A psychological and psychiatric treatment centre has teamed up with the University of the West Indies to offer internship opportunities to those entering the field of mental health.

Solstice, Bermuda’s largest private mental health organisation, said it will offer clinical and research internships to students undertaking Masters degrees in Counselling Psychology at the university’s Cave Hill Campus in Barbados.

The initiative is part of Solstice’s research, education and development programme which provides opportunities to people working or pursuing careers in the competitive mental health field.

Eloise Pitts Crick, Solstice’s executive director, said: “The RED training pathways are designed for Bermudians at the start of their mental health careers, allowing them to gain valuable clinical experience and training, and therefore competing effectively for places on the most demanding and sought-after international training courses, including Clinical Psychology Doctorate programmes.”

Dr Pitts Crick added: “For more established clinicians, the RED programme creates access to world-class professional development and clinical supervision, as well as opportunities to collaborate in new and existing research projects.”

The University of the West Indies’ MSc programme contains a practical component in which students are required to undertake 500 hours of internship in the area of research or clinical practice.

Bermudian Yana Thorne is the first student to take part in the collaboration.

Ms Thorne, who started her internship last month, will have the opportunity to engage in a research project, is learning how to apply research methodology to a clinical setting and is working alongside experienced practitioners in the multidisciplinary team.

She intends to contribute towards Bermuda's mental health services upon completion of her degree.

Belinda Henderson, Senior Clinical Psychology Assistant at Solstice, will commence a PhD at Cambridge University, UK, building on her Masters level research carried out at Solstice.

Ms Henderson was instrumental in designing and implementing the social skills and empowerment children’s programme at Solstice and will take forward her research into the psychological experiences of children including those on the autistic spectrum.

Treasure Tannock, who has interned at Solstice since 2018, has been accepted into New York University where she will be undertaking a Masters in Drama Therapy. Ms Tannock is also the successful recipient of this year's Duperreault Fellowship Award.

Within the RED programme, Solstice offers one senior clinical psychology assistant position, two clinical psychology assistant positions and ten postgraduate/masters-level/post-doctorate internship positions.

This year it has partnered with the Ignite Entrepreneurial programme to offer an additional internship post to a young entrepreneur, and will also open internship opportunities to exceptional year 13 students from September.