Clinical Internships

21650 W. 11 Mile Rd., Suite 102 Southfield, MI 48076

Call our office at 248-469-0954.

A brighter tomorrow begins with the fresh start you make today.

About Our Internship Program

New Beginnings Fresh Start Counseling Group

NBFSCG is excited to participate in a practicum/internship program for the continuing education and field experience of future mental health counselors. We offer various programs commensurate with the student’s education level and previous counseling experience.

New Beginnings Fresh Start interns can expect to receive a challenging and educational internship experience. The experience, under supervision, will be commensurate with the intern’s level of education and prior counseling experience. At NBFSCG, we have noticed that the demand for counselors is high, but area agencies are unable to hire graduates due to the counseling experience requirement not being met prior to hiring. Therefore, it is our intent that NBFSCG interns spend one year developing and growing as a counselor by implementing educational practices (counseling techniques, application of theory, therapeutic alliance, and relational skills) in a therapeutic setting with NBFSCG clients. It is our belief that your experience as an intern will develop a foundation to prepare you for counseling to work with various populations in traditional and non-traditional settings. Your practicum/intern experience will be helpful in transitioning from student-counselor to professional.

It is anticipated that through the practicum/internship experience each student will develop and demonstrate an integration of counseling skills, learn about case management and ethical and legal conduct.

All NBFSCG employees are committed to the development of others and supports the training of future mental health professionals. Each employee stands by the philosophy that ‘everyone wants to love and be loved’. Therefore, whether you come to NBFSCG with no experience, minimal counseling experience or a different professional background…you have something to offer that can help people to give and receive the love they want and need and to experience healthier, happier, and loving relationships.

Programs and Services:

Counseling services at NBFSCG take place with four focuses:

Premarital Counseling

Valuing the sanctity and covenant of marriage, premarital counseling is a great tool build the foundation of a relationship before couples say, ‘I do’. It prepares the couple for one of the greatest decisions of their lives – marriage. The Becoming One program along with PREPARE/ENRICH foundations allow the couple to start their marriage understanding their strengths and growth areas.

Couples/Marital Counseling

Our counseling approach helps couples to feel validated, cared for and supported, ultimately helping each partner to feel ‘heard and understood’ in their relationship. This instills a sense of trust and willingness, affording each person opportunity to be emotionally vulnerable, sharing their most intimate thoughts, feelings, and desires. The result fosters a new awareness of self and one’s spouse, thus overall, a new way of relating to each other in the marriage.

Family Counseling

Working as a team with parents and children to effectively build a solid family unit where families accept one another and learn how to effectively communicate and overcome adjustments to difficult life transitions.

Individual Counseling

Meeting the needs of those who have intrapersonal issues and seek the help of a licensed professional to successfully navigate through their emotional difficulty.

No Dessert Before Dinner Group

Designed to build upon the following 4 pillars: self-esteem, self-image, self-respect and self-worth, this character-building program helps teens and college-aged females to learn more about themselves while making decisions to build the future they desire.

NBFSCG Practicum/Internship Student Counselor Goals:

Develop and refine attending and active listening skills and clinical making skills as evidenced by established rapport and a positive working relationship with clients.
The capability to conceptualize human problems.
Develop the skills to complete a psychological history consistent with the student’s theoretical orientation and/or the requirements of the Practicum/Internship.
Develop the skills and ability to make differential diagnoses in collaboration with clinical supervisors.
Develop treatment plans that will motivate clients and that are consistent with current research of effective strategies for the clients’ identified problem area(s) and diagnosis.
Provide quality in-person and virtual counseling. Virtual sessions meet the same quality of care, empathy, engagement, and skill as in-person sessions.
Maintain an effective counseling process and relationship with the client until termination of the treatment.
Work cooperatively and effectively within a practice and agency setting.
Initiate appropriate professional relationships with mental health professionals outside that agency as needed.
Document the counseling work with progress notes that meets the standards of the agency, Medicaid, insurance companies and the state of Michigan.
Demonstrate understanding and commitment to professional and social responsibility as defined by ethical and legal statutes.
Understand one’s own personality and biases and one’s impact upon others in professional and client interaction.
To recognize and understand transference and countertransference and address such occurrences with the clinical supervisor so they do not impede your work with clients but as well to direct attention to triggers that acknowledge unfinished business.
Work with diverse populations in cross-cultural or multicultural settings.

