Internship Through the Stages: A webinar on navigating the doctoral internship journey—from preparation to post-match.

The internship year is one of the most demanding transitions in psychology doctoral training. Students have to navigate the application marathon, the match, the move, and the shift from student to clinician – all while building an identity as a professional. Division 29’s Student Development Committee understands this feat and is hosting a peer-led Q&A for student members to further learn and prepare for the internship process. 

The Q&A panel will consist of current doctoral students, a doctoral trainee who is completing their internship, and a licensed psychologist to talk candidly about what each stage actually asks of you and how to move through it with intention. This session is designed for doctoral students in clinical, counseling, and school psychology, from first year to interns, who are preparing for or currently navigating internship. Whether you’re practicing in your first externship, assembling your first APPIC application, weighing sites, or already settling into your internship year, you’ll leave with practical guidance and a realistic picture of what’s ahead.

The Q&A Objectives:

• Preparation and application: Attendees will build a competitive, authentic application and choose sites that fit their professional and personal goals.
• The match process: Attendees will learn how to manage the waiting period, completing interviews, and the overall emotional weight of the matching process outcome.
• The transition into internship: Attendees will have the opportunity to decide how to relocate, adapt to a new training culture, and renegotiate their identity as they shift from trainee to emerging professional.
• Thriving, not just surviving: Attendees will leave with knowledge on how to set boundaries, engage in supervision and self-advocacy, and sustain their own well-being through a high-intensity year.
• What comes next: Attendees will learn about postdoc, licensure, and the choices that open up once internship is behind them.

Meet the Guest Speakers:

Andi Black is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Mississippi State University and a clinical psychology intern at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she is completing her internship on the Generalist Track. Her professional interests include community engagement, sexual education, and working with minority populations, and she is passionate about promoting accessible, inclusive, and culturally responsive psychological services and education. In her free time, she enjoys attending concerts with her husband, working out, and curling up with a good book.

Dr. Rachael Keyser is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in neurodivergence, women’s reproductive mental health, and psychological assessment. She earned her PsyD from Immaculata University in 2022 and owns Meadow & Mind Psychological Services, LLC, a private practice in Paoli, Pennsylvania, where she provides therapy and diagnostic testing.

Dr. Keyser’s clinical work focuses heavily on the intersection of neurodivergence and relational dynamics, particularly in supporting neurodivergent individuals and facilitating therapy for neurodiverse couples. She also specializes in women’s mental health, with a focus on infertility, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and reproductive transitions. Her practice emphasizes neurodiversity-affirming care and tailored therapeutic approaches for complex life transitions.

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Keyser is dedicated to academia and professional mentorship. She serves as an adjunct professor at several colleges and universities in the Greater Philadelphia region while also supervising doctoral practicum students. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, DIY projects, and spending time with her husband, sons, and three dogs.