Well Counselor

The opportunity to finally work in the community as a practicing counselor is an important milestone. Congratulations on getting to this point! I encourage you to celebrate as you begin searching for your ideal internship site. With this exciting milestone, you may also be experiencing some feelings of anxiety about choosing the perfect site for your practicum or internship. This is completely expected. During my master’s program, I procrastinated this decision so much that I ended up putting it off for a whole semester because I had missed the application deadlines for many sites (not ideal). It all worked out in the end, but don’t be like me! Start planning early and use the tips below to get you started in your search for your ideal clinical internship site. 

1. Choose a site where you can practice your clinical skills

Most importantly, you want to find an internship where you can practice your clinical skills in the ‘real world’ (i.e., outside of the classroom). This is your chance to try out basic techniques while you have the support of your supervisor, program faculty, and peers. Be sure that your internship site is one where you will get to have direct client contact. You should not choose a site that only has you answer phones or do initial paperwork. You want to be able to practice building relationships with your clients in individual or group therapy. This should be a given, but sometimes sites misuse interns for more administrative tasks. As you search for an internship, do your research and ask questions during the interview process to be sure you will actually be able to practice your clinical skills. 

2. Choose a site that aligns with your interests

If you already know what client population or issues you would like to treat, then choose a site that fits within that specialty. Some of you may already know exactly what they want to do, and that’s awesome! I started out my program thinking that I wanted to work with children, and then changed my mind halfway through my program. So it’s also okay if you are still figuring it out. If you aren’t quite sure, choose a site where you will see a clinically diverse client population so you can decide what clients or clinical issues that you prefer. Community mental health programs, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations that offer counseling services can usually provide you with experience working with diverse clinical populations. 

3. Choose a site where you will be supported 

While exciting, internship can also be an anxiety-provoking time. You are practicing your clinical skills for the first time outside of the classroom and will likely encounter challenges. You will have the support of your faculty supervisor and your peers in class. But it is helpful to choose an internship site where there is a lot of on-site support as well. During the interview process, ask about the supervision you will receive during internship. Will your supervisor be on-site? Can you contact them outside of the designated supervision meeting? You shouldn’t be thrown into the deep end without access to a life preserver and you will feel more confident and supported if you have easy access to supervision as you get accustomed to your site and their specific policies and procedures. 

4. Choose a site where you’d like to work 

Internships can often lead to fulltime positions so try to choose an internship site where you could see yourself working. This isn’t always an option- sometimes you are just trying to get placed anywhere that is accepting interns. But if you do have a choice, choose wisely. If the organization is a good fit, it could lead to a job offer. And since you have spent some time there, you already know if you would like to work there or not. This is a much more informative way of learning about an organization than simply interviewing for a job. Even if they don’t have available positions at the time of your graduation, the contacts you make at your internship site can be valuable networking resources as you begin your job search. The community of mental health organizations in your area is often small and connected. As a result, you could be referred to other employment opportunities by word-of-mouth. This is also a good reminder to always be professional at your internship site and treat it as a months-long job interview. You never know where it may lead!

5. Utilize Resources and Support

Take advantage of any internship resources or support offered to you by your program. There is often someone who serves as a site or placement coordinator who can provide you with a list of current internship sites that have are already approved. There are often signed agreements or some type of paperwork to be completed for any new internship site, so be sure to get this taken care of if you are seeking placement at a site that isn’t on your program’s list of approved sites. You also likely have access to career services at your university where you can get tips for polishing your resume or interview skills. I remember being surprised that I had access to these services as a graduate student and was so glad that I made an appointment to have my resume reviewed before applying for jobs. The career counselor provided some very useful feedback to make my resume really shine, and I have continued to use this feedback anytime I update my resume or curriculum vitae. 

I hope these tips will help you to find your ideal internship site. My final message is to have a backup plan and try not to get discouraged if your plan doesn’t work out as you had initially hoped. You may not get accepted by your first choice of internship site so you should apply at more than one site and pursue all options until you have confirmation of your placement. The internship process can be competitive in some geographic areas or within specific specialties, so don’t take it personally if you do not get accepted at your ideal site. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you get clinical experience and accumulate the hours needed to graduate and begin your (paid) counseling career. I hope you end up at a site that you love, but if you don’t, it will be ok. It will all work out. You will learn a lot. And it’s only for a few months. Best wishes as you search for your internship. You’ve got this!

This blog was written by Dr. Olivia Bentley, PhD, LPCC-S, Founder of Well Counselor.