Affiliate-Site Training for Graduate Students in Clinical Psychology

Family compass offers a full-year affiliate-site program for graduate students in the clinical psychology program of George Washington University. Students are on site at the practice one day a week, and have the opportunity to work with children from ages 2 to 12 that are typically developing but have social and emotional difficulties, and also those in the Neurodevelopment Program for Early Intervention who are developmentally delayed or on the autistism spectrum.

The students participate in one hour of supervision per week.  The role of the student is either to work independently with a family or to share cases with the supervisor. This might include conducting home and/or school visits to address therapeutic goals; such as improving a child’s play skills, social communication, and emotion regulation, as well as improving parent-child, parent to parent, and family interactions overall.

The graduate students participating in the 2015-2016 academic year:

Megan Norma, M.S. - Psychology Doctoral Student

Megan Norman is a doctoral student in the George Washington University Psy.D program. She received her Bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University with a dual focus in Child Studies and Human and Organizational Development. After completing her undergraduate degree, Megan joined Teach For America during which she taught high school science in inner city Baltimore while completing her Masters degree in Secondary Education at Johns Hopkins University. Throughout her teaching experience, Megan developed her skills in working with adolescents who exhibit behavioral and emotional challenges. Additionally, throughout her schooling, she tutored elementary aged students and supported children with special needs through the use of Floortime therapy. Megan is interested in gaining opportunities to explore various therapeutic techniques throughout her time at Family Compass.

Jennifer Tollefson, M.A. - Psychology Doctoral Student

Jennifer Tollefson is in her second year of the Psy.D. program at the George Washington University. She received a B.A. in psychology and religion from Boston University, where she was a research assistant at the Child Development Labs. In 2012, Ms. Tollefson interned at an inpatient mother and baby unit in London, England. In 2013, Ms. Tollefson spent several months in Jaipur, India, volunteering as a social worker in a care home for children infected with HIV. Ms. Tollefson currently sees patients at the GW Center Clinic and specializes in therapy and assessment of children and adolescents.