For University of Memphis students, it's a free opportunity to speak with a counselor about their concerns or obstacles, but not every counselor at the Career and Psychological Counseling Center has received a psychologist's license.
There are six licensed psychologists, but the remainder of the staff is composed of four doctoral interns from around the country, as well as students from The U of M's own doctoral psychology program enrolled in a practicum.
If a student is prepared to ask, they can receive treatment from one of the professional psychologists. Otherwise, they are equally likely to meet with a training counselor who is an advanced doctoral student.
"I'd be ok with it, but they (the trainees) need to identify when the situation needs to be handled by an expert, a trained professional," said Kristina Dean, senior psychology major.
Other students oppose being treated by someone in the process of earning a degree.
"We are not test animals," said Dina Kineish, junior biology major.
Unlike the psychologists' sessions, the sessions with the interns or other doctoral students are required to be videotaped.
"Are you serious?" Kineish said. "That gives us no privacy."
The tapes are then reviewed by one of the licensed psychologists as a way to judge the trainees.
"It's the only way to monitor (the doctoral students) without a third person in the room," said Bob Maichrowicz, manager of the CPCC. "The tapes are used in supervision in order to create a good counselor."
According to Maichrowicz, the cameras are placed unobtrusively in a corner, and the tapes are always taped over. Some of the rooms also have televisions, but they are kept off, he said.
Taping a doctoral student working with a patient is common, according to James Whelan, the director of The U of M's Psychological Services Center, an entity independent from the CPCC.
The PSC is an extension of The University's doctoral psychology program and focuses on low-cost therapy for the community with doctoral students as counselors. The center also videotapes sessions to be reviewed by a professor with a psychology license later.
"Not only does the client get a therapist who is working very hard, but also they have a supervisor looking over the therapist's shoulder," Whelan said.
While some students feel a little wary about the arrangement, some still approve.
"The set-up is probably a good idea because it gives the trainees experience, but the sessions are supervised, so the patient can count on getting the quality of help they need," said Brittany Thompson, senior psychology major.
