Blog
When it’s time to quit your internship
Fed up, yet? Have you had it about up to here? *insert wild, overhead hand gesture here* I’m talking about your clinical internship. Specifically, those 3000+ hours (depending on your state) of applied work that you do while under supervision, before you can practice independently as a counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, psychologist, etc etc. Every licensed psychotherapist has got some sort of internship to do. It’s a part of the process. An important part of the process. But, man. Counseling...
read moreBig news! Discounted supervision.
Make way for big changes! Are you looking for affordable supervision in Austin? Want to get $100 off your monthly supervision costs? Let’s chat! I’m knocking nearly $100 off my monthly rate for LPC intern supervision. And I’m scheduling interviews now for folks to start working under my supervision this summer. What you get Here’s what you can expect if we work together: +Supervision that costs less than $70 an hour +4-5 hours of supervision each month, in group and individual formats +A free monthly practice-building group to support...
read moreMy insecurities from my first year in private practice
I had a serious blast from the past yesterday. I was cleaning up my home office. And I came across a couple of old binders. I started sorting through them and found one full of old notes from my first year in business. My practice, Labyrinth Healing, turns three this month. And I couldn’t be prouder of it– and I guess of me, too. But this hard-won sense of pride and safety also gives me the ability to be vulnerable with you. And there are some things I think I need to share with you. First year in business: what was it like?...
read moreThe company you keep (beware the grumps!)
Let’s face it: the company you keep can make or break your post-graduate experience. Think about it. Most people spend 40+ hours a week working. LPC internships in Texas last 3,000 hours. That’s a long time, right? Factor in the pressures unique to the counseling profession, when you’re working with people who are feeling lost, discouraged, anxious, confused, depressed, and possibly even suicidal. That’s a lot to hold! So, it’s key that you have good people in your corner—supportive folks in your world who can be kind, encouraging and...
read moreA love letter from your colleagues
We all have moments when we feel discouraged. When we could really use some hopeful, kind words. The road from application to a graduate program in mental health, through internship, and to the other side of full licensure is a long one. And after that, the journey continues still. So, in last month’s newsletter, I did a bit of an experiment. (You can sign up for my newsletter in the column over there if you haven’t already –>.) I asked all my readers to chime in with words of encouragement, advice, and booboos to help their...
read moreTips & tricks for finding a counseling internship
Whether your focus is on getting a paid job as an LPC intern… or earning a spot at the most popular agency in town… you’ll need a strong strategy to have a fighting chance. Today we’ll talk about tips and tricks for finding counseling internships. From preparing your cover letters… to do’s and don’ts of the interview process… there’s a little something for everyone preparing in earnest for their counseling internship job hunt. Tips & tricks So you’ve narrowed down a list of prospective sites, and you’re trying to figure out...
read moreHow much do LPC interns make?
Wanna know how much you can make as a counseling intern? Let’s review some basic info. Firstly, let’s define a couple of things. What do I mean by a counseling intern? I’m speaking here about individuals who have completed their graduate degree in counseling or psychology and have obtained a license to practice in their state as an LPC intern. And I’m talking about trends in Texas. Austin, specifically. Remember, pay grade, licensing requirements, and even what your license is called varies by location. Volunteering & pro bono work So,...
read more10 steps to finding a counseling internship
Students often write me about where to find a counseling internship. More to the point, they want to know if there are paid LPC internships in Austin. (Side bar: Yes, there are paid internships available. There aren’t a ton, and they are competitive, but they do exist.) In fact, I’ve developed a listing of more than 70 agencies in Austin that provide internships to beginning counselors who are looking to complete their internship hours here. You can buy that listing here. But today’s topic expands beyond simply exploring the internship...
read moreYour office is sacred space
As therapists, we’re crazy about containers. We’re always talking about ‘em. We talk about “holding space” for clients. We say the therapeutic relationship is a container. It’s a space clients pour affects and needs into. And we are picky about where we office. Why? Because we know those four walls hold a lot more than our diplomas and licenses. They hold our clients. They hold our practices. They hold our intentions about growing a business instead of having a hobby. And they hold us as we do this important work. The office as a sacred...
read moreBuilding a practice with integrity: fee setting & sliding scale
If you have a client who calls you, asks immediately for an initial appointment, and says they’ll pay your full fee, do you bring that client onto your caseload? I hope your answer is “Maybe.” Building a practice with integrity A reader recently asked me to write a post on setting fees & establishing a sliding scale. So today I’ll be offering some tips about fee-setting. But that’s not where the conversation is going to start. We have to start with a more basic, more fundamental question about principles. Because if you...
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