NCCT Postgraduate Fellowship
Train With The Experts
Fellowship Summary:
The Northampton Center for Couples Therapy offers a two-year postgraduate fellowship in evidence-informed, state-dependent couples therapy. This 20-hour-per-week training opportunity is focused on developing skills in the leading models of couples therapy via mentorship, in-depth training, hands-on experience, and access to a vibrant, diverse, seasoned, and dedicated community of couples therapists.
Those interested in applying for the Fellowship must plan to complete their academic graduate degree and have Massachusetts license eligibility in their discipline before beginning the Fellowship in September.
Fellowship clinical and supervision hours can be applied toward Massachusetts’s LICSW, LMFT, and LMHC licensure requirements.
Fellows receive compensation through a salary determined by caseload size and experience which is further detailed in an employment agreement.
Pre-Training Requirements:
Fellows will complete Level I and Level II Gottman Method Couples Therapy before seeing any couples at an agreed-upon date. This remote and asynchronous training will take approximately 45 hours, and NCCT will provide training access.
Fellows will attend an additional 10-12 of in-house training, preparing them for clinical work and NCCT systems.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Fellows are expected to maintain a caseload of 13 weekly couples in year 1, with an option to increase their caseload in Year 2, pending the renewal of the NCCT fellowship and supervisor approval.
Fellows are expected to attend all NCCT activities. All absences, planned or unanticipated, must be communicated to the NCCT supervisor and the NCCT Director of Operations.
Clinical hours will begin after the Fellow has completed Gottman Method Couples Training and NCCT in-house required training. NCCT Intake will assign two new couples weekly until the Fellow’s caseload is full. Fellows are expected to see couples at least two evenings per week between 4 and 8:30 pm (so three couples per evening). The remainder of the couples can be seen during daytime hours. Fellows have flexible schedules beyond that, but in-person couples therapist schedules will have limited options due to office space availability. Fellows are expected to do a combination of remote and in-person work (if they reside within 45 driving minutes of NCCT).
Additional responsibilities may include administrative and clinical support to NCCT Director(s) and clinicians (regarding groups, classes, hosted trainings, etc).
Fellowship Schedule:
The Fellow(s) will attend a monthly team meeting. The meetings are in person on Tuesdays from 12:30 to 2 EST and run from September through June 1.
The Fellow(s) will attend weekly clinical supervision with their NCCT assigned supervisor. Supervision will vary between 75-90 minutes per week and is year-round.
The Fellow(s) will attend a monthly sex therapy group supervision with an AASECT Sex Therapist. The meetings are on Zoom, Tuesdays from 12:45 to 2 EST, and run September through June 1.
The Fellow(s) will attend a monthly Master Class in Couples Therapy with NCCT Director Kerry Lusignan or another Senior NCCT Supervisor. The meetings are on Tuesdays on Zoom from 12:45 to 2 EST and run September through June 1.
The Fellow(s) will audit Crisis to Connected, Kerry Lusignan’s digital course for couples in couples. This audit can be done live when Kerry offers the class or asynchronously via video, but it must be completed by the 6th month of Fellowship.
The Fellow will pursue supplemental training as is offered and recommended. NCCT will provide support to subsidize such training.
Fellows will meet with Directors to determine the continuation of the Fellowship for a second year.
Readings:
A list of recommended readings will be made available to the Fellow. NCCT also has an in-house library and maintains access to numerous online clinicial training.
Application:
Please submit the following materials:
- Your current CV
- (2) letters of recommendation, at least one provided by someone familiar with your clinical work (at a clinical placement, externship, etc.)
- A cover letter addressing the following questions:
How did you come to be interested in couples therapy psychotherapy?
What is your experience with couples therapy (this could be personal therapy, clinical work, supervision, or academic courses)?
Given that the Fellowship is part-time, what additional professional/educational plans do you have for next year?
Are you able to make two evenings a week available for seeing couples?
Applications are closed for 2024 and will reopen again in the spring of 2025