The Children’s Program internship has full membership status in the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and will participate in the APPIC match (APPIC #254311). 

We will be accepting 3 interns for the 2026-2027 training year

Click here to view our 2027 – 2028 internship brochure.

Click here to view our presentation on why Portland is a great place to live!

Click here to review our CPI 2025 Internship Admissions, Support, and Initial Placement Data

The Intern Manual, which details internship policies, is available electronically by request. Please email the Training Director, Dr. Rose Eagle, at reagle@childrensprogram.com. 

Clinic Overview

We are pleased you are considering the Children’s Program doctoral clinical psychology internship program. Children’s Program is a multi-disciplinary mental health clinic serving children and families. Our internship in clinical psychology offers an opportunity to learn from more than 20 licensed psychologists, all of whom have a unique specialty relating to children and families. Areas of specialty include: diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders (including ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and developmental delays), mood disorders and anxiety, and issues related to trauma and attachment. Children’s Program clinicians use empirically supported treatments and work primarily from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy perspective. We offer a number of therapy and psychoeducational group programs and classes for children and families.

We are proud to have served our community since 1987. Although located in Southwest Portland, Children’s Program serves children, families and agencies from across the state of Oregon. In addition to psychologists, Children’s Program employs developmental behavioral pediatricians, a child psychiatrist, licensed professional counselors, a social worker, a psychometrician, tutors, and also is a training placement for students from various training programs and specialties (e.g., Pacific University, OHSU).

The Children’s Program internship has full membership status in the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and will participate in the APPIC match (APPIC #254311). Children’s Program will be accepting 3 interns for the 2027/2028 training year. Please see the Children’s Program Internship Brochure for details regarding the training year experience. Please email Dr. Rose Eagle, Training Director (reagle@childrensprogram.com) with questions.

Prerequisites for Application

Internship candidates must be doctoral students in counseling, clinical, or school psychology. Both psychometric assessment and psychotherapy experience are required. Qualified candidates will have completed at least 400 intervention and 50 assessment hours, with preference being given to applicants who have a majority of hours completed with children and/or adolescents. A minimum of 4 years of graduate training is required. All qualifying examinations must be passed by the internship application deadline. A candidate’s dissertation proposal must be approved before the internship match ranking deadline.

Please note, we require a Supplemental Assessment Report for all applicants, which should include a comprehensive evaluation with a child or adolescent client (not for a class).

Applications

Interviews will be held the week of 1/11/2027, either virtually via Zoom or in-person, depending on the preferences of the applicant and logistics. No preferential treatment will be given to applicants interviewing in-person versus virtually. If applicants are unable to interview on the available dates, alternative arrangements may be made. Applicants will meet a member of the training team for an individual interview. An optional virtual group meeting with all applicants will be held to provide applicants the opportunity to speak with current interns and psychologist residents. A virtual group meet and greet with supervisors may also be offered . A virtual tour of the facility and information about living in the Portland metro area will also be provided.  

Children’s Program values diversity among staff,  interns and other trainees and the population we serve. Our non-discrimination policy indicates that trainees, clients and staff have the right be treated considerately and respectfully regardless of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, cultural background, economic status, education or disability. We believe that diversity enhances the climate and training environment and are committed to ongoing efforts to recruit and retain diverse staff (including training supervisors) and trainees, as well as to improve our ability to serve diverse populations in our region. We seek to provide ongoing training and educational opportunities for our staff and trainees around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, with a goal of improving clinical practice, increasing outreach to underserved communities and improving our ability to welcome and support trainees and staff from a wide range of backgrounds.

Children’s Program Internship was granted accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA)  as of May 23, 2025. 

Questions related to the program’s accreditation status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 2002
Phone: (202) 336-5979/Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Web: www.apa.og/ed/accreditation

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Questions? Email classes@childrensprogram.com

The post Worry Warriors – Summer 2026 appeared first on The Children's Program.

PLAY Attention to Attention is a summer program designed to teach attention skills through play. The class is for children in 1st-5th grade and is based on Dr. Sosne’s popular Pay Attention to Attention class. Games and other hands-on activities will help children learn how to direct and sustain attention, fend off distractions, reach goals, and track accomplishments.  This class is designed to feel more like playtime than school or tutoring. Play Attention to Attention is ideal for children who could use extra support with attention, memory, impulse control, organization, or task completion, all while having a genuinely fun camp-like experience. 

