Training Opportunities
Clinical Training
The Aging Center is a nonprofit mental health services affiliated with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). It is currently one of the few psychology training clinics that addresses practicum and predoctoral internship training requirements in geropsychology. Clinical training focuses on core competencies in assessment, including Memory Clinic screening and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations, and both individual- and group-based intervention. Trainees gain experience addressing the mental health needs of older adults and their caregivers through provision of individual psychotherapy and facilitation of process- and skills-based groups including Caregiver Family Therapy, mindfulness skills, and cognitive skills training.
Memory and Cognitive Assessment
The UCCS Memory Clinic offers thorough screening for individuals interested in obtaining a baseline of their cognitive functioning. A short, standard battery of tests is administered in 45-60 minutes and followed up with a review of the results with a licensed psychologist and student clinician. The 15- to 30-minute review session, offered in a supportive and collaborative spirit, allows for provision of education and discussion surrounding medical and lifestyle factors that can impact cognitive health as well as time allocated for addressing questions. This clinic, offered to trainees in their first year at the Aging Center under the supervision of Dr. Jessica Zamzow, serves to develop a solid foundation of knowledge on neuropsychological testing and interpretation principles.
Comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations are conducted to help determine the etiology and functional implications of cognitive disturbances. Each evaluation includes 3-6 hours of patient time interviewing, testing, and reviewing results and recommendations. The psychologist will spend an addition 3-6 hours scoring, interpreting, and writing a comprehensive report. In addition, feedback sessions are offered to individuals and families. Clinical findings are translated into practical language to aid mental health and medical professionals as well as family caregivers in making decisions about treatment and care. Referrals originate from a variety of sources, including physicians, nursing homes, Silver Key Senior Services, Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging, attorneys, probate court, and Adult Protective Services. The evaluations help identify difficulties in independent functioning that compromise safety and well-being, support behavioral health workers in treatment planning, and assist the courts in determining decision-making capacity. These comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations, offered through our trainee Neuro Team under the supervision of Dr. Rachel Thayer, serves to build more advanced and nuanced knowledge surrounding neuropsychological evaluation for trainees who have already completed a Memory Clinic rotation.
Aging Family and Caregiver Services Program
This collaborative program with the Area Agency on Aging focuses on assessing and treating the factors contributing to distress in caregiver families and assists with referrals for other supportive services within the community. Primary services, all available at no cost to clients, include comprehensive caregiver assessments and up to eight problem-solving-oriented psychotherapy sessions to help implement caregiver treatment plans. In addition, the program offers consultation and resource information for the caregiver(s) and a psychoeducational support group. Educational seminars and community presentations are also offered to increase public awareness of the caregiving experience and caregiver needs.
Psychotherapy Services
Aging Center staff psychologists and student clinicians offer individual and group psychotherapy for older adults experiencing psychological challenges including depression and anxiety, adjustment to illness, bereavement, interpersonal conflicts, or other life stressors. Supervision is conducted weekly, usually in individual meetings with the student or in small groups. Supervisors support a wide variety of psychotherapeutic approaches including psychodynamic therapy, behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and family systems therapy. The Aging Center uses the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to classify and diagnose psychological problems.
Clinicians in the Community
A comprehensive range of programs links clinicians at the Aging Center with a number of other community agencies serving older adults, with the shared goal of improving the quality of care and quality of life for older adults through coordination of services.
Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center (PPEJC)
In July 2022 the Aging Center began a partnership with the Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center (PPEJC), whose mission is a community response working toward preventing and eliminating elder abuse in the Pikes Peak region and beyond through identifying victims of mistreatment and creating safe shelter for them. PPEJC collaborates with a wide range of agencies in the community to assist in coordination of care and continuity of services. PPEJC’s multi-pronged work combines elder shelter, behavioral health, fiduciary education, and the Elder Abuse Forensic Multidisciplinary team model to foster a community in which people in later life can live in safety and dignity and with respect. Through a collaboration with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs’ (UCCS) Psychology Department and the Aging Center, the PPEJC provides training for master’s- and doctoral-level students who are supervised by a licensed psychologist.
Liberty Heights
In June 2025, the Aging Center began a partnership with Liberty Heights, a senior living community offering independent living, assisted-living, memory care, short-term care, and skilled nursing facilities and residences. Liberty Heights has a history of strong support for professional training, and now serves as a training site for advanced doctoral students at UCCS.
Colorado Springs Neurological Associates (CSNA)
In July 2025, the Aging Center began a partnership with Colorado Springs Neurological Associates (CSNA), a community practice offering neurological and neuropsychological services. CSNA now serves as a training site for advanced doctoral students at UCCS, offering onsite supervision provided by their team of neuropsychologists.
Psychology Department Research
Several UCCS professors of psychology conduct research on mental health, cognitive functioning, and aging through the Aging and Gerontology Centers. Research conducted by these professors has been presented at national conferences and published in professional journals. The general goal of this research is to expand our knowledge of cognitive functioning and mental health among older adults, and evaluate how older adults can maintain their well-being.
Below are UCCS faculty who conduct research through the Aging Center: