions and nursing. Creighton has been consistently ranked as one of the finest comprehensive universities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. The Counseling Service maintains accreditation by the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS) since 1963.
Internship Training Model:
Interns within the Nebraska Consortium who are matched with the Counseling Service will receive training based in individual psychotherapy, assessment and structured groups. The training model emphasizes professional and personal development in these three areas. Individual therapy with university students includes brief, moderate and long term intervention with a variety of problems. The most typical presenting problems include anxiety, depression, concentration, sleep, academics and relationship. Assessment focuses on learning disabilities, ADHD, substance abuse and personality.
Groups are offered to address specific issues related to personal and academic development. Recent groups offered to students include anxiety, depression, disordered eating, coping skills, self-esteem, body image, test anxiety and social anxiety.
In addition, interns may select other experiences to participate in throughout their internship year. A menu of these experiences includes personality assessment, assessment of violence potential, discipline referrals, development and implementation of outreach programs, lectures to university classes, supervision of practicum students, academic success groups, counseling service administration, consultation with residence life staff and counseling on specific issues.
Clinical training occurs on a regular weekly schedule. The training may involve all staff members or only interns. Training before the academic year begins involves 12-20 hours weekly for three weeks. Throughout the academic year, didactic training occurs at least one hour weekly on specific clinical topics. A weekly case conference for 90 minutes focuses on presentation and discussion of difficult cases with all clinical staff. The presentation rotates among staff. Interns typically spend 50-60 percent of their time in direct service, individual and group therapy plus assessment, during the academic year. The remainder of the interns' time is divided between documentation, preparation, report writing, supervision, staff meetings, consultation and training.
Supervision involves three hours of individual contact weekly with a licensed psychologist. Group supervision involving other interns may be arranged. The content of the experience usually includes discussion of cases, treatment plans and counseling strategies and techniques, reviewing recorded counseling sessions, discussion of personal reactions to clients, review of assessment data and discussion of therapist-client interactions. Informal supervision and consultation with other staff members is encouraged to obtain different perspectives.
Interns have their own offices within the Counseling Service. Interns' offices are completely furnished and included a computer and a telephone. The internship starts on August 1st and ends July 31st of the following year. Interns receive an annual stipend of $24,500. University benefits (medical insurance, dental insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, vacation, sick leave) are available.
More information concerning Internship can be found on the Counseling Service website, creighton.edu/chc.
Clinical Services:
Counseling services are provided to full-time enrolled students in the University at no charge. The number of therapy sessions allowed for students is not limited. Students may be charged fees for some types of assessment services (learning disabilities, $400.00; ADHD, $200.00). Consultation services are provided to administration, faculty, staff and family members of students. The Counseling Service staff serves between 575-675 individual clients throughout the year (June 1-May 31). Our clients generate 3,900-4,200 kept appointments. The average number of sessions per client is 5.8 visits per year. Twenty percent of our clients are seen for 10 or more visits. Two-thirds of our clients are seen for personal counseling; one-third of our clients are seen for academic related difficulties including evaluations for learning disabilities. Between 50-80 assessments for learning disabilities and ADHD are conducted each year. Sixty-five percent of our clients are undergraduates and thirty-five percent are graduate or professional students.
Services usually begin with a scheduled intake session although walk-ins are permitted especially in times of crisis. Clients are typically referred by residence life staff, faculty, university staff members, friends and family members. Clients are usually seen in individual therapy or groups. On occasion, clients are seen with friends, significant others, roommates or family members. There may be referrals for medication to either our Student Health Service or to our Consulting Psychiatrist. The referral depends upon the nature and severity of the presenting problem. The Psychiatrist is available for appointments once weekly for a four hour period to consult with our clients. Hospitalization, if needed, is provided through the Creighton University Medical Center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center or the Lasting Hope Recovery Center.
Location:
Creighton University is located in metropolitan Omaha with a population near 500,000 on the banks of the Missouri River. Council Bluffs, with a population of 75,000, is directly across the Missouri in Iowa. Omaha is home to the College World Series, Mutual of Omaha, Union Pacific Railroad, ConAgra Foods and varied, thriving ethnic districts. Offutt Air Force Base, located in nearby Bellevue, is headquarters for the merger of Strat Com and the Space Command. Within the city limits, are Bellevue University, College of St. Mary, Grace University and the University of Nebraska, Omaha. Fifty miles to the southwest is the state capitol, Lincoln, and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Omaha boasts an excellent Zoo, botanical gardens, and within twenty minutes drive, several state parks. Two riverboat casinos are located in Council Bluffs.
Cultural activities include the Omaha Playhouse, the Omaha Symphony, the Omaha Ballet and Joslyn Art Museum. Venues such as the Orpheum Theatre, Holland Center and the Quest Center provide opportunities for a variety of entertainment events. Creighton University and the University of Nebraska, Omaha provide intercollegiate athletic events. The city sponsors a AAA baseball team, the Royals, and a junior hockey team, the Lancers.
Staff:
Michael R. Kelley, Ph.D., Counseling Service Director
California School of Professional Psychology, 1976
Developmental issues of college students, grief reactions, family influences upon mental health, suicide prevention, management of psychological crises, personality assessment.
Thomas G. Grandy, Ph.D., Director of Training
University of Iowa, 1975
Training and clinical supervision, change process in psychotherapy, anxiety and mood disorders, sleep disturbances, academic success, hypnosis, nutritional approaches, assessment of learning disabilities and ADHD, self-care of professionals, sports psychology.
Catherine (Kitty) Brougham, M.S.
San Francisco State University, 1994
Women's issues, addiction and recovery, adolescent and adult development, cultural identity development, mindfulness, nutrition, weight control, wellness.
Cynthia Jenkins, Ph.D.
St. Louis University, 2000
Multicultural counseling, women's issues, social psychology, diversity, gambling.
Kevin W. Powers, Ph.D.
Southern Illinois University, 2008
Individual and group therapy, learning disability and personality assessment, college adjustment issues, mood disorders and anxiety, anger management, standardized treatment modalities, academic success.
Hope B. Russell, M.S.
University of Nebraska Omaha, 2007
Anger management, women's issues, depression and anxiety, self-esteem.
Allison M. Schomburg, Ph.D.
University of Akron, 2007
Women's issues, depression, supervision and training, depression, multicultural counseling, assessment of learning disabilities and personality, interpersonal process in psychotherapy.
Tianna K. Byom, M.S., Psychology Intern
Doctoral Candidate, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Melinda K. Graham-Hinners, M.S.Ed, Psychology Intern
Doctoral Candidate, West Virginia University
Sherry C. Wang, M.A., Doctoral Practicum Student
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
