Dr. Kati Wax has been supervising all levels of Doctoral candidates as well as Master's degree level trainees since 2009. She founded Lincoln Park Psychology with the goal of providing supervision and consultation to professionals willing to continue their growth in the field. In addition to running a robust and well-developed Post-Doctoral Fellowship training program, Dr. Wax offers supervision to those needing their next tier of licensure, as well as consultation for fully licensed professionals. Of all things, Dr. Wax considers herself a trainer, dedicated to elevating the profession by preparing future clinicians to be the best in their field of expertise. We interview for therapist and Postdoctoral Fellowship positions on a rolling basis. Please see the information below regarding the program and how to apply.
Overview
The Postdoctoral Fellowship program at Lincoln Park Psychology accepts graduates of Psy.D. or Ph.D. programs into our year-long, full-time training experience. The training program is designed to help postdocs refine and perfect their clinical skills in key areas of practice, all while functioning as a valued member of our team. We emphasize training in fundamental and complex clinical skills with a primary focus on Individual, Group, and Family Therapy, as well as Crisis Intervention. We work with the interests of the Post-Doctoral Fellow while also providing a broad experience with diverse clients. Post-Doctoral caseloads are not only diverse in clinical presentations, but also in age, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Ultimately, the main training goal/objective is to continue the professional growth of the Post-Doctoral Fellow in such a way that, by the end of the training year, the future psychologist feels confident in the ability to competently function independently as a clinician, with the ability to practice in accordance with the highest standards of care.
Fellows are exposed to best-practices through a variety of training, supervisory, and structured learning opportunities. Consistent supervision is provided by Licensed Clinical Psychologists, ensuring growth in the areas of competency, intervention, and within the self of the therapist. The Fellowship program is therapy-based; however, there is an opportunity to conduct formal diagnostic assessments.
Postdoctoral Fellows receive clinical training and supervision in accordance with the standards set forth by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. The Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct can be found at https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/.
Clinical Training Elements
Individual Therapy: Postdoctoral Fellows are provided supervision regarding individual therapy and applying evidence-supported clinical interventions with clients of various presentations and diagnoses. Postdoctoral Fellows may be exposed to a variety of creative interventions across a broad array of conceptual theory including Narrative Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Focused Care, Humanistic/Existential viewpoints, Adlerian, and Psychodynamic principles, to name a few.
Group Therapy: At Lincoln Park Psychology, we believe highly in the power of the group process to affect change, especially in children/adolescents and those on the Autism Spectrum. This option is often contingent on client interest; however, we advertise and market our groups based on current trends and needs. Postdoctoral Fellows may receive training in group therapy, with the possible opportunity to develop group curriculum/programming throughout the training year. Relevant topics have included: healthy self-image, managing bullying behaviors, healthy peer relationships, social skills, etc.
Family Therapy: Lincoln Park Psychology believes that most success comes from engaging children/adolescents while working in tandem with the family system. All Postdoctoral Fellows offer and provide family therapy where available and indicated. Postdoctoral Fellows are provided with comprehensive supervision that facilitates the acquisition and refinement of evidence-based family therapy skills.
Ethics: Postdoctoral Fellows are provided training in the legal and ethical standards in psychology, and the state of Illinois. Clinical Supervisors review the legal and ethical issues that arise with the fellow's caseload on a weekly basis. Clinical Supervisors engage the Postdoctoral Fellows in a discussion about the pertinent legal and ethical issues related to the case, as well as help them identify how to navigate these issues.
Diversity: Our Postdoctoral Fellowship training program maintains a required competency in diversity issues, and provides multiple experiences throughout the year to ensure that trainees are both personally supported and well-trained in this area. These training experiences include, but are not limited to provision of treatment to diverse populations, structured learning activities on diversity related topics, as well as group supervision processing of these components. Postdoctoral Fellows are provided with opportunities to work with a diverse population of children, adolescents, adults, and families with diverse demographics including age, cultural, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliations and beliefs, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Postdoctoral Fellows are expected to regularly discuss the diversity factors that are at play in each client's life as well as in the therapeutic relationship and process.
