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Internships & Training

Welcome

Welcome to Counselling Services Clinical Training Program, which has been operational for over 25 years! We are pleased and excited at your interest and we invite you to spend some time familiarizing yourself with our clinical training program described here.

Philosophy

Counselling Services’ Clinical Training Program is designed to foster growth and development of interns within the context of a supportive team learning environment. Our aim is to work together as a service to help individuals hone solid clinical skills (e.g., establishing empathic therapeutic relationships, interviewing, assessment, case formulation, intervention, etc.) tailored to individual needs and learning objectives, while maintaining utmost respect for the needs of our clientele.

Levels of Training

At the University of Waterloo, we offer practica and internship training experiences to serve either Master's or Doctoral level students in Counselling Psychology, Social Work, and other Psychology-related disciplines. Our program typically runs annually between September and June, with interns opting for either 4-month, 6-month, or 8-month placements depending upon interns’ program requirements and our own availability.

Training Experiences

Counselling Services offers individual counselling, career counselling, and study skills counselling to students, staff, and faculty at the University of Waterloo. Services are offered through one-to-one appointments and in groups. We operate under a short-term treatment model with representation from a range of theoretical orientations including humanistic, cognitive-behavioural, solution-focused, feminist, and narrative perspectives.

Interns choosing our Clinical Training Program will be provided with a variety of clinical opportunities from which to choose including:

Individual Counselling: Training experiences typically focus on individual counselling with a broad range of clients and issues (e.g., relationship concerns, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief); which is similar to what might be seen in an out-patient counselling service. Typically, interns might see from 1 to 3 individual clients per day, in addition to any groups, workshops, or other training experiences that interns have chosen.

Career Counselling: Training experiences may also include exposure to career counselling within the context of individual counselling and/or by way of scheduled workshops. Interns choosing to pursue training in career counselling can expect increased familiarity with the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Study SkillsCounselling: Interns will almost certainly have an opportunity to engage in study skills counselling, whether as part of individual counselling or participation in one of several workshops offered throughout the year.

Groups/Workshops: Annually, Counselling Services offers a broad range of personal growth, career, and study skills workshops to compliment a variety of needs and interests. Intern involvement in any of our groups is encouraged, either as a co-leader or participant-observer.

Supervision: Interns can expect to receive 1½ -2 hours of weekly individual supervision with their primary supervisor. In addition, interns are invited to participate in weekly group supervision, as well as informal peer consultation with co-interns and Counselling Services staff.

 Additional Training Experiences: Interns are included in a variety of additional training experiences such as weekly training seminars, professional development events, case consultations, staff meetings, research, and committee membership. An exciting part of our training program consists of interdisciplinary contacts with campus resources (e.g., Health Services, Office for Person’s with Disabilities, etc.) and community services.

Application Process

All applicants are expected to be enrolled in a Master’s or Doctoral program (e.g., social work, counselling psychology) and have completed a theory course in counselling, or its equivalent. Experience relevant to counselling is another requirement.

Applicants should include a cover letter, a resume, a transcript of graduate credits, and at least two letters of reference. Acceptance of interns into our program is based on names provided by placement coordinators from applicants’ academic settings and an interview with Counselling Services’ supervision team.

Although we receive applications at various times throughout the year, most of our placements are finalized by the spring/summer preceding the desired clinical training year.

 

At Counselling Services, we strive to uphold virtues of inclusion and sensitivity in our work with a wonderfully diverse clientele. We are committed to recognizing, addressing, and responding to the diverse needs and world views of both our interns and our clients who vary according to culture, ethnicity, racial background, religion and spirituality, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socioeconomic status. Consistent with many other buildings across campus, our offices are wheelchair accessible.

 

All inquiries or applications can be directed to:

Dave Mackay, MSW, Counselling Services
Needles Hall, University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue, West
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
Email Dave Mackay
519-888-4567 ex. 32464