Parent Orientation (Virtual): Wednesday, August 12, 6:00pm – 8:00pm  
Children’s Classes (In Person): August 17-20, 2026 (Monday – Thursday), 1:00pm – 3:00pm 
Cost: $300.00/child (10 hrs total instructional time) Class enrollment is capped at 20.  No before/after care provided outside of PATA hours. This class dismisses promptly at 3:00pm.   
Location: Park Academy, 1915 South Shore Blvd, Lake Oswego, OR 97034 
Camp Director: Jeff Sosne, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist   

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This group is best suited for girls who are interested in building friendships, are able to participate in a small group setting, and are willing to engage in both creative activities and group discussions. Participants should have the capacity to participate in a small group setting with facilitator support. This includes a willingness to engage respectfully with peers, remain open to feedback during group activities, and practice positive social interactions while learning to navigate differing perspectives. This group may not be the best fit for youth whose current needs require a higher level of behavioral or emotional support, such as aggression, high risk of harm to self or others, or behaviors that would substantially interfere with the group experience.

Facilitated by Kayla Bailey, Psy.D. (Licensed Psychologist) & Makenna Armijo, M.A. (Intern) 
Age range: 6th – 8th graders
Dates: August 17 – 20, 2026, 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Price: $300.00/participant (includes all supplies)
Location: Park Academy – 1915 South Shore Blvd, Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Please email marmijo@childrensprogram.com with questions.

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The partnership focuses on increasing timely access to evaluation and intervention services for students who may otherwise experience significant barriers to care due to the limited availability of specialty providers in rural communities along the Oregon Coast. In collaboration with school district staff, Dr. Albin provides comprehensive assessment services and recommendations related to educational planning, emotional-behavioral supports, school-based interventions, community supports, and individualized service planning.

In addition to evaluation services, the outreach partnership also includes upcoming trainings and presentations for school staff and families focused on childhood mental health, behavioral supports, and practical recommendations for supporting student well-being and success.

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Rainbow Connection is the mental health support team serving participants at Ukandu’s Camp Ukandu and Family Camp. These programs are dedicated to fostering joy, hope, and meaningful connection for children, adolescents, and families impacted by cancer.

Ukandu recognizes that a cancer diagnosis affects not only the individual but the entire family system. Rainbow Connection provides compassionate, trauma-informed mental health support to campers and their families through group programming, individual support, and ongoing presence within the camp community. Our goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where participants feel seen, connected, and empowered throughout their camp experience.

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Trauma evaluation and intervention: evaluation of children in the Child Welfare system to determine functioning and needs; Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), parent training, Trauma-Focused CBT, EMDR, and other interventions for families where there are issues related to attachment and adoption

Anxiety and habit/tic disorders intervention: providing Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT), Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and related therapies for treating GAD, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, phobias, Selective Mutism, OCD, etc. as well as habit reversal training for habits and tics

Disruptive behaviors: providing assessment of disruptive behaviors and underlying causes and delivering interventions such as Incredible Years, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Parent Child CARE (PC-CARE), parent training, and individual therapy for anger control and emotion regulation

Diagnostic evaluation: providing evaluation to clarify diagnoses such as ADHD, cognitive delays/intellectual disabilities, ASD, LDs and more

Autism spectrum evaluation and intervention: conducting diagnostic ASD evaluations and providing behavioral intervention (individual and group) and consultation to families of children on the Autism Spectrum

Adolescent behavioral health: providing evaluation and individual therapy to teens for treatment of anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities and differences, social skills, gender identity and sexual orientation support

Residents receive a minimum of one hour of individual supervision per week and weekly group supervision.
Supplementary training opportunities may include:

• Providing Supervision of Supervision to interns or practicum students
• Mentorship meetings with the Director of Clinical Services twice monthly with a focus on professional
  development
• Attending select seminars from the didactic training series on a wide range of topics
• Participating in in-house clinical trainings, DEI journal club and meetings, and consultation groups
• Selecting a minor emphasis to round out training (e.g., disruptive behavior disorder treatment, trauma treatment, ASD evaluation, and many, many more options)
• Assisting lead clinicians in our established therapeutic summer camps
• Traveling with a team of clinicians to rural Oregon counties to conduct evaluations (1-2 times/year)
• Program development on an existing project or project of resident’s choice