School Consultation: When working with a child or adolescent client, we may find the need to work not only with the family system, but the other main system at play in their lives: the school. It is possible that Postdoctoral Fellows will suggest or be asked to do a school observation, review a student's IEP, or make recommendations for how to best navigate school life. In these cases, Postdoctoral Fellows receive comprehensive supervision from Dr. Wax regarding how to assess when this service is needed, how to plan accordingly, how to read an IEP, and how to work in tandem with a school system/classroom.
Structure
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At least 12 consecutive months - full-time (minimum of 30 hours per week as required for licensure)
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Illinois licensure eligibility requires 1750 hours of supervised practice (Direct Service, Indirect Service, Training, and Supervision hours easily attainable at our site)
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Although some client schedules can accommodate daytime hours for therapy sessions, many therapy sessions occur in the evenings or can occur on the weekends as well (so your schedule may be flexible)
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Individual and family therapy sessions are readily available with the added possibility of group therapy opportunities (census dependent)
Fellowship Benefits
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Competitive pay structure (Pay Range: $40,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year)
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Optional Health/Dental/Vision Insurance Benefits
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Flexible hours
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Postdoctoral Fellows are covered under the practice's liability/malpractice insurance
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Work in a well established clinical practice
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Featured spot on our website
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Feature on PsychologyToday.com
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Options to develop programs, speaking engagements, or professional specialties
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Opportunities for future certifications and trainings
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Use of comprehensive electronic health record system
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Business cards and marketing materials
Evaluation Process
Evaluation is an active, ongoing process throughout the fellowship period. All evaluations will entail an active discussion, regarding areas of strength and weakness, between trainee and supervisor. Formal, written evaluations will occur at least twice throughout the course of fellowship training. These evaluations will be filled out by the Clinical Supervisor and will be reviewed, in detail, with the Fellow.
Application Process
We accept applications from future and current doctoral program graduates who have met or will meet all the requirements of graduation set forth by their graduate program institution. We are currently accepting applications for immediate hire (full-time/part-part time/supplemental) as well as for the 2024-2025 training year. To be considered for an interview, please submit application materials to Dr. Kati Wax (she/her) at kwax@lincolnparkpsychology.com and Dr. Patrick Sviokla (he/him) psviokla@lincolnparkpsychology.com and don't hesitate to call Dr. Wax at (773) 788-6870 with any questions.
Required Application Materials:
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Cover letter
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CV
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Names of three references or two letters of recommendation
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Graduate Transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable)
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APPI essays (optional but recommended)
Virtual telehealth considerations
The practice is currently providing services both in person and via our secure HIPAA compliant video platform. It is our priority to be flexible with the needs of our therapists as well as our clients.
Assessment
Practicum/Externship
Overview
LPP’s Assessment Practicum offers hands-on experience with assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning of various learning, emotional, personality, and developmental disabilities/disorders. Our vast number of available assessment measures provides a trainee with opportunities for incredible clinical growth and success. We aim to provide comprehensive clinical training in the delivery of high quality, culturally competent, assessment and therapeutic services to individuals and families in our community and beyond.
Our 2025-2026 practicum program runs for 11 months in duration, from August 15, 2025 to July 10, 2026; however, these start and end dates can be flexible. During this time, Assessment Practicum Trainees will complete at least 750 hours of training consisting of:
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One introductory month of comprehensive training introducing the trainee to the assessment measures used at LPP as well as the policies and procedures of the externship program
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At least 10 comprehensive testing batteries including: intakes, building an assessment battery, administration of assessment measures, scoring, interpretation, and report writing, as well as a final feedback meeting with the client/family
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At least 100 direct service hours
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1 hour of weekly individual supervision with the primary supervisor
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1 hour of weekly group supervision including the other 10 professionals employed at LPP
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Ongoing, as-needed supervision and access to a supervisor
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Opportunities to directly observe clinical work of other clinicians with appropriate client consent
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Opportunities for case presentations and collaboration with professionals in group supervision
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Didactic learning opportunities including presentations on various selected topics from our staff, outside professional collaborators, and online learning workshops and courses
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Opportunities to observe administration of assessments, including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
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Opportunities to observe individual therapy led by licensed professionals
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Opportunities to observe/co-lead various group therapies in the LPP office
Trainees are required to be on-site for intakes, test administration, and feedback meetings. However, scoring, interpretation, report writing, and supervision may take place virtually or can be completed offsite, depending on the ability of the Trainee to focus, stay organized, and complete tasks at home with privacy and confidentiality. Individual supervision will primarily be provided in person, with virtual/remote supervision available as a contingency plan. In addition, some manuals and scoring templates may not be allowed to be taken out of the office for security purposes. Group supervision takes place on Thursdays at 1 pm weekly, and our preference would be for the Trainee to attend this in person. We anticipate 18 hours of training/learning opportunities to take place per week; however, the schedule is flexible depending on the Trainee and the schedule/availability of the supervisor. For specific questions regarding hours and days, please inquire in your interview or via email to see if we can accommodate your preferences.
