Psychology Fellowships

Post-Graduate Training Opportunities

McLean Hospital offers numerous opportunities for post-graduate training in a variety of mental health specialties. Our fellowships allow for focused training in child/adolescent, adult, and older adult mental health care.

Adult psychology fellowships:

Neuropsychology fellowships:

Child/adolescent fellowships:

Looking for opportunities for psychiatrists? See our psychiatry fellowships

Fernside Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Addiction Psychology

The Fernside Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Addiction Psychology provides training in the psychological treatment of individuals with moderate-to-severe substance use disorders, many of whom have other co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Fernside is a 30-day residential addiction treatment program, a setting that balances clinical casework with ample supervision.

Post-doctoral fellows master techniques including cognitive behavioral relapse prevention, motivational interviewing, and integrated group therapy for the treatment of coexisting substance use and mood disorders. Fellows also are trained to adapt other evidence-based therapies, including dialectical behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy, to this patient population. Clinical experiences include treatment in the group, individual, and family setting, as well as case management.

Training Overview

Post-doctoral fellows generally follow two to three patients, meeting three to four times weekly, as well as leading approximately four groups per week. There are also opportunities for elective clinical experiences at other McLean Hospital programs, depending on the fellow’s educational needs and interests. Time for professional development activities is also provided.

Individual supervision is provided at least two hours per week, in addition to one-hour-weekly group supervision with licensed clinicians. Supervision also takes place at multidisciplinary rounds, which meet every weekday for a total of five hours per week. Supervisors hold academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and are licensed psychologists or psychiatrists. During regular work hours, supervisors are always present at the clinical site and are available to meet patients with the fellow or for urgent consultation.

How To Apply

Applicants must have a doctoral degree in psychology (PsyD or PhD). Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis beginning on November 1. The deadline for application is February 1.

To apply, please send a curriculum vitae and a cover letter, along with three letters of recommendation or contact information for three references.

For more information or to submit application materials, please contact Robin Gay, PhD.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Eating Disorders Psychology

The Klarman Eating Disorders Center at McLean Hospital offers a full time 12-month post-doctoral fellowship, which includes an appointment in psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

The Klarman Center is a 20-bed, open-door, acute residential treatment center and a seven-day per week, 12-hour per day step down partial hospital treatment program. We treat young women ages 18 to 26, and occasionally older, with a primary diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Many patients also have coexisting psychiatric illnesses including major depression and bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders including obsessive compulsive disorder, trauma and PTSD, personality disorders, and substance use disorders which are treated simultaneously with the eating disorder.

The intensive treatment model offers individual therapy three times per week with one clinician, family therapy once to twice per week with a second clinician, full psychiatric assessment and psychopharmacological interventions, nutritional counseling, and a robust daily group therapy schedule.

Candidates will carry a mix of individual therapy and group therapy assignments with an opportunity to also carry family therapy cases if interested. Our large multidisciplinary team meets twice per week for two hours in clinical rounds where all patients are discussed at length.

Admissions are conducted with the full assigned team meeting with the patient and family together.

Two hours per week of individual clinical supervision will be provided in addition to a weekly psychologist-led group supervision for trainees of all disciplines.

There are numerous additional training opportunities to attend McLean Hospital’s Grand Rounds weekly, Schwartz Rounds and special offerings through the Division of Women’s Mental Health, which includes the Klarman Center.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation.

For more information or to submit application materials, please contact Judith Halperin, PsyD.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in OCD Psychology

McLean’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Institute (OCDI) offers full-time post-doctoral fellowships, with opportunities including full-time clinical and clinical/research (50% of the time spent on research activities and 50% on clinical activities). This is a 1-year position, with the possibility of extending into a second year. The fellowship position includes a joint appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

The clinical component of the position involves advanced training and clinical experience in the delivery of evidence-based treatments for OCD and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. Fellows provide individual and group-based interventions across residential and partial hospital levels of care, guided by ample supervision and support from our expert staff. Fellows are also involved with providing training and supervised supervision for doctoral practicum students. There are opportunities to attend a wide variety of didactic trainings and seminars (both within the OCDI and across McLean).

For the research component of the position, fellows may work on an active research study or clinical trial, for example, a multisite clinical trial examining personalized prediction of exposure therapy mechanisms for OCD using machine learning. Fellows attend weekly cross-site coordination meetings, and assists the principal investigators with study oversight, supervision of research staff, and manuscript and grant writing. There are ample opportunities for fellows to pursue their own independent lines of research.

Candidates should have completed a doctorate in clinical, counseling, or school psychology (PhD or PsyD), and have completed an APA-approved pre-doctoral internship prior to the fellowship start date. They must have attended a graduate/training program with training in CBT and evidence-based interventions.

Competitive candidates should be well-versed in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and skilled in exposure-based interventions for OCD and anxiety spectrum conditions. Expertise in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing (MI), functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), and/or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is highly valuable.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references (letters of recommendation are not required).

Apply Now

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

For more information or to submit application materials please use the link above. With questions, please contact Nathaniel Van Kirk, PhD.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Adult and Geriatric Clinical Neuropsychology

McLean Hospital’s Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Adult and Geriatric Clinical Neuropsychology is a full-time, two-year program in which fellows gain experience by conducting neuropsychological and psychodiagnostic evaluations with geriatric inpatients and outpatients while working in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities include performing cognitive and psychological evaluations for adult and geriatric patients with neurocognitive, psychiatric, and neurologic disorders across multiple settings, including outpatient clinics, a specialized memory disorders assessment clinic, and inpatient and residential consultations throughout McLean.

Extensive didactic programming is offered through McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School, such as neuropsychology seminars with other advanced trainees in the greater Boston area, psychodiagnostics and psychopathology lectures, behavioral neurology rounds, psychiatry grand rounds, and many other seminar/lecture series offered throughout the year. Individual and group supervision is provided in accordance with APA and licensing requirements.

Fellows complete a research/academic project during their fellowship, with the aim of presenting this work at a scientific conference (e.g., poster/oral presentation), submitting a manuscript for publication, or generating some other scholarly work product (e.g., review paper, pilot grant application, etc.) by the end of fellowship.

Depending on research interest and experience, the fellowship may be modified during the second year to accommodate more research activities. There are extensive research opportunities available within our department, throughout McLean, and across the broader Mass General Brigham and Harvard systems.

Fellows have academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and are offered a salary that adheres to NIH NRSA stipend scale and full medical benefits.

How To Apply

Application materials include a completed fellowship application, a curriculum vitae, a letter of interest, two letters of recommendation, and one sample neuropsychological report.

All materials must be received by November 21. In-person interviews are conducted shortly thereafter.

Applicants must complete all requirements from an APA-approved doctoral program by the fellowship start date of September 1.

For more information, or to submit application materials, please contact Regan Patrick, PhD.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Child/Adolescent Clinical Neuropsychology

Child and Adolescent Testing Service (CATS), part of the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Services at McLean Hospital, offers full-time, two-year advanced training in child and adolescent neuropsychological and psychodiagnostic assessment.

This position is aimed at post-doctoral trainees and post-licensed psychologists who wish to gain specialized training. The fellowship adheres to the Houston Conference standards and is designed to train specialists in the practice of clinical neuropsychology.

The CATS clinic provides comprehensive neuropsychological, academic, and psychological assessment of children and adolescents with complex developmental, learning, cognitive, and psychiatric profiles. Referral questions and presentations are complex and may involve various factors, such as learning disability, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, brain injury, and psychiatric illness, including mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, trauma, and psychotic disorders.

The CATS model of assessment is unique and involves the integration of neuropsychological, academic, and projective measures within the context of the individual’s development and patterns of functioning. The goal is to provide the parents, the school, and the treating clinicians with a better understanding of how the child is functioning, both cognitively and emotionally, so that specific recommendations for educational and treatment planning can be generated.

Trainees participate in a multidisciplinary team to assess learning and behavioral problems associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Training components include assessment, integrative report writing, case conferences, presentation of results to parents, school consultations, intensive supervision, and participation in didactic seminars.

Fellows have an academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and are a part of the McLean Hospital community. Through didactic seminars and case conference presentations, trainees are also connected to Boston area neuropsychologists.

All trainees must have course work completed in projective assessment, neuropsychological and cognitive assessment, and have experience working with children and adolescents in a testing context. Trainees must complete all doctoral requirements, including dissertation, prior to the start of the fellowship.

The clinic offers one full-time, two-year post-doctoral position. A stipend and medical benefits are available.

How To Apply

Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, a letter of intent, and two de-identified sample reports.

We accept applications for our two-year training position on a bi-yearly basis. Applications are reviewed in the order they arrive. Application deadline is December 15.

Acceptance is based on receipt of a formal agreement form from graduate program, clinical affiliation agreement, and McLean Hospital HR protocol (CORI check, etc.).

For more information or to submit application materials, please contact Karmen Koesterer, PsyD.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Adolescent DBT Clinical Psychology

McLean Hospital’s 3East adolescent DBT treatment programs offer a post-doctoral fellowship in intensive residential DBT with adolescents and young adults.

The 3East residential programs provide short-term, self-pay intensive DBT treatment for teens and young adults who struggle with significant emotion dysregulation, symptoms of self-harm, impulsivity, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, drug and alcohol misuse, significant interpersonal difficulties, and trauma and cannot be supported in an outpatient setting.

The residential programs require a minimum patient commitment of 6 weeks and offer two phases of treatment. In the intensive program, the focus is on skills acquisition, and in the advanced program, the focus is on skills generalization. 3East is dedicated to providing affirming care to patients of all genders.

This fellowship provides the unique opportunity to practice dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in a highly intensive residential environment in which all members of the interdisciplinary team are trained and committed to the DBT approach.

With comprehensive training and supervision, fellows provide individual DBT, DBT group therapy, DBT family therapy, DBT skills training, milieu coaching, parent skills training, and comprehensive case management.

Fellows also have the opportunity to participate in DBT consultation team, biweekly rounds, weekly clinical seminars, case conferences, and a rich variety of Grand Rounds lectures, colloquium, and other learning opportunities offered to the wider McLean Hospital community.

