Are You Missing Hundreds of Internship Hours? What Every 5+1 Intern Should Be Logging

Jun 22, 2026

Only Logging Client Sessions? You Could Be Missing Eligible 5+1 Internship Hours.

If your internship hours are accumulating more slowly than expected, you may not be recording all of the activities that the Psychology Board of Australia allows you to count. Many provisional psychologists focus solely on client sessions and assessments, overlooking valuable hours that can legitimately contribute toward general registration.

Before you assume you need more clients, it is worth asking a simple question: are you logging everything you should be?

Client Contact

Most provisional psychologists understand that direct sessions and assessment sessions count as client contact. However, the Psychology Board of Australia defines client contact more broadly than many interns realise.

Client contact means direct contact with clients involving specific tasks of psychological assessment, diagnosis, intervention, prevention, treatment, consultation, and providing advice and strategies under the guidance of a Board-approved supervisor.

Importantly, client contact is not limited to the primary client. The Board notes that client contact may also include providing psychological advice, strategies, and support to associated parties such as parents, teachers, carers, support workers, or others involved in the client's care.

For example, discussing behavioural strategies with a parent, consulting with a teacher regarding classroom supports, or providing guidance to a support person as part of a treatment plan may constitute client contact when undertaken within your role and under appropriate supervision.

Client contact may occur in person, by telephone, or via videoconference.

Client-Related Activities

One of the most common areas of under-reporting involves client-related activities.

The Board describes client-related activities as activities necessary to provide a high standard of service to clients and support the provisional psychologist's achievement of professional competencies.

These activities may include:

Reading and research to assist problem formulation and diagnosis
Case consultation with colleagues
Maintaining client records
Formal and informal report writing
Scoring assessments

Many interns spend hours each week completing these tasks but fail to record them in their internship logs. While these activities may occur behind the scenes, they are often an essential part of competent psychological practice and may be eligible to count toward internship requirements.

Simulated Client Contact

Another commonly overlooked area is simulated client contact.

The Board recognises a range of simulated learning activities that can contribute to internship development. These may include:

Role plays and reflection
Working with peer or student actors
Simulated testing techniques
Computer-based or virtual clients
Videos of real or simulated clients
Shadowing a senior psychologist with a real client
Discussion and treatment planning following a simulation

Many workplaces, supervision programs, and training organisations provide opportunities for simulated client contact. However, interns often do not realise these activities can contribute to their development and, when appropriately documented, may count toward internship requirements.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Take a moment to consider the following:

Are you only logging direct client sessions?
Are you recording your client-related activities?
Have you maximised your simulated client contact opportunities (up to 60 hours)?
Are you counting work with associated parties where appropriate?
Have you discussed eligible activities with your supervisor?

The Bottom Line

Many provisional psychologists worry that they are falling behind on their internship hours when, in reality, they may simply be under-reporting eligible activities.

Reviewing your logbook against the Psychology Board of Australia's guidelines could reveal hours you are already completing but not recording. If you are unsure whether an activity should count, discuss it with your Board-approved supervisor and refer to the Board's current guidelines.

Accurate record keeping will not reduce the work required to achieve general registration, but it may help ensure you receive appropriate recognition for the work you are already doing.