
Haley Tosh
Intern, Kennedy Krieger Institute Child & Family Therapy Clinic
Major: PSYC
Class Year: 2022
What was a typical week like in your internship position?
At my internship, I watch and learn from recorded and live therapy sessions with child patients ages 5-18) and their families. I participate in biweekly clinic meetings as well as daily supervision meetings between postdocs and the clinic supervisor. On Mondays, the other interns and I generally discuss what we have learned/what we think about therapy techniques, learning from the clinic-provided online resources on Motivational Interviewing and other trainings on topics such as Tourette's Syndrome and Tic disorders. On Thursdays, I complete psychological assessments such as the BASC3, MASC2, RCMAS2, and others. The results of my scoring can mean the difference between a diagnosis, clinical significance, or average psychological health. Therefore, it is very important that I am diligent and detail oriented with the work I do.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
I really enjoy scoring the psychological measures. It's like completing a puzzle while learning from the responses that children and their parents submit. It feels great to know that my accurate completion of these psychological assessments can benefit treatment by informing the therapist and family about individual and group dynamics as their individual answers are privately reported.
How did your coursework help you in your internship?
My coursework has helped prepare me by teaching me about the psychological disorders themselves, as well as the importance of group dynamics within a family.
How did you locate your internship position?
My advisor reached out to me about the position and suggested I apply for it based on my academic and professional background.
Advice for students:
Always do your best to keep busy. There is always work to be done and help needed from supervisors, staff, and other members of the organization. This will not only help you to stand out in your internship, but it will also help you make the most of the experience.
Anything else you want to share with students about your experience?
I highly suggest this internship for any future students to apply. This position has greatly increased my competitiveness for future job and career positions, as well as preparing me for the rigors of graduate school.