Clinical Training and Supervision
Clinical training is a central part of the URI MS in Couple & Family Therapy program. Students complete at least 500 hours of direct client contact and 100 hours of clinical supervision as part of their clinical training.
Students complete supervised clinical training through:
- On-site clinical training in the URI Couple and Family Therapy Clinic
- A 12-month approved off-site internship with a community partner
This combination provides students with extensive opportunities to develop clinical skills in both an on-site training clinic and community-based clinical settings.
Direct Client Contact
Students must complete a minimum of 500 direct client contact hours, including at least 100 relational hours.
Relational hours involve working with more than one person in a relationship, such as couples, families, siblings, roommates, or other relational systems.
Individual hours involve providing therapy to one client at a time, including adults, children, and adolescents.
Clinical Supervision
Students receive ongoing clinical supervision from URI CFT faculty and approved clinical supervisors.
Students must complete a minimum of 100 hours of clinical supervision, including:
- At least 50 hours of individual or dyadic supervision
- Up to 50 hours of group supervision
- At least 50 hours involving raw clinical data, such as video, audio, or live observation
Supervision may include case consultation, review of clinical recordings, live supervision, and observation. Supervision groups are limited to 6 students per supervisor.
On-Site Clinical Training
Students begin on-site clinical training in January of their first year through the URI Couple and Family Therapy Clinic. Students continue providing services through January of their second year, when they begin transferring their cases. On-site cases are typically completed and closed by February of the second year.
The clinic provides a structured training environment where students develop clinical skills while working with individuals, couples, families, and other relational systems under faculty supervision.
Off-Site Internship
Students begin their 12-month off-site internship in May of their first year and continue through May of their second year, when they graduate.
Students typically spend approximately 20 hours per week at their internship site, including approximately 10 hours of direct client contact. The remaining time may include supervision, training, documentation, agency meetings, collaboration, and other clinical activities.
Internship sites provide experience in a variety of clinical and community settings and with clients representing different ages, family structures, presenting concerns, and backgrounds.
Current internship locations include community mental health agencies, family service agencies, hospitals and health care settings, schools, residential programs, crisis services, and home-based family therapy. Examples include:
- Family Service of Rhode Island – Providence
- Hasbro Children’s Hospital – Providence
- North American Family Institute (NAFI) – Warwick
- Illuminate Life Counseling – Cranston/Wickford
- Thrive Behavioral Health – Warwick
What Counts Toward Clinical Hours?
Students must complete 500 hours of direct client contact as part of their clinical training.
Direct client contact may include:
- Individual therapy
- Couples therapy
- Family therapy
- Relational therapy
- Individual and relational group therapy
Clinical supervision may include:
- Individual or dyadic supervision
- Group supervision
- Case consultation
- Review of video or audio recordings
- Live supervision or observation
Documentation, case management, phone calls, and other activities that do not involve direct clinical contact do not count as direct client contact hours.