Psychologists Supporting Psychologists in Training is a nonprofit entity in the Commonwealth of Virginia that created and maintains a database of psychologists by region that are willing to see Clinical and Counseling Psychology graduate students pro bono. The database indicates whether the psychologists are available to see students outside of their region via telehealth or only face-to-face.
Psychologists Supporting Psychologists in Training was started by a group of Clinical Psychologists in Virginia after several needs assessments identified barriers to accessing counseling for Virginia Clinical and Counseling doctoral students. The nonprofit launched in January 2021 and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, though operations are conducted virtually and via website.
PSPIT is not responsible for the counseling relationship and only provides a searchable database to facilitate the connection of two groups of people.
Participating psychologists attest to maintenance of good standing with the Virginia Board of Psychology and active malpractice insurance.
Graduate students are six times more likely to be depressed or anxious relative to the general population – (Evans, Bira, Gastelum, Weiss, & Vanderford, 2018).
Psychology graduate students can experience symptoms at higher rates than other groups of graduate students – An APA survey of psychology graduate students in 2009 showed 87 % had anxiety symptoms and 68 % reported depression symptoms. Suicidal thoughts were endorsed by 19 %. (Willyard, 2012; apa.org)
Many clinical and counseling graduate students work at counseling centers and community practicum sites and are thus unable or uncomfortable accessing affordable counseling services available to other university students.
Not all graduate students in Virginia have health insurance coverage that includes counseling. Those that do still face high deductibles and high copays which can make it difficult for graduate students to afford counseling on their stipends.
APA Ethics Code Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility “Psychologists strive to contribute a portion of their professional time for little or no compensation or personal advantage.”
