APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2024-25 TRAINING PROGRAM ARE CLOSED.

Program Philosophy and Goals

Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital program, is dedicated to healing the invisible wounds – including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), anxiety, depression, co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD), and family relationship challenges – for Veterans of all eras, Service Members, military-connected families and Families of the Fallen through evidence-based clinical care, wellness services, education, and research programs.

Our practicum for advanced doctoral students in clinical/counseling psychology provides training in the evaluation, assessment, and clinical care of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, substance use comorbidity, and complicated grief in Veterans, active-duty Service Members, and their loved ones. Our training program emphasizes a scientist-practitioner approach, wherein current scientific knowledge informs the development and implementation of evidence-based practices. Our program is rooted in our core values of honoring individual differences in diversity, collaboration, and education. This mission extends beyond preparation for service delivery, and we strive to create an individualized training plan in collaboration with the practicum trainee that meets their training goals.

Training Site Description

Massachusetts General Hospital
Home Base Program for Veterans, Service Members and Military Families

A multidisciplinary team staffs Home Base, and we are proud to be comprised of Veteran and non-Veteran individuals including psychologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, and speech and language pathologists. Our shared mission is to improve access to evidence-based mental health treatment with an emphasis on developing and implementing effective and innovative clinical programs. At Home Base, we are committed to embodying values of anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We recognize and work collaboratively to address disparities and strive to foster an inclusive team environment in which each person has an experience of being valued and respected regardless of their intersecting identities.

Outpatient Clinic

Home Base’s outpatient clinic provides individual therapy, group therapy, pharmacotherapy and couples therapy to Veterans, Service Members and their families who are struggling with PTSD, mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, deployment- and military-related adjustment concerns, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Intensive Clinical Program (ICP)

The ICP is an innovative 2-week, daily intensive program for Veterans and active-duty Service Members with moderate-to-severe PTSD and/or TBI. During the two weeks, patients receive daily individual and group therapy, weekly pharmacotherapy, and daily fitness and wellness activities. Home Base also offers a 2-week intensive outpatient program for suicide bereaved family members.

In addition to our clinical mission, Home Base promotes research focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of TBI and stress-related disorders. The program also supports physical health and wellness, provider and community education, and community outreach initiatives.

Practicum Experience

The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program is accepting 3-4 advanced psychology practicum students for an academic year beginning August 19, 2024 with a flexible end date in May or June 2025. This training experience is offered within our outpatient clinical services with potential opportunities in other programming based on availability and interest.

Trainees are embedded as part of our interdisciplinary team and attend our weekly team meeting to discuss clinical cases. Other opportunities such as integrated report writing, which meets APPIC requirements, and/or participation in ongoing research projects may also be available depending on interest and availability. Additionally, cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure therapy trainings are offered on an alternating basis each year, so trainees will have the opportunity to receive one of these trainings during their practicum.

We are unable to provide financial compensation to practicum trainees currently.

Primary Goals of the Practicum Training Experience

• to develop and to expand expertise in military culture as it relates to the provision of clinical care
• to develop expertise in the implementation of evidence-based therapist for the treatment of PTSD and common co-occurring disorders in the military population
• to expand knowledge base of veteran and military service-related topics through didactic training
• to develop skills to function effectively within a multidisciplinary team in a dynamic academic hospital setting

Clinical Activities

8-12 hours of direct patient care per week, including

• Providing outpatient therapy to a caseload of 8-15 patients in the Outpatient Clinic
• Co-leading group psychotherapies in the Outpatient Clinic (e.g., CBT skills group, Introduction to PTSD group, Family Skills group, DBT skills group)

2-5 hours of indirect patient care activities, including:

• Documentation of treatment plans and progress notes
• Participation in weekly multidisciplinary treatment team meetings to support clinical care

Supervision

Advanced practicum trainees receive a minimum of 1 hour per week of individual clinical supervision with a licensed psychologist and 1 hour per week of group supervision (maximum of 3 trainees) with a licensed psychologist and a post-doctoral fellow.

Didactics

Advanced practicum trainees participate in Home Base’s weekly didactics series throughout the course of the year on Mondays in-person. Didactic content is designed to further the trainees’ breadth and depth of competencies, with a specific focus on areas that impact the Veteran and military community. All didactics entail diversity, equity and inclusion content including, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Military Culture
• Mandated Reporting
• Suicide and Safety Planning
• Military Sexual Trauma
• Eating Disorders and the Military
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Sleep Disturbances in Veterans
• Substance Use among Veterans
• Group Dynamics
• Family Systems and Treatment
• Cultural Humility

Advanced practicum trainees will also have the opportunity to attend department-wide lectures (e.g., MGH Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds). Trainees may have the option to participate in other department and/or hospital wide seminars, didactics, and mentoring opportunities as well.

Research Opportunities

Advanced practicum trainees interested in research will have the opportunity to pursue studies of interest as a collaborator alongside a current Home Base PI. These opportunities will be determined in collaboration with supervisors based upon the trainee’s interests and available bandwidth. Opportunities could include involvement at any stage in our ongoing research efforts, such as grant writing, project development, manuscript preparation and submission, or panel/poster preparation and submission to regional or national conferences

Candidacy

Ideal candidates are those who are interested in gaining and/or expanding on experience working with Veterans and military Service Members and their families. Candidates who demonstrate strong interest in promoting cultural and diversity awareness and are collaborative, independent, and flexible would be an ideal fit for our training program.

Home Base is part of Massachusetts General Hospital, an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse individuals, skills, perspectives, and ideas, we choose to lead. Applications from protected Veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities are strongly encouraged.

Applicant Requirements

1. Have completed a minimum of two full-time, post-bachelor’s academic years of graduate education in an APA-accredited psychology doctoral program.
2. Have completed a minimum of two years of previous practicum experience.
3. Have foundational skills in evidence-based approaches (e.g., CBT, DBT, ACT).
4. Trainees must commit to a minimum of 2 days and 16 hours per week, including Mondays in person (second day may be virtual). Start date is August 19, 2024. End date of the practicum is flexible in May or June 2025 and can be decided upon with the applicant once they are accepted.

Application Process

Interested applicants forward a letter of interest (addressed to Dr. Lauren Richards-Donegan), along with curriculum vitae (that includes the name and contact information of 3 references) to Monique Hashimoto, mshashimoto@mgh.harvard.edu. Home Base Program, 1 Constitution Wharf, Charlestown, MA 02129.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until January 10, 2024. Interviews (with both in-person and virtual options) will occur in January and February 2024. Candidates will be notified of their status in accordance with the Massachusetts PTC uniform notification date.