SLBMI Training Information>> Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowships

Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowships

BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

Division of Behavioral Medicine
Department of Community and Family Medicine
Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute

• Application Procedure
• About Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute
  
• Mission Statement
  
• Goals and Objectives
  
• Clinical Programs
  
• Supervised Clinical Experience
  
• Training Meetings and Seminars
  

ABOUT SAINT LOUIS BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE INSTITUTE
The Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, which was established in 1995, is an academic affiliate of Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center. Our faculty and staff support the academic mission of the University in many ways. They are frequent contributors to professional journals and at professional meetings, and they participate in advanced training of family practice residents, psychologists, social workers, and medical students.

The main office of the Institute is located in a two-story, modern professional office building. We are located off-campus in the city of St. Louis. The building has a number of private offices, group therapy rooms, patient lounges, conference rooms and clinical library. For our pain management patients, we have an on-site physical therapy department and fitness room. The Institute also has one satellite office in the metropolitan area.

The Institute integrates knowledge and techniques from the behavioral and the medical sciences to provide comprehensive treatment for a wide range of health problems. Treatment approaches include cognitive and behavioral therapies, biofeedback, and relaxation training. Other treatment may be provided in individual or group formats. Since 1983, the Division of Behavioral Medicine (Saint Louis University) has worked with many types of patients from those with general counseling needs to the most complex, requiring specialized multidisciplinary care.

Our multidisciplinary teams (including psychologists, psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, physical therapists, spiritual directors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, technicians and other professionals) collaborate with referring clinicians, and organizations. We have the ability to assess each patient and tailor the most effective treatment plan.

MISSION STATEMENT
Our Institute is dedicated to the promotion of mental and physical health by integrating knowledge from the behavioral sciences with the latest advances of contemporary medicine. In pursuit of our mission, and as an affiliate of Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, we strive to:

• Deliver compassionate, state-of-the-art interdisciplinary patient care attentive to the vital relationship between body, mind, and spirit.
  
• Discover new knowledge and effective treatments by conducting scientific research and staying abreast of progress in the field.
  
• Educate healthcare students and professionals to ensure future availability of behavioral medicine services.
  
• Advance community awareness of behavioral medicine principles to prevent illness and enhance health.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the fellowship is to teach psychology fellows to work within multi-discipline, methods, and treatments of physical diseases and behavior disorders.

Our objectives for the fellows are as follows:

1. To learn how to evaluate patients and form coherent treatment plans.
2. To appreciate issues related to the current healthcare environment and to
   relate effectively with other healthcare professionals.
3. To provide effective individual and group therapy to clients.
   
4. To attain proficiency in at least one area of sub-specialization
   (e.g., anxiety disorders, health psychology, etc.)
   

CLINICAL PROGRAMS
Depending on funding, 1 - 4 fellowships are available in specialized behavioral programs. In addition to their primary area of concentration, fellows will also see individual clients presenting with a full spectrum of psychological difficulties. The Director of Training is based at the Macklind office and will have, at a minimum, one hour of weekly contact with all fellows. Fellowships are scheduled to begin each year in September. Program areas are:

1. Anxiety Disorders Center (ADC)

The Anxiety Disorders Center (ADC) is a multi-disciplinary program for the evaluation, treatment and study of phobias, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety-related problems. The ADC offers state-of-the-art, comprehensive treatment including medication, cognitive and behavioral therapies, and other adjunctive interventions. A full spectrum of care is offered including intensive outpatient, day treatment, individual, group, and family therapy. As a regional and national resource for consumers and professionals, the Center also offers comprehensive evaluations for patients from outside the St. Louis area, case consultations to professionals in other parts of the country, and specialized, intensive treatment for individuals with anxiety disorders that have not benefited from prior treatment.

2. Dual Program: Eating Disorders/Psychology and Religion Program

1. (Rotation 1) Eating Disorders Program: Approximately three days per week, the dual program resident would work in the Eating Disorders Program. This specialized program provides individual, family, group, and intensive treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorders. Our eating disorder experts treat both adolescents and adults using a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to cognitive behavioral treatment, patients may also receive nutritional consultation from the Registered Dietitian. The treatment needs of an individual are varied, and the resident would work with our Eating Disorders team to provide the most effective treatment to meet the needs of the patient.
   
2. (Rotation 2) Psychology and Religion: Approximately two days per week,
   the dual program resident would train in our nationally recognized Psychology and Religion Program. The program includes a variety of multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment options for clergy and religious professionals. Its primary client base is Roman Catholic, but the program is open to all faith traditions and denominations. There is a conscious effort to integrate psychological, spiritual, and medical approaches to healing. The postdoctoral fellow participates in individual and group therapy and psychological evaluations, in the context of both outpatient and intensive therapy. The psychological services for religious professionals include the treatment of obesity, comprehensive psychological testing, and assessment of Fitness for Ministry with an emphasis on combining spirituality with evidence-based practice.
   
   

SUPERVISED CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Each fellow receives a minimum of two hours per week of individual, face-to-face supervision. In addition, fellows may also receive peer supervision from other licensed staff clinicians. Supervision may include the use of audio and videotapes, case notes, and other supporting materials. Supervisors are responsible for providing fellows with written and verbal feedback regarding their performance and progress. These evaluations are performed twice per year. Informal verbal feedback is provided on an ongoing basis. Fellows have access to due process procedures, as described in the Institute Employee Handbook (under "Problem Solving Procedure,") in the event of a grievance.

TRAINING MEETINGS AND SEMINARS
Throughout the year, fellows attend a weekly, one-hour-seminar series with topics covering theoretical and therapeutic issues related to the fellow's clinical experience. Topics from previous years include: "Biofeedback and Psycho-physiological Treatment for Behavioral Medicine and Pain," "A Reinforcement Approach to Working with Oppositional Adolescents," "Psychology and Religion Psychotherapy," "Eating Disorders," and "Parent-Child Interaction Therapy." The seminar sessions are taught by the faculty, as well as a number of staff of the Institute. To complement supervision and the seminar series, fellow are required to read a variety of materials from a required reading list (e.g., treatment manuals, book chapters, and research articles). These readings are designed to enhance skill-building and to complement the other training experiences. Fellows also have access to other resources available at the Institute (e.g., library, internet, educational videotapes).

Fellows are expected to apply for a provisional license in the State of Missouri upon acceptance into the fellowship. Individual supervisors and the Director of Training will assist new fellows in the completion of their applications. The provisional license permits the fellow to take the license exam prior to the end of their fellowship, therefore receiving their licensure upon the completion of their fellowship.