Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program
Applications are currently being accepted for the 2025-2026 academic year!
The Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program at Counseling and Psychological Services is a 12-month, full-time, paid opportunity for individuals who will have completed all requirements for a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in clinical or counseling psychology from an American Psychological Association-accredited program by the start of the fellowship.
Fellows receive advanced training in assessment, brief and long-term psychotherapy, crisis intervention, support spaces, group therapy, and outreach activities with special attention to multicultural concerns, sexual and gender identity concerns, and acculturative stress, among other issues salient to a diverse undergraduate and graduate student population from all walks of life and from over 100 countries, presenting with a full range of diagnoses and challenges in living.
All fellows are provided extensive supervision with senior clinicians working in a broad range of treatment modalities, a continual case conference on the application of psychodynamic thinking to college mental health practice, a weekly seminar, and in-service presentations, among other professional development experiences.
Many graduates of the training program go on to careers in college mental health at Columbia or elsewhere and are urged to apply for open positions available at Columbia as they near completion of the program. Fellows interested in establishing a private practice have the opportunity, upon licensure, of joining the Columbia-specific referral network through which students are referred off-campus to private practices.
Contact Dr. Debra Domenech for more information about the postdoctoral fellowship training program.
Training Electives
Applicants are invited, but not required, to indicate an interest in specific rotations in one or more electives. No additional time commitment is required. Participation is contingent upon availability.
The multidisciplinary Eating Disorder Treatment Team, composed of psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physicians, and nutritionists, provides comprehensive care for students presenting with a range of eating concerns. Services include individual psychotherapy, psychopharmacological evaluation and management, medical evaluations, nutrition rehabilitation, and consultation services to the larger university community.
Fellows in this elective will receive weekly individual supervision with an ED Specialist, attend weekly clinical team meetings, co-facilitate a group/support space, and conduct one intake each week with a student seeking treatment for their eating disorder. Fellows learn how to assess for the appropriate level of care for students presenting with eating concerns in a college health setting and may also coordinate various outreach and educational on-campus activities related to eating concerns, weight management, nutrition, and body image.
The Trauma Support Team provides survivors of recent and past trauma with individual
psychotherapy, psychoeducational/support group spaces, psychopharmacological
evaluation and management, and referrals for appropriate care on and off campus. The
team collaborates with other departments of Columbia Health and across the University to
provide assistance with crisis intervention and coordination of care with relevant services.
They work especially closely with Columbia Health’s Sexual Violence Response program.
Fellows participating in this elective receive weekly individual supervision from a psychologist
with a strong background in trauma-informed treatment, attend weekly clinical conferences,
co-facilitate a group for survivors, and typically conduct one intake each week for a student
seeking trauma support. Fellows will gain an understanding of how to navigate trauma support
and sexual and intimate partner violence in a college health setting, learn about various trauma
treatment modalities, and have the opportunity to present their cases and receive feedback
from the Trauma Support Team.
Fellows co-lead up to three groups: skills-based groups, supports spaces for students in their various identities or with shared life experiences, and other specialized groups. Visit the Support Groups page to learn about current offerings.
Fellows participating in this elective receive weekly supervision from a psychologist with a strong background in Group Therapy and gain a deeper understanding of group formation from recruitment to termination. Fellows will also be provided the opportunity to help formulate and implement a variety of psychoeducational and outreach events and may have occasion to join senior staff in providing consultation to campus partners.
Fellows participating in this elective will learn about behavioral health integration in Medical Services as a distinct application to college counseling services.
Fellows will assess students presenting in Medical Services, gain competencies in the evaluation and treatment of behavioral health concerns, learn to identify appropriate levels of care, receive weekly supervision from a behavioral health psychologist, and attend monthly meetings with medical staff. They may also co-facilitate behavioral support spaces and coordinate outreach and educational on-campus activities related to commonly presenting mind-body conflicts.
Attend a virtual open to meet the staff and current Fellows
How to Apply
Applications are currently being accepted for the 2025-2026 academic year until positions are filled.
Final deadline: January 17, 2025.
The position requires completion of all requirements for a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in clinical or counseling psychology from an American Psychological Association-accredited clinical or counseling program prior to start date (last week in August of the start of the academic year).
- Complete the online application on opportunities.columbia.edu. Attach your CV and a detailed letter of interest, including your interest in specific elective rotations, if any.
Upon receipt of the online application, applicants may be offered interviews.
- Email the following to Debra Domenech, Ph.D., Associate Director for Postdoctoral Training at [email protected]:
- three letters of recommendation
- de-identified clinical writing sample
- official graduate school transcript