Application Procedure

All applicants are asked to submit the following information via email to Jowanda Bivins at Jowanda@newbeginningsfreshstart.com

1. Resume or Curriculum/Vitae

2. Cover letter

a. Specify your field of study

b. Previous counseling experience

c. Any special skills (foreign language, grant writing, computer programming, etc.)

d. Short- and long-term goals

e. Reason for desiring to complete your practicum/internship experience at NBFSCG

Criminal Background Check

**All practicum and intern students will be required to complete a criminal background check. Students will not be permitted to begin their practicum/internship until NBFSCG has received a clearance from their criminal background check. The background check requires fingerprints through the state police, is compliant with school, agency, and state standards for working with minors and clients in the mental health industry in the state of Michigan. The background check may be facilitated by the agency or done prior to the start of the practicum/internship (if it is compliant with agency and state standards) – see Criminal Background Clearance section for more detailed information.

Hours per week

15-20 hours per week but may vary per student and site location

Position Description:

Qualifications:

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 preferred

· Enrolled in a master’s degree counseling/marriage & family therapy program

· Enrolled in a doctoral degree counseling/marriage & family therapy program

By the end of the internship, the intern will have the ability to develop the basic skill sets:
A clear and concise understanding of the theories, techniques, and procedures specific to the counselor’s guiding theory of counseling.
Skills basic to the counselor’s guiding theory of counseling.
An understanding of the dynamics of individual behavior in the counseling relationship and recognize, if necessary, the need for change in attitudes and behavior.
The ability to establish and maintain counseling relationships consistent with ethical standards.
The ability to discern and implement the counseling mode most facilitative to the problem presented by the client. This implies recognition of referral responsibility when the client can be best served in this manner.
The ability to establish and maintain a constructive, facilitative, and ongoing relationships with clients using a variety of interpersonal skills.
The ability to evaluate data gathered from counseling sessions and to interpret the data to a client to aid in diagnosis and to help the client understand their cognitive processes and behaviors to improve treatment and better personal growth.
Effective communication.
The ability to communicate about a client with other health professionals, when necessary, without violating the confidentiality of the counseling relationship.
The ability to render a DSM-V diagnosis based on client behaviors.
The ability to identify attachment related issues and regulate emotions.
Recognition of personal and professional limitations and the ability to make appropriate referrals that enhance the achievement of a client’s counseling goals.

Application Instructions:

Please send resume or curriculum vitae and cover letter to: jowanda@newbeginningsfreshstart.com

Internship - FAQ

1. When and/or how will I find out if I have been accepted as an intern at NBFSCG?

Within 2 weeks of your interview, you will receive an email from the office manager informing you of your acceptance as an intern and to inform you of the orientation which will acclimate you to the office and internship expectations.

2. What will be discussed at the orientation?

All NBFSCG interns will have an orientation meeting prior to the start of their practicum/internship. During orientation, interns will learn basic office information, be introduced to their NBFSCG computer software system, learn the time clock system, set up your email, and further information on training, credentials, new and transferring clients required for acclimation to your practicum/internship experience at NBFSCG.

3. To be ready to begin my practicum/internship, what does NBFSCG need from me?

Counseling is a practice that requires the counselor to be ethically responsible. We have a responsibility to the clients by which we service. Therefore, we need to ensure that all interns have passed a background check. To meet this counseling criteria, the following items need to be received before you can begin accruing hours:

· Copy of: Driver’s License

· Criminal Background Clearance

o You will receive notification of when and how to meet these requirements in your welcome packet and/or during orientation.

