Internships

Positive Regard Therapy offers graduate-level internship experiences for masters-level graduate interns.These include, but are not limited to social work, clinical counseling, psychology and marriage & family therapy.

We accept internship applications on a rolling basis. Our application review and interview process begins in December and stretches into early spring. Internships begin in the fall of each year. We typically do not accept new interns during the academic year.

Practicum & Clinical Internship Overview

Positive Regard Therapy (PRT) is a team of mental health professionals who are committed to treating clients with “unconditional positive regard.” We work to meet our clients where they are, understand their experiences, and help them meet their goals without judgement, Our therapists specialize in LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy, college students & young adults, men’s issues and sex-positive counseling to name a few.

Approximately 10 client caseload per/wk with opportunity for growth

Full-year of training internship: practicum starts August 2024 for 11 weeks with the clinical internship beginning in 2025.

● 100 total hours experience during practicum (individual, couples, group therapy)

● 640 total hours of experience during internship (individual, couples, group therapy)

● Weekly individual supervision from a clinically licensed therapist (LCPC), resulting in approximately 48-50 clinical supervision hours.

● Weekly group supervision with PRT trainees (fellows and graduate-level interns) facilitated by PRT’s clinical internship supervisors, resulting in approximately 25 clinical supervision hours.

● Presentations: 1-hour case conceptualization related to the clinical work completed with an individual client or couple throughout the course of the training year.

General Overview of the Program

PRT graduate interns take part in a full year of training, based on their schools program and availability at PRT. For the clinical internship, the graduate internship will begin in fall of the year they are accepted and run through spring of the following calendar year. With the direct support and supervision of clinical supervisors, interns will provide 100 total hours for practicum and 640 total hours of total experience during the clinical internship (individual, couples and group psychotherapy). This model emphasizes high-quality, intensive clinical training and ensures continuity of care for the clients we serve.

In addition to weekly individual supervision and bi-weekly group supervision, graduate interns will have access to a broad range of clinical experience and training. Trainings include but are not limited to bi-weekly , 1 ½ hour trainings on PRT’s core competency areas (trauma-informed care, LGBTQIA+ affirming practice, sex-positivity etc.), access to over 5 full-time staff with a variety of backgrounds and experiences; and opportunities to co-facilitate group therapy with a full-time staff member.

Core competency trainings include the following themes:

● Introduction to Trauma-Informed Practice

● Introduction to LGBTQIA+ Affirming Practice

● Introduction to Non-Monogamy & Relational Diversity

● Sex Diversity, Sex Positivity, & Kink-Aware Practice

● Vicarious Trauma & Compassion Fatigue

● Faith & Spirituality in Counseling

● Relational Couples Therapy Practices

Graduate interns spend 20-hours per week on-site and engage in PRT activities such as informal peer-to-peer consultations, weekly supervision, monthly consultation groups and summer and winter parties.

The internship concludes with a capstone presentation for PRT staff members in which interns will facilitate a 1-hour case conceptualization related to the clinical work they have done with an individual client, couple or group work done throughout the course of the training year.

Qualifications

● Completion of all academic requirements necessary to engage in clinical field placement (specific to student’s graduate program)

● Flexible schedule, with an ability to be available for weekly supervision, Wednesday afternoon twice a month (for training) and some evenings and weekends (for clients).

● Commitment to the underlying philosophical values of PRT

● Excellent oral and written communication skills

● Ability to be in placement for length of practicum or clinical internship

● Willingness to engage in self-reflection

● Multicultural competencies for working with marginalized communities

● Previous clinical experience, or other involvement in areas related to our values, a plus

Next Steps

If you are interested in applying for our internship program, please email your cover letter, resume, program details, and requested start date to hello@positiveregard.co and we will reply to you as soon as we can.

We acknowledge that imposter syndrome and/or the confidence gap can prevent folks from applying.

If you are feeling stuck as a result of these, we encourage you to reach out and start a conversation with us.