Clinical Training in Health Service Psychology

Why Train Here

If you’re drawn to trauma-specialized practice, dignity-based care, and a training environment that takes anti-oppressive, liberation-focused psychology seriously — not as an add-on, but as central to clinical competence — PATH may be the right fit.

You’ll receive broad generalist training across all APA Profession-Wide Competencies, with a concentrated emphasis on complex trauma, dissociation, and trauma-related assessment. You’ll also have a meaningful hand in shaping a training program in its founding year.

Training Philosophy

Our training model is built on three interconnected commitments:

• Practitioner-scholar training — integrating research, clinical expertise, cultural knowledge, and lived experience into your developing practice
• Developmental mentorship — growth through supervision, feedback, and relationship, with explicit attention to how power, culture, and identity shape the training relationship itself
• Professional formation — developing your identity as a psychologist, not just your technical skill, including reflection on your own values, assumptions, and use of self in clinical work

Core Training Components

Direct Clinical Service — Individual, relationship, family, and group psychotherapy across a broad range of trauma-related and co-occurring presentations, drawing from evidence-based practice within a multicultural-feminist, liberation-focused framework.

Assessment Training — Comprehensive, trauma-specific psychological evaluation, including diagnostic, personality, cognitive, and neuropsychological instruments, from referral question through feedback. Elective forensic assessment opportunities (family court, criminal court, fitness-for-duty) are available to advanced trainees based on readiness and case availability.

Didactics & Seminars — A structured Didactic Series, Evidence-Based Practice Seminar, Assessment Seminar (including forensic assessment training for all interns), Research & Program Evaluation Seminar, Supervision Seminar, and weekly Clinical Consultation Group.

Supervision Experience — Interns provide supervision to practicum students under the oversight of licensed psychologists, developing foundational competence as a supervisor alongside their own clinical training.

Research/Program Evaluation — The 2026–2027 intern will complete a program evaluation project focused on PATH’s training program itself, directly shaping its future development.

Training Locations

Training takes place across our Everett and West Seattle locations, with telehealth service delivery when clinically appropriate.

Core Training Faculty

• Charles Benincasa, PsyD — Founder, Executive Director, Clinical Training Director. Clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in complex trauma and dissociation.
• Tyson Bailey, PsyD, ABPP — Board Chair, Director of Operations, Assessment Coordinator. Board-certified clinical psychologist; past president, APA Division 56 (Trauma Psychology).
• Elizabeth Scriven, PsyD, SUDP — Director of Advancement, Access Coordinator.
• Michelle Brown, PsyD, Bill Heusler, PsyD, and Heather Spence, PsyD — Additional supervising and training faculty bringing specialization in health psychology, first-responder mental health, and gender/sexuality-affirming care.

Eligibility

Applicants must be enrolled in an APA/CPA-accredited (or equivalent) doctoral program in clinical, counseling, or school psychology and certified by their doctoral program as ready for internship. We look for applicants whose training goals align with trauma-focused, dignity-based practice — prior specialization isn’t required, but genuine interest in this work is essential.

PATH selects without discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, socioeconomic background, or any other status protected by law.

Accreditation Status

Important: PATH is a developing internship program. We are not currently APA-accredited and not currently a member of APPIC. The program has been designed in alignment with APA Standards of Accreditation and APPIC expectations for internship training, and PATH intends to pursue APPIC membership and APA accreditation eligibility as the program builds operational history and outcome data.

We strongly encourage prospective applicants and doctoral training directors to review this status carefully and confirm how it interacts with your program’s internship requirements and your intended licensing jurisdiction before applying.

Questions?

Charles Benincasa, PsyD Founder, Executive Director & Clinical Training Director Email: charles@healwithpath.org

We welcome questions from prospective interns and doctoral training directors about training structure, supervision, accreditation status, benefits, accessibility, or fit with your program’s requirements.

2026-2027 Internship Handbook