Due to the high frequency of co-occurring diagnoses, such as PTSD, OCD, and autism spectrum disorder, fellows may also have the opportunity to learn how to address specific coexisting conditions in a DBT setting. Fellows will have the opportunity to attend a DBT Foundational Training if they have not yet attended one and may choose an alternative DBT training if they have already completed a foundational course.

These are full-time, 12-month positions starting September 1.

Prior to the fellowship, trainees must complete all requirements for their doctoral degree, confirmed by either a letter from their department chair or an official school transcript.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should send a personal statement outlining their qualifications, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation to Gillian Galen, PsyD.

Applications are due by December 1, with placement notifications in mid January.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Adolescent Psychology

McLean’s Adolescent Acute Residential Treatment (ART) Program offers a 12-month, full-time post-doctoral fellowship in adolescent psychology.

The ART and associated partial hospital program are located at the McLean SouthEast Isaac Street campus in Middleborough, Massachusetts. The ART is a 22-bed, short-term residential treatment facility. The partial hospital program enrolls about 12 patients at a time.

Both programs use dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as the primary treatment modality to serve a population of culturally and diagnostically diverse adolescents.

Patients experience a variety of psychiatric and psychosocial challenges, including suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors, mood and anxiety disorders, substance misuse, psychosis, and trauma reactivity.

Patient and caregiver skills groups and milieu coaching support the acquisition and application of DBT skills. Each patient is assigned a DBT educator, a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner, and a primary clinician who provides individual therapy, family therapy, and case management.

The post-doctoral fellow joins the program’s collaborative, multidisciplinary team, providing care across both residential and partial hospitalization levels of care. The fellow concurrently serves as the primary clinician for up to four patients and facilitates two therapy groups per week. This position offers the opportunity to build confidence and competence in higher levels of care, with the added benefit of treating patients across varying levels of acuity and over longer admissions.

Opportunities to complete psychological testing and join existing research endeavors are also available. The fellow participates in individual supervision and consultation team meetings weekly.

DBT trainings are offered throughout the year, as well as learning opportunities through McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School, including weekly Grand Rounds and Schwartz Rounds lectures.

Candidates must have completed all requirements of their APA-accredited doctoral program prior to the fellowship start date of September 1.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation via email to Melanie Harkins, PsyD.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Clinical Mental Health Research

McLean Hospital’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is excited to announce the creation of three full-time, two-year post-doctoral fellowships designed to launch the clinical research careers of psychologists and psychiatrists focusing on child, adolescent, and young adult mental health.

These three fellowships offer 80% protected time for research and 20% time for relevant clinical work, created to allow fellows to design and submit K and related grants, while gaining valuable clinical skills (including hours towards psychology licensure)—both from McLean’s world experts in clinical care and research.

Fellows’ clinical placement are based on their interests and prior experience, and will include one of the following:

  • McLean Anxiety Mastery Program (MAMP), OCDI Jr., and Belmont Adolescent Partial Hospital Program, focusing on anxiety and its treatment
  • 3East Adolescent DBT Continuum, focusing on self-harm/suicide
  • McLean SouthEast, focusing on unipolar/bipolar disorder, anxiety/stress, psychosis, substance use disorders, and ADHD/neurodevelopmental disorders

Key research interests include brain, behavior, family, and gene mechanisms underlying developmental psychopathology, “big data”/electronic health records or digital phenotyping, and treatment.

Fellows’ research activity involve combinations of data and mentorship from their clinical placement. Division research programs include the PediMIND program, led by Daniel P. Dickstein, MD, FAAP, chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Chief and renowned clinician/researcher, and leading researchers from McLean’s six other divisions.

Psychology candidates must have a doctoral degree in clinical psychology (or child psychology) from an APA-accredited program and have completed an APA-accredited internship. Physician candidates must have completed an accredited child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should send their curriculum vitae and cover letter via email to Daniel Dickstein, MD, FAAP.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Child/Adolescent OCD Psychology

The Child and Adolescent OCD Institute (OCDI Jr.) at McLean Hospital offers a full-time, clinical post-doctoral fellowship. The position provides an opportunity for a psychologist with interest in OCD, anxiety, related evidence-based treatments, and clinical research.

OCDI Jr. is a residential program for children and adolescents who present with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and related disorders.

The program provides cutting-edge treatment delivered in a sensitive and nurturing manner. The primary treatments used are exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These proven behavioral treatment approaches have been shown to have a profound and positive impact on the lives of children and adolescents struggling with OCD and related anxiety disorders.

OCDI Jr. is one of only a few programs in the country to provide this form of residential evidence-based treatment for anxious youth. Clinical opportunities include working within a residential setting to provide individual, family, and group therapy, to those experiencing significant OCD and anxiety.

Candidates must have a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from an APA-accredited program and have completed an APA-accredited internship.

It is helpful for qualified individuals to have clinical experience with cognitive behavior therapy and familiarity with OCD, anxiety, and related disorders. Experience with children, adolescents, and parents is preferred.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation via email to Dr. Maria Fraire.

Applications are due December 1.

Topics