Brooks College of Health

Master of Social Work Internship
The Counseling Center Practicum/Internship is two semesters long (Fall, Spring). Fall semester begins with a minimum of 15 hours/week followed by Spring 20 hours/week and Summer semester 20-25. This program of supervised clinical experience is designed to satisfy the clinical requirements of a social work degree in preparation for licensure in the State of Florida.

We prepare our interns to work effectively in a multidisciplinary environment. Our team consists of mental health counselors, social workers, a nutritionist, psychiatric nurse practitioners, a psychiatrist, psychologists, and support staff. The counseling center staff and I are committed to our trainees becoming the best mental health practitioners.” We have supervisors with numerous years of experience and the center allows for various clinical opportunities such as individual counseling, group counseling, outreach, and crisis intervention.

We are looking forward to seeing how you decorate the office assigned to you. You truly become a part of our staff! As your time allows, you are welcome to attend didactic presentations, staff meetings, case conferences, and other counseling center activities. We hope to provide you with the kind of training that allows you to become a confident and competent mental health practitioner.

Accreditation
The Counseling Center is accredited by the Association of Counseling Services (IACS).

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Eligibility
Students who are completing the requirements for a master's degree in social work are eligible to apply.
Minimum academic requirements include:
  1. Completion of courses in ethics, counseling, and psychopathology.
  2. Additional coursework in advanced counseling theory/technique and group dynamics is preferred.
If your university does not have an affiliation agreement with our center, we will need to obtain one prior to the start of the internship. Currently, our center has affiliation agreements with
  • University of North Florida
  • Jacksonville University
  • Nova Southeastern University
Effective communication skills and a commitment to personal growth are a must.

Candidates must be able to work within the normal operating hours of the Center (Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.). Occasional evening or weekend hours will be necessary for outreach programs.

Responsibilities
  1. Orientation
    A week-long orientation will be held the first week of August. It is required that trainees attend all orientation sessions. Trainees will receive information about Counseling Center policies and procedures, participate in a staff meet and greet, gain information about the center's services, and will receive brief training on topics relevant to the start of their training.

  2. Intake Sessions
    Initially, trainees observe staff counselors conduct intake sessions and write clinical reports. After observing several sessions with different staff counselors, trainees will conduct an intake session while their supervisor observes them.

  3. Individual Counseling
    Every effort is made to provide trainees with a variety of clients and presenting concerns commensurate with their level of counseling abilities and experience. Clients are assigned to trainees depending on the trainee's level of training and experience, client/trainee availability, and the trainee's current caseload.

  4. Group Counseling
    All trainees co-facilitate a counseling group with a staff member. Trainees will have an option to co-facilitate an additional group starting in the Spring semester. There are often additional opportunities to co-facilitate psychoeducational, support, and art therapy groups with staff members.

  5. Outreach Activities
    Trainees will get the opportunity to develop and present outreach activities to the University community. Student groups, campus departments, and residence hall advisors often request that the Center present programs to students on a variety of topics. Some of these programs are offered during evenings and weekends.

  6. Documentation
    Trainees are required to document all counseling contacts in a timely manner through case notes created in the Center's documentation and scheduling software. Additional documentation may be required regarding supervision, outreach, and other clinical activities.

  7. Liability Insurance
    Trainees are required to carry professional liability insurance. Documentation of coverage is required prior to independent client contact.

Group Psychotherapy
At our counseling center, interns will receive a number of group counseling training experiences. Group supervision is conducted before and after each group and interns are required to attend a formal group facilitators meeting.
Trainees' Typical Week:

Direct Contact
  • Initial Appointment
  • Individual Counseling
  • Group Counseling
  • Emergency Coverage (starting in Spring)
  • Outreach

Indirect Contact
  • Supervision with a Licensed Counselor
  • Case Notes and Paperwork
  • Group Supervision
  • Supervision of Groups
  • Supplemental Supervision

Total Hours Per Week = 15-25 hours depending on the semester
Trainees might be offered additional opportunities, such as:
  • Staff Meetings
  • Case Conference
  • Group Supervision with Doctoral Interns
  • Didactic Training with Doctoral Interns
  • Additional Group Counseling

Note: If a trainee exceeds 14 hours of direct client contact, or schedules less than 8 hours of paperwork per week, there will be an increase in total hours at the Counseling Center to accommodate for more paperwork time.

Supervision
Trainees will receive:
  • 1-hour of individual supervision every week.
  • 1-hour of supervision of group counseling every other week.
  • 1-hour group supervision every three weeks

Evaluation
Trainees receive formal evaluations from their supervisors based on the requirement of their academic program. Evaluation guidelines are determined in conjunction with the policies of each trainee's academic program and the expectations of the Center. Trainees meet with their supervisors to discuss their evaluations.
Trainees also complete evaluations of their supervisors midway throughout the semester

Counseling
Personal issues or difficulties sometimes arise for trainees in the course of their initial experience as counselors that exceed the limitations of supervision. While we encourage all current UNF students to utilize services at the Center, trainees are unable to obtain personal counseling during the term of their practicum or internship. The staff is available to assist trainees in locating community resources when a referral is indicated.
Information on CVs and Examples

Correspondence
Inquiries, applications, and letters of recommendation should be addressed to:

Kathryn White, Psy.D.
Director of Training
University of North Florida Counseling Center

Building 2, Room 2300
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224-7699
Telephone: (904) 620-2602
kathryn.white@unf.edu