The Wake Kendall Group is proud to offer externship experiences in child/adolescent psychology and adult Dialectical Behavioral Therapy to doctoral psychology trainees in the Washington, DC area. We are able to offer small stipends for the experience and follow the Greater Washington Clinical Psychology Programs Council Externship Guidelines. See below for more detailed information, and feel free to reach out to Courtney Conn, Ph.D., cconn@wakekendall.com if you have any questions. We hope to meet you soon!
Program Description:
The Child/Adolescent Externship Program at the Wake Kendall Group PLLC (WKG) is designed for advanced doctoral students in psychology who have prior clinical experience and who have completed the majority of their coursework. It provides externs with the opportunity to further build their skills in the theory and practice of cognitive behavioral therapy with children and adolescents. Limited testing opportunities may be available for interested and qualified advanced doctoral students.
WKG is a well-established group private practice in Washington, DC, that treats children and adolescents presenting with difficulties related to AD/HD, anxiety, depression, and behavioral symptoms. The Child/Adolescent Externship Program enables WKG to offer lower cost services to those in need. Currently, we are allowing space for one extern to join our team for the 2026-2027 year. Externs will be provided a stipend of $2250 dollars to assist with transportation costs and in recognition of their dedication to client care. *You must be registered as a Psych Associate with DC in order to begin to receive the stipend.*
Qualifications:
Graduate-level coursework in child development and assessment is expected. Prior experience with young children is valued but not required. Preference will be given to advanced doctoral students (e.g., rising 3rd year and above). Prior assessment experience and strong writing skills are highly valued.
Direct Provision of Clinical Services:
Externs typically carry a caseload that requires 6-8 hours per week of direct clinical services that are delivered in person. The weekly time commitment is approximately 12 hours. Externs typically see clients on two days of the week and commit to at least one later evening in the office if needed by clients. Case assignments are based on extern availability, interest in a particular case, and demands for lower cost services. Externs work mainly with children, and occasionally adolescents, in individual treatment. Also, externs may have opportunities to sit in on groups and various consultations that are offered as part of employment at WKG. Given that the bulk of the clinical work is with children, sessions are conducted in person out of our offices in Washington, DC (with flexibility for virtual, if needed, by families located in DC).
Supervision & Consultation:
Supervision of cases will be provided in accordance with school requirements. Externs will be provided with individual supervision based on their current client load and individual needs. At a minimum, externs receive one hour of formal individual supervision from a licensed clinician with specialization in child/adolescent/family therapy. In addition, externs will participate in WKG case consultation meetings twice per month, and a child therapy consultation group once per month. WKG’s “open door” policy provides additional opportunities for externs to request consultation on particular cases from any member of WKG.
Staff Meeting & Seminar Series:
Externs and the clinical staff enjoy lunch (provided by WKG) during our bimonthly WKG Case Consultation meetings held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. This group provides opportunities for externs to review their clinical work in a professional forum, hear other clinical cases, and to receive group input. In addition, externs are exposed to the inner workings of a private practice and the treatment of individual cases by other staff members. Our Lunch and Learn (Continuing Education) series is held throughout the year on eight separate occasions (scheduled during the WKG Case Consultation meeting time) and provides learning opportunities for all WKG staff on various topics that are applicable to our clinical work (for example Ketamine therapy, eating disorder treatment, etc). Externs must be able to attend in person on Tuesdays and will work with one of the WKG partners to determine a second day that works for the extern and WKG office schedules.
Application Process:
Please submit the following materials to apply for our Child/Adolescent externship:
Materials should be emailed to Courtney Conn, Ph.D., cconn@wakekendall.com
Deadline:
Please email all the above information by Friday January 9th, 2026. Interviews will be held in January and February and externship offers will be extended by March in accordance with Greater Washington Clinical Psychology Programs Council Externship Guidelines.
Program Description:
The DBT externship program at the Wake Kendall Group PLLC (WKG) provides a unique and intensive training opportunity in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). WKG is home to a DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Program™. Our externship program has a goal of training future clinicians in the adherent practice of DBT for a high-risk population. It also is a means of offering lower cost services to those in need.
Current Openings:
Our externship capacity varies but is typically 1-3 students at a time. Currently, we are allowing space for one extern to join our team for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Overview of Training Opportunity and Requirements:
Because of the intensive requirements to learn and practice DBT (which typically involves a one-year commitment for clients), the DBT externship at WKG is two (2) academic years. The exact timing will depend on the dates of our skills modules, but typically runs August of year 1 through May of year 3. The externship is year-round. We expect all team members will take breaks and vacations as needed and supervisors work with externs to plan coverage for their responsibilities when they are out of office.
We require externs to complete a 5-day foundational training in DBT before beginning with us – these trainings are typically offered by Behavioral Tech LLC and Treatment Implementation Collaborative via both in-person or virtual formats throughout the year. The cost of this intensive training will be reimbursed to the extern by WKG.
Externs are expected to be available on two days of the work week (maximum 16 hrs/week), including at least one day with evening hours (defined as 4pm-8pm) and one day with morning hours (defined as 8am-12pm). As part of this requirement, you will be expected to run one evening DBT group (5:30-7:15pm). As part of your two days of clinical time, we expect you to be available on Tuesdays from 11:30-3:00pm for group supervision, practice-wide continuing education and DBT consultation team.
We offer a stipend – the annualized salary rate is $7000 during your first year and $8000 during your second year. *You must be registered as a Psych Associate with DC in order to receive the stipend.*
Direct Provision of Clinical Services:
Externs typically carry a caseload of five adult (aged 18+) Stage 1 DBT clients at a given time and participate in either a participant-observer or co-leader role in one DBT skills training group. Prior to co-leading a skills group, externs will occupy a participant-observer role in a skills group co-led by two licensed clinicians for at least 6 months. Case assignments are based on extern availability and WKG demands for lower cost services. All therapy sessions will be conducted out of our offices in Washington, DC. Sessions are offered in-person and may also be virtual for clients located in DC.
You will be asked to provide “24/7” telephone coaching as needed for your clients. You will work closely with your supervisor to learn how to practice observing your personal limits while being available to help clients generalize skills learning between sessions.
Our suite of offices is in a building with an external and internal set of stairs and no elevator. Accordingly externs must be able to climb stairs.
Supervision and Consultation:
Externs receive one hour of individual supervision weekly in addition to one hour of group supervision weekly from licensed psychologists who are DBT-LBC certified.
In addition, externs attend weekly DBT consultation team (1.5-2.5 hrs, length varies on alternate week schedule). On weeks when DBT consultation is 1.5 hours, the alternate hour may be dedicated to group consultation in the DBT-Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE) trauma protocol and/or practice-wide continuing education offerings. Externs are expected to attend these required consultation team and training opportunities in-person at our office on Tuesdays between 11:30-3:00.
Application Process:
To apply to the DBT externship at WKG, please submit the following materials:
-Cover letter outlining your personal interest in the DBT externship at WKG.
-Most current Resume or Curriculum Vita with your clinical and academic experiences
-Two (2) letters of recommendation
Materials should be emailed to Sarah Mintz, PhD, smintz@wakekendall.com.
Deadline:
Please email all the above information by Friday, January 7th, 2026. Interviews will be held in January and February and externship offers are extended by March in accordance with Greater Washington Clinical Psychology Programs Council Externship Guidelines.