5 Reasons to Consider a Counseling Intern
By Jennifer Fifield, Clinical Counseling Intern
Have you been considering therapy for a while? Does your insurance not cover mental health treatment? Have you been struggling to get scheduled for an appointment? Great news - Hope and Healing Therapy and Wellness Center has a graduate student intern available! You might be wondering, what makes a student intern different, and can they really help me? Read on to find the surprising benefits to seeing a student intern:
1. Financial
Student interns can see clients at $45 for an intake 60-minute-session, and $30 for weekly 45-minute sessions. This is nearly a 75% savings for out of pocket services, which means a single session is closer to the cost of a traditional co-pay, instead of the typical self-pay rate.
2. Availability
Hope and Healing recognizes that when you are calling, you are in need of services, and we do our best to meet this need. This is one of the many reasons that we offer the option of seeing a student intern! Intern caseloads are kept smaller, and often have more immediate availability than our other providers.
3. Current
Student interns are in their final year of completing their Master’s program. Their graduate program includes completing a rigorous internship, where they provide clinical counseling to their own caseload. In addition to these internship requirements, student interns are still taking classes to further their knowledge on the most up-to-date research, training and interventions available. Student interns are eager to help and will give your case all the care and attention it deserves.
4. Flexibility/Giving Back
In a multicultural world filled with millions of diverse individuals, student interns are flexible and accept a wide variety of different clients. They are open to trying different approaches that fit the client and their needs. As you learn and grow through the counseling process, so does the student intern. Those who seek treatment with a student intern are invaluable to the progress of the counseling profession.
5. Quality of Care
Although the therapeutic hour will be spent with the student intern only, your case will be under the direct supervision of a clinically licensed therapist. Their supervisor will work alongside the student intern to ensure you are receiving the proper quality of care. Additionally, the student intern receives regular supervision from a faculty member of the university they are attending.
At Hope and Healing Therapy and Wellness Center, we know reaching out and asking for help can be stressful and anxiety provoking. The decision to be placed with a student intern is entirely up to you, and remember that regardless of your decision, you are a valued member of the Hope and Healing community.