Required Qualifications:

• Candidates should hold a Psy.D. or Ph.D. in Clinical, Counseling, or School Psychology from an APA accredited institution  
• Applicants must have completed an APA- or APPIC-recognized pre-doctoral internshipHave clinical training and applied experience serving children and families
• A background in both assessment and intervention with children and families is required and experience with evidence-based evaluation and therapy is preferred

The benefits of working at our clinic include:  

• Salary of $62,500.00
• 40 hours PTO per quarter (to use as sick time, vacation, etc.) for a total of 160 PTO hours per year (some hours may be used for EPPP study, at the resident’s discretion)
• Paid day to take the EPPP (for the first time taking the exam)
• 8 paid holidays per year: New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Juneteenth, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas, Memorial Day
• Medical and dental benefit-eligible position (with employee contribution)
• Malpractice insurance
• Access to FSA and dependent daycare through AFLAC
• EAP program through Canopy
• Disability insurance (1x employee salary up to $50,000 after a 60-day waiting period)
• $600 training stipend available for approved trainings –or-option for EPPP study materials reimbursement up to $600
• Access to legal/ethical consultation resources
• Numerous internal training/continuing education opportunities; residents may select up to 5 formal training seminars to attend
• Full-time staff support with administrative tasks, including:
  • Intake screening
  • Scheduling
  • Billing & collections
  • Credentialing & insurance paneling
  • Marketing & community outreach
  • IT
  • Well-established sources of client referrals from medical & mental health professionals, schools, and other institutions in the Portland metro area
• A vibrant, fun, supportive office environment

Children’s Program values diversity among staff, trainees and the population we serve. Our non-discrimination policy indicates that trainees, clients and staff have the right be treated considerately and respectfully regardless of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, cultural background, economic status, education or disability. We believe that diversity enhances the climate and training environment and are committed to ongoing efforts to recruit and retain diverse staff (including training supervisors) and trainees, as well as to improve our ability to serve diverse populations in our region. We seek to provide ongoing training and educational opportunities for our staff and trainees around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, with a goal of improving clinical practice, increasing outreach to underserved communities and improving our ability to welcome and support trainees and staff from a wide range of backgrounds.

For further information and to apply for the position, please email CV and cover letter to Rose Eagle, Ph.D., Director of Training, at reagle@childrensprogram.com.

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Are you looking for a workplace where you can grow, collaborate, and make a difference in children’s lives? The Children’s Program is a vibrant, multidisciplinary clinic serving children, teens, and families in the Portland metro area for over 40 years. Our 30+ dedicated professionals include psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, and support staff, all working together to provide exceptional care in a collaborative and supportive environment.

Pay: $105,000.00 – $135,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Education: Doctorate Required

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• A supportive, vibrant, and fun community of colleagues with regular team-building events
• Hybrid work-from-home options one day per week once established
• Competitive salary plus generous vacation, paid holidays, and excellent benefits (health, vision, optional dental, retirement plan, FSA, life/disability coverage, EAP)
• Salary adjustments considered annually
• Numerous continuing education opportunities (including 8 hours paid CE time per year)
• Regular in-house consultation/mentorship groups (many of which are CE-eligible)
• Full administrative support—focus on your clients, not paperwork
• Well-established sources of client referrals from schools, physicians, and community partners

About the Role
We are seeking a licensed Psychologist with a doctoral degree from an APA-accredited program. We welcome early-career psychologists who want to launch their careers in a collegial, growth-oriented setting.

Our team works with a broad range of children and families, and we especially value applicants experienced in:

• Therapy and/or assessment with elementary school students
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• ADHD
• Anxiety and depression

Opportunities for Growth
In addition to direct client care, you’ll have the chance to:

• Train and mentor practicum students, interns, and residents
• Contribute to community outreach and marketing
• Collaborate across disciplines in a dynamic clinical environment
• Develop new classes, groups, and community presentations

How to Apply
Please send your CV and a cover letter highlighting your clinical interests to smarshall@childrensprogram.com. Applications without a cover letter may not be considered.

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Anger can be rapidly sparked without any awareness of thought or intention.  It can begin with a pre-anger vulnerability (such as hunger, fatigue, or stress), with little or no overt sign that anger is brewing. The various stages of anger reflect the degree of physical activation, cognitive distortion, aggression, and the degree to which the thinking brain has been hijacked by emotional dysregulation.   