4. What do I do if I have an emergency and need to speak with a staff member?

Interns will be provided with an office staff contact list so they may contact their supervisor and/or any NBFSCG staff member via phone or e-mail. This is confidential information, so please keep the list in a private location away from non- NBFSCG staff (but for immediate access if/when needed).

5. As an intern, how do I determine my work schedule?

NBFSCG recognizes that the best method of determining a work schedule for each intern is to develop a schedule that is best conducive for the intern (designed around your work and/or school schedule) yet remains within the confines of the office room schedule and program parameters. Interns will be given an office room schedule by which they must abide. Interns may negotiate with one another on office space/time, but any permanent changes must be requested and directed to the office manager and receive approval before changing office assignments. Interns will have the option to work remotely in addition to conducting office appointments.

6. Am I required to be on-site for all client sessions?

NBFSCG offers in-person and virtual counseling sessions to clients. Practicum students must conduct in-person and virtual counseling sessions. Interns who have successfully completed their practicum at NBFSCG have the option to conduct solely virtual counseling sessions under the approval of the supervisor.

7. Who do I report to if/when my supervisor is not present?

In the event the supervisor is attending a meeting onsite, offsite, in a session, absent or away from work for an extended period, you will report to the office manager, or director.

8. Will I have an office phone for clients to reach me?

Interns are required to utilize a google voice phone line as their best method of contact for clients. Clients will reach out to their therapist but also may call the NBFSCG office to leave a message for their therapist. If the latter occurs, you will receive an email from the office manager informing you of client calls.

9. How do I communicate with NBFSCG staff if/when needed?

During orientation, you will be given an NBFSCG email address and contact list. You may contact any NBFSCG staff member either via their google office line, email address or chat within the office software program. However, it is important to discuss the best method of communication with your supervisor as the best method of communication will vary per person.

10. What is the dress code?

The practicum/internship requires business casual attire. It affords the intern the ability to be comfortable while also presenting their best as a representation of their school and NBFSCG. Low cut blouses, fitted/sagging pants/dresses and skirts, and flip flops are not permitted. Such clothing can be distracting and suggestive to clients or send the wrong message to those who may have a skewed mental/emotional view of others.

11. What do I do in the event I am unable to come to work or am late for session(s)?

It is your responsibility to treat your internship as an actual job. You must respect your client’s time. To honor the fact that clients are paying for this service, you must notify your clients 24-hrs before their session of any cancellation. In the event of an emergency, please notify your clients by phone and follow up with an email and message in the system to notify them of the cancellation. If this is not possible, contact the office manager so she/he may call your client(s) on your behalf.

12. Do I need to obtain liability/malpractice insurance?

It is the responsibility and requirement of interns to obtain liability/malpractice insurance coverage during the duration of their internship. Coverage should be set to begin prior to your first day. This will ensure coverage. Students must bring verification of insurance to have on file at NBFSCG. Date of coverage must be for one (1) year.

13. After securing my internship, how will I find out my site placement and what is required of me as an NBFSCG intern?

All NBFSCG interns will have an orientation meeting either virtually or at the NBFSCG office. During orientation, interns will learn basic office information, receive their office badge, be introduced to their NBFSCG computer sign-on, learn the time clock system, e-mail address and system, front door code and further information on training and credentials required at NBFSCG.

14. How do I determine the best hours to work at my site location?

NBFSCG recognizes that the best method of determining a work schedule for each intern is to develop a schedule that is best conducive for the intern (designed around your school schedule) yet remains within confines of the site supervisor’s schedule and program parameters. Sessions should not take place before 8am or after 9pm. Interns are not permitted to work on Sundays.

15. As a virtual intern, how do I communicate with NBFSCG staff when needed?

During orientation, you will be given an NBFSCG email address and NBFSCG contact list. You may contact any NBFSCG staff member either via their office line or email address. Some staff persons are unable to communicate via email or phone during the day/evening due to the varying responsibilities required of them due to counseling and/or teaching. On such occasions, it may best to send a text or message within the portal by which staff can receive immediately and can respond when available. However, it is important to discuss the best method of communication with your supervisor as this method of communication is not required by NBFSCG but determined by the individual person.