Supervision
The LPP Assessment Practicum is led by owner, Dr. Kati Wax (she/her), and the Director of Training and Primary Supervisor, Dr. Sam Payne (he/him). Evaluation is an ongoing process over the course of training as collaborative feedback in real time is essential to growth. Formal evaluations are conducted about halfway through the training period and then at the end of training.
Dr. Payne (he/him) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who serves as the primary supervisor for the Assessment Practicum. Dr. Payne’s specialties include working with all ages, families, and couples living with a variety of symptoms and presentations including but not limited to: depression and other mood disorders, anxiety symptoms, relational difficulties, persons presenting on the Autism Spectrum, people who identify as LGBTQIAA2S+, and those who have experienced trauma. In working with his clients, Dr. Payne gathers the context of the person (such as environmental, societal, historical, and social factors) with the aim of understanding the client’s experiences as clearly as possible. He strives to incorporate an intersectional, validating, body-positive, and sex-positive approach to working with clients. He believes that a safe and empathic environment is one in which a client feels empowered and seen, resulting in a basis for movement towards self-actualization, individuation, and personal success.
Dr. Payne completed his Internship under the supervision of Dr. Wax in the Connections Internship Consortium, a network of 4 therapeutic day schools in the Chicago Suburbs. Dr. Payne spent his Internship, Post-Doctoral Fellowship, and a bonus career year at the New Connections Academy Site, a therapeutic day school for children and teens living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Prior to this, Dr. Payne completed an externship at The Village of Hoffman Estates. Through these experiences and his time in a supervisor role at LPP, Dr. Payne has developed a high level of skill in assessing the needs of clients, developing comprehensive treatment plans, finding creative and effective interventions, and delivering results to clients and their families.
In addition to a diverse array of professional experience, Dr. Payne completed the Exploring Psychoanalysis Fellowship with the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute to build upon his psychodynamic and psychoanalytic knowledge base and therapeutic experience. In the therapy room, this means that the client is seen as the expert on their own experiences, creating an environment of trust and authenticity. Dr. Payne is also trained in the usage of EMDR for various symptoms most notably associated with trauma. In addition to his dedication to his clients, Dr. Payne is passionate about the growth and development of future psychologists through teaching the dynamic components of neuropsychological, psychological, and psychoeducational assessment.
Prior to starting LPP in 2020, Dr. Kati Wax spent 10+ years as the Clinical Director, Director of Training, Head of Clinical, and Owner/Operator of several renowned therapeutic day schools and a large outpatient practice in the Chicago Suburbs. Dr. Wax is skilled in working with school aged children, adolescents, parents, families, as well as adults. She specializes in those struggling with mood disorders, impulse control, self-esteem/identity challenges, relationships issues, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and features of personality disorders. More specifically, she is known for helping those who may be at higher risk of using inappropriate, maladaptive, or risky coping strategies to deal with stressors, as well as helping adolescents and young adults to navigate life challenges.
Dr. Wax believes strongly that a strength-based approach is essential to fostering a sense of self, a sense of empowerment, and a sense of identity within an individual, and within the family and school system. This is especially true for adolescents who seem to feel lost and overwhelmed by their world.
