Announcing a position for a psychologist to work with children and adolescents

in a large and growing psychological practice.

 Description of Position:

Sioux Falls Psychological Services is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a growing community of over 225,000 people in the metropolitan area.  We have an open position for a PsyD or PhD level therapist who will work primarily with young children (and their caregivers) and who is licensed or will soon be licensable as a psychologist.  This individual will be part of a group of 14 professional therapists.  This individual will serve the children of the Sioux Falls area with both assessment and treatment responsibilities.  The need for a psychologist who works solely with children and their families is apparent in our community, and the potential to build a healthy practice is very good.  Other opportunities accompany working in our setting (see below).

Essential Functions:

• Psychotherapy services for children ages 2 or 3 through adolescence, and their families.
• Particular interest and skills in assessing and treating ADHD.
• Particular interest and skills in assessing and treating children with histories of sexual (and other) trauma.
• Assessment skills include use of appropriate testing inventories and the ability to write quality psychological reports.
• Desire to include parents and caregivers in the therapy process through use of observational windows.
• Ability to build relationships and engage in self-marketing and group-marketing activities (promote self and promote the practice)

Other Opportunities in our Setting:

• Adjunct teaching opportunities in a seminary graduate program in counseling/marriage and family therapy.
• Opportunity to become involved in cross cultural services on a Native American reservation.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge and skills in assessment and diagnosis of DSM-IV-TR disorders, with particular skill in child assessment and diagnosis.
• Particular ability to assess and treat ADHD and trauma in young children.
• Ability to conceptualize treatment from an integrative perspective (psychology and theology).
• Ability to work with a team of colleagues.
• Recognition of the business aspects of a practice, with a commitment to marketing in a limited but meaningful manner.
• Ability to work with medical community as needed.
• English is only needed language.  However, the Sioux Falls community is increasingly diverse, and fluency in other languages could be helpful.

Required Education and Experience:

• PhD or PsyD in Psychology or Child Psychology
• Graduate education in the integration of psychology and theology strongly preferred.
• If the degree is in Psychology (not focused on child psychology), then the candidate must have significant training and experience in child psychotherapy services.  For example, a pre-doctoral internship (APA accredited internship program preferred) in a child setting would be very helpful.
• Candidates are welcome to apply with or without experience beyond their pre-doctoral internship.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to engage children on their level, which sometimes calls for physical activity.

Description of Work Environment:

• Sioux Falls Psychological Services (SFPS) moved into new offices (new construction) in July 2009.  Offices are spacious and fully furnished.  Our new building is “green” construction.
• Owned and operated by Sioux Falls Seminary, SFPS has 6000+ square feet of space with 13 offices for professionals, a group therapy room, a play therapy room, and four offices for a training clinic for students in the seminary’s graduate program.
• The training clinic is partly funded by the Sioux Empire United Way, and has been since 1996.
• Currently we have 14 professional therapists on our staff  representing various licenses:
  • Licensed Psychologist
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
  • Licensed Professional Counselor
  • Licensed Professional Counselor – Mental Health
• Some particular areas of specialty in our group include:
  • Certified Theraplay Therapist®
  • Certified Sex Therapist
  • Biofeedback
  • Treatment of ministry professionals and other caregivers
• Modalities represented in our group include:
  • Cognitive Behavioral
  • Psychodynamic
  • Systemic Approaches
  • Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Our Central Office manages billing and all support services for our therapists.
• SFPS is housed primarily in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but also has a satellite office in Platte, South Dakota, about 2 hours from Sioux Falls.  Platte is a rural setting and offers some added rural opportunities for the interested individual.  Currently we have one therapist in Platte 2 days a week, with the intent to expand our presence in that location.
• We are committed to professional diversity and maintain the perspective that “iron sharpens iron, so one therapist sharpens another.”  We encourage educational growth.  Currently three of our masters level therapists are pursuing doctoral degrees.  Two of them are pursuing D.Min. degrees through our seminary.  This is free education to full time employees.  One is completing his PhD in General Psychology.
• In our group of 14 therapists, seven of us have taught graduate courses at Sioux Falls Seminary.  Several of the others have lectured in graduate classes at times.

If you are interested in this position, please contact Douglas L. Anderson, PsyD, the Clinical Director of Sioux Falls Psychological Services.  He can be reached at:

2109 S Norton Avenue

Sioux Falls, SD 57105

605-334-2696 (work)

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