Psychology Internship Training Program
The psychology internship training program at New Alternatives for Children seeks to develop professionals who can competently and sensitively provide psychotherapeutic services to a traditionally underserved and marginalized population of clients involved in the child welfare system, and to take an integrative, person-centered approach to treatment, with respect to the inextricable link between medical, emotional and behavioral health.
Psychology Internship Training Program

Internship Overview:
NAC’s psychology internship program aspires to be a center of excellence that will afford prospective interns the opportunity to experience the rewards of serving the underserved while receiving training as professional psychologists. We are committed to providing interns with experiences in serving:
- Dyadic psychotherapy with parents and young children who have experienced trauma and attachment disruptionsÂ
- Individual psychotherapy using modalities such as psychodynamic psychotherapy and evidence-based treatment models
- Family therapyÂ
- Comprehensive psychological evaluations of adults and childrenÂ
- Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of clients who have developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorder
- Parent consultation to address challenging behaviorsÂ
- Mental health consultation to NAC staff and agency personnelÂ
Interns are expected to carry a caseload of 10 to 12 clients and to conduct approximately 15 psychological evaluations over the course of the year.
Training Model:
- A comprehensive orientation, which provides an introduction to all areas of functioning included in the internship with background conceptual and/or didactic frameworks
- Weekly didactic seminar sessions (1-2 hours per week) with topics that are pertinent to the clinical work interns will provide at NAC, such as training in assessment and intervention, working with medically fragile youth, and clinical dynamics of adoption
- Participation in weekly case conferences with a multidisciplinary team from all of the relevant units at NAC for the purpose of insuring an appropriate treatment plan
- Two and a half hours of supervision provided individually and one hour in a group on a bi-weekly basis for both testing and therapy cases
- Supervision provided individually and in a group on a weekly basis by outside supervisors from the NYIPT for the attachment model intervention include video feedback of the session
- Participation in peer supervision and a once monthly group meeting on supervision
- Written evaluation and feedback from supervisors twice a year to identify areas of practice that are strengths for the intern and those needing further skill development.
Interns receive a stipend of $30,000 for 12 months with full employee benefits including health and dental coverage (individual or family) as well as five personal days, four weeks paid vacation (accrued), paid sick leave (accrued), and paid holiday time.
Training & Supervisory Faculty:
Ashley Golub, Psy.D. is the Assistant Director of Mental Health and Coordinator of Psychology Training at New Alternatives for Children. She is a NY state licensed psychologist who earned her degree at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Yeshiva University in their Child-School Psychology program. Dr. Golub brings an attachment lens to her clinical work and supervision, and has expertise in psychology assessment, particularly projective measures.
Shauna Balch, Psy.D. is the Coordinator of Psychology Internship Training. She earned her doctorate in school-clinical psychology from Pace University. Dr. Balch has experience working with individuals across the lifespan, and particularly with medically fragile youth and individuals with complex trauma.
Dayna Shapiro, Psy.D. is a NY state licensed psychologist who earned her doctoral degree from Pace University. Dr. Shapiro brings an eclectic trauma-informed approach to her therapy, assessment and consultation work.
Kate Hariton, Psy.D. earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from The George Washington University. She specializes in early childhood mental health and parent-infant psychotherapy.
Is this Internship Accredited?
NAC’s Psychology Internship program has been a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Center (APPIC) since 2018. The program has been in the process of completing a self-study for accreditation since 2019. However, there is no guarantee that NAC’s Psychology Internship will attain APA accreditation at this time.
How to Apply
Through APPIC online, submit the following materials:
- A copy of your APPI applicationÂ
- A copy of your CV
- Photocopy of your transcript from your graduate program(s)
- Three letters of recommendation
- An integrative assessment report
Please check for deadline dates on the APPI website. Interviews will occur in late December and January.For questions, contact Shauna Balch: sbalch@nackidscan.org.