Thank you for your interest in Shenandoah University’s Counseling Center’s Internship Program. Our training program is designed to facilitate the transition from student to professional through understanding college counseling issues, supervision and clinical experiences. We attempt to create an atmosphere that is conductive to interns learning and development through an appropriate balance of support and challenge. The primary focus of the intern/practicum experience is the development of therapeutic skills. Graduate students will see students individually, conduct groups as available, and conduct psycho-educational outreach programs related to mental health as well as alcohol and other drug issues.
The Counseling Internship Opportunity at the Shenandoah Counseling Center is designed to be flexible enough to allow students completing their counseling internship the opportunity to sample from a variety of activities to meet their unique training needs. Interns work with their individual supervisors to design a training program that best suits their training needs, and which still meets the needs of the Counseling Center. The choices clinicians in training make are included as part of their Training Agreement.
Prerequisites
Students wishing to complete an internship at the Counseling Center: must be advanced graduate students in a CACREP accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, must have successfully completed their practicum experience, and are expected to obtain their own professional liability insurance prior to the start of the internship experience. To avoid ethical issues that may occur when the Counseling Center staff relate to an individual in a role other than as client, all current and former Counseling Center clients will be required to complete an ethics training course on dual relationships during orientation if offered an internship opportunity.
Responsibilities
Counseling internship students typically work 20 – 25 hours per week for the academic year and must complete a total of 600 hours (minimum, with the option to gain up to an additional 300 hours) over the course of the internship year; 240 hours of the total must be in direct service activities. Interns are expected to abide by the established policies and procedures of the Counseling Center and the ethical standards of the counseling profession. Interns also are expected to participate in a two-week long orientation to the Counseling Center and the internship prior to the start of the academic year.
Internships are unpaid 600 hours and are available to graduate students from all CACREP accredited programs depending on space and the availability of supervision.
Typical Direct Service Activities
- Individual counseling, 9-15 clients per week
- Intake assessment, 3 hours per week
- Group counseling, 1.5 hours per week (depending upon Center needs)
- Treatment Program facilitation, 1 hour per week (depending upon Center needs)
- Psychoeducational outreach programming, 2 hours per week
- Consultation, .5 hours per week
Training Activities
- Individual supervision, 1-2 hours per week
- Groups Supervision, 1.5 hours per week (if applicable)
- Intake/Crisis Meeting
Administrative Activities
- Staff meeting, 1 hour per week
- Case management, variable
Learning Objectives
Students completing a Clinical Mental Health Counseling internship at the Counseling Center will acquire the following knowledge, skills, and experiences. Interns will:
- develop skill in operational/agency factors related to work in a university counseling center
- enhance individual counseling skills and knowledge
- develop skill in intake assessment
- acquire group co-facilitation skills
- gain knowledge and skill in crisis intervention
- improve psychoeducational programming skills
- demonstrate professional and ethical behavior
- develop skill in engaging in the supervision process
- enhance personal qualities relevant to effective counseling practice
Deadlines
Application materials received by the Counseling Center before April 1 will receive priority for an August start date.
Application Process
- Email the following application materials:
- Cover letter stating interest in the Counseling Center as an internship site and how it relates to short- and long-term career goals
- Current resume
- Names and phone numbers of two references, at least one of whom must be familiar with your clinical skills
- Selected candidates will be scheduled for interviews upon review of resumes and cover letters
- Position offers will be made in mid to late April
Questions
Questions about counseling internship experiences at the Counseling Center should be directed to Nicholas Coleman, LPC-S (ncoleman@su.edu) and Christine Cornwell, LPC-S (ccornwel@su.edu). General questions can be directed to the counseling center email at counseling@su.edu.