The biology of anger often involves extremely rapid and powerful chemical processes that accelerate heartbeat and increase blood flow to our muscles.  Structures of the brain, such as the thalamus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray (PAG), tempero-parietal junction and amygdala are all involved in the sparking and manifestation of anger. The brain’s limbic system is the first to react and activate the energy systems; only then does the information make its way to the thinking brain – the prefrontal cortex. Prefrontal cortex, “thinking brain” functions involve left-right brain integration and are essential in anger control. The left part of the brain contains the approach functions – moving towards whatever the spark or stimulus is. The right side of the orbital prefrontal cortex is designed to withdraw or flee. Angry children rarely withdraw from a sparking situation, as it goes against the natural tendencies of a young, maturing brain.  

When we perceive a threat, brain chemicals are immediately released that increase our heart rate, activate our muscles and “shut dow other less important brain functions.  When we get angry, we feel stronger, talk louder, and become more physical.  This is why an angry person is more likely to strike out or damage property. It is no wonder that such terms as ballistic, boiling, steamed or fried have become part of our anger vocabulary.  (An excellent review of the biology of anger is provided in, Healing the Angry Brain by Ronald Potter-Efron). 

The energizing nature of anger overwhelms young children and can be quite difficult for them to control. Knowing how your child experiences their anger helps you recognize and manage the early stages.  Ultimately, we want children to be able to control their anger before it overwhelms their thinking brain. There is typically an interpersonal element—a child will get angry because they believe someone has intentionally wronged them.  This is often why a child gets angry with some people and not others.   

Anger suppresses the thinking brain to focus on action. The “thinking brain” is limited in its ability to assert influence over the anger centers (the “dinosaur” or “hulk” brain”). Thus, angry children don’t respond to what you say to them, logic and reasoning do not work.  When a child is angry, the limbic system sends messages to the thinking brain, but the problem is that the thinking brain cannot talk back. The brain tends to be overly “optimistic” and “attacks” when other actions would be more effective.  The angry brain thinks it is going to accomplish more than it can because it minimizes risk, overestimates skill, and underestimates others. Angry people tend to take more risks and focus on action rather than introspection.    

Why do we get angry even when our safety is not under threat?  Because we view events that block our needs as indirect threats to our survival. We get frustrated when something or someone gets in the way of accomplishing our goal: heavy traffic keeps us from getting to a movie on time, noisy children prevent us from teaching our class, our employer refuses to give us a raise we feel we deserve, our favorite basketball team loses a big lead in the playoffs.  We get annoyed and sometimes angry when our coffee spills on the floor or when our stereo does not work properly.  These events are not actual attacks, but they do involve unmet wants or needs and elicit the same emotion as if our survival were at stake. 

We need only to misperceive someone’s intentions as hostile for us to experience anger.  We get mad when someone taunts or provokes us, but not when we know they are just joking around. Some inequities can be tolerated, but we get upset easily when singled out and disadvantaged unfairly.  An accidental bump or bruise is part of the game, but we will lose our temper if we believe that our opponent was deliberately trying to harm us.  Children who can’t handle these inadvertent provocations are children who need help with anger control.  

We will be sharing more tips on dealing with your child’s anger from The Fired Up Notebook by Jeff Sosne, Ph.D. and  the FIRED UP online program. 

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Cost: $500.00 (Not insurance billable, but includes all supplies needed for camp. Includes a non-refundable deposit of $100.00) 

When: August 17-21, 2026, 9:00am – 12:00pm
No before/after care provided outside of camp hours. This camp dismisses promptly at noon.Location: Park Academy, 1915 South Shore Blvd, Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Camp Director: Kayla Bailey, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist   
Facilitators:
Stephen Beard, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist     
Hailey Albin, Psy.D., Psychologist Resident
Hiba Jbarah, Psy.D., Psychologist Resident
Jacob Wankel, Psy.D.,, Psychologist Resident
Erica Tobin, Psy.D., Psychologist Resident
Fionn Fortune, M.A., Psychology Intern
Brittany Gregory, M.S., Psychology Intern
Makenna Armijo, M.A., Psychology Intern

If you have questions about the camp, please reach out to kbailey@childrensprogram.com

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