Counseling Services
Practicum and Internship
Program Description
The Winthrop University Counseling Services Practicum & Internship Program is a comprehensive
training experience for master’s level graduate students and is designed to foster
the development of emerging counselors. Counselors in Training work under the supervision
of a licensed professional counselor to provide individual and group counseling to
a diverse population. Our program emphasizes the development of clinical skills, ethical
practice, and cultural humility. The program has a multidimensional focus on professional identity, self-awareness, clinical competence, cultural humility, clinician
confidence, and sustainable practice. Grounded in ethical and evidence-based practices, the program prepares Trainees
to serve diverse populations with compassion, integrity, and resilience.
Program Options
Priority is given to students who can commit to a full academic year (fall and spring),
allowing for continuity for our clients. Due to the volume of students over the summer
semester, we are unable to accommodate summer practica and internships.
The most common full-year configuration is Internship I during the fall semester and
Internship II during the spring semester. This requires 20-22 hours per week of on-site
experience for a minimum of 300 clock hours (120 direct hours) each semester. Days
and hours may be flexible, except for Tuesday morning attendance at weekly case consultation.
Students may also complete their practicum in the fall semester, followed by Internship
I the following spring. In this case, a student will commit to 8-10 hours on-site
during their practicum semester for a total of 100-150 clock hours over the course
of the semester, including 40-60 direct hours. The spring semester internship would
require 20-22 hours a week on-site for 300 clock hours (120 direct).
Goals for Winthrop Training Program (Practicum/Internship)
By the end of the year, counselors-in-training will leave the training program with
the following counseling skills & dispositions:
- Professional Identity: Trainees will create a personal theory of practice through their time at Winthrop,
including an awareness of personal beliefs/values underpinning their work, theoretical
orientation(s) they wish to work from, and interventions they can utilize in counseling
sessions. They will also understand the role of a counselor in collaborating with
other professionals on a treatment team.
- Self-Awareness: Trainees will engage in reflection and gain insight regarding their personal areas
of bias, recognition of countertransference/counter-resistance, and personal triggers.
They will create plans for how to manage these issues when they arise.
- Clinical Competence: Trainees will develop the skills needed to work in various counseling roles, including
the ability to do clinical assessments, individual and group therapy, assess for suicide/homicide
risk, and provide crisis counseling. Trainees will become comfortable with diagnosis
and clinical documentation and will recognize when and how to refer to other clinicians
when beyond their personal scope of competence. Trainees will also develop habits
of ongoing education on topics in the counseling field.
- Cultural Humility & Awareness: Trainees will develop an understanding of how domains of diversity impact mental
health/illness (including symptom presentation, diagnosis, and treatment), an awareness
of systemic and/or cultural issues that may impact the counseling relationship and/or
course of counseling, and the ability to broach cultural issues in therapy.
- Plan for Sustainable Practice: Trainees will develop and practice self-care, trauma stewardship, and appropriate
boundary-setting to create habits that will minimize chances for counselor burnout
in the future.
- Confidence: Trainees will increase confidence in their abilities as counselors and recognize
that asking questions, asking for help, and/or not knowing the answers are not signs
of failure or weakness.
Training positions are unpaid.
Internship Training Experiences
Internship Typical Weekly Work Schedule
Internship Orientation
Internship Application Process