Dr. Wax founded Lincoln Park Psychology in order to fulfill her passion for helping others to make meaningful change. In addition, Dr. Wax has found immense joy in supervising large cohorts of clinical trainees since 2010. Having spent much of her career dedicated to clinical training, she and her team developed an APA-Accredited internship training program and she once held the position of President of the Association of Chicagoland Externship and Practicum Training (ACEPT).
Ideal Candidates
The clinical team at Lincoln Park Psychology intentionally works towards a communicative, interdependent work environment in a setting that does not naturally lend itself to this approach. Our team strives to maintain humanness alongside professionalism in their work through showing up for their colleagues and clients in a genuine, supportive, and sometimes humorous manner. We also seek to be inclusive and more representative of the general population, actively taking individual and organizational steps to do so.
Ideal applicants for LPP’s diagnostic practicum who are open to sharing and exploring areas of growth/imperfections will gain the most from this practicum. Candidates should have strong organizational skills, flexibility, and solid clinical writing skills. Excellent accountability, time management, and communication skills are a must. Externs should see feedback and collaboration as opportunities to improve both their own skills and to provide the best care possible to our clients. We at LPP value this type of openness and seek a diagnostic team member who can also ascribe to this work philosophy.
From a long history of training future psychologists, Dr. Wax has found that Trainees with these traits have the most success and attain the most growth from their experiences. Ideal candidates will possess:
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An excitement about growth and learning
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A strong clinical curiosity
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An ability to work independently, while also knowing when to reach out for consultation (knowing what you don’t know)
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An openness to collaboration and feedback with an understanding that this profession is a forever learning process
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A professional demeanor and genuine presentation
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An ability to form rapport with clients
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Organizational skills to stay on track with tasks
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A strong work ethic and a desire for success
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Creative problem-solving skills
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Sound clinical judgment
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Prior experience working with children, adolescents, and families
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An interest in psychological assessment
Application Process
Students from Psychology Doctoral Programs who have met the requirements of their program to apply for Assessment Practicum are welcome to apply for the training position at LPP. We ask that all applicants send their full application package via email to kwax@lincolnparkpsychology.com and spayne@lincolnparkpsychology.com for review. Application packages should include:
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Cover letter specifying your interest in our site
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CV/resume of relevant experience
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Letter to verify eligibility to participate in Assessment Practicum from the Graduate Program Director of Training or the like
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Current transcript
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2 letters of recommendation
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At least one writing sample that will indicate the clinical writing skills of the applicant.
LPP abides by the ACEPT guidelines and timelines for applications, interviews, and position offers. Please visit the ACEPT website for more detailed information.
Contact Information:
Please reach out to Dr. Wax or Dr. Payne with any questions:
Dr. Kati Wax: kwax@lincolnparkpsychology.com
Dr. Sam Payne: spayne@lincolnparkpsychology.com
Supervision Philosophy
Lincoln Park Psychology's aim is to produce competent, ethical, and independent practitioners into the psychology profession. Therefore we follow both a developmental and an integrative approach to supervision. We believe in the notion that we are all growing continuously and that becoming an "expert" in our field is a life-long journey that may never even be attained. Each clinician has unique experiences, tendencies, and patterns which feeds into an individual style of clinical interaction with clients. Our supervisors use supervision/consultation to identify these stylistic components in order to hone in on strengths and set goals for the future development of skills. In addition, at Lincoln Park Psychology we promote a clinician's confidence through identifying and settling into a "style" of assessment, treatment planning, and intervention, resulting in increased client growth.
At Lincoln Park Psychology we are proud of our commitment to helping others grow in the field Therefore, we offer ongoing individual supervision for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) looking to gain supervision hours toward eligibility for the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) exam. LPCs receive at least one hour of structured, consistent clinical supervision from either an LCPC or a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, consistent with the requirements to sit for the LCPC exam. Our supervisors are also available on an as-needed basis to help with crisis management and risk assessment, as well as discuss complex cases in the moment. Dr. Wax is committed to growing your clinical competency and your confidence in your abilities, as well as solidify your chosen style in working with clients.