At the Y, we invest in helping everyone reach their fullest potential!
We offer internships and placement opportunities for individuals interested in pursuing a rewarding career in human services; Master’s Degree level practicum placements within our Counseling Services, Kinship Support Services and residential treatment program; and internship opportunities within our Transitional Housing Department.
These placements allow the opportunity to work with a culturally diverse population and variety of mental health symptoms, with exceptional clinical supervision and training.
Counseling Services
Our Counseling Services are clinic based, fee-for-service structure. We provide a professional and welcoming environment for interns and clients within our Counseling Center in Central San Diego, including individual, family and play therapy rooms. Therapeutic work and interventions are based on Family Systems Theory and modalities include individual, couples and families. Interns will have the opportunity to work with a variety of cases, presenting issues may include but are not limited to: parent/child relationship, parenting, marital, life transitioning, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, etc.
For more information, click here or contact:
Brittany Vetter, LCSW 81890
[email protected]
(619) 281-8313 ext. 10725
TIDES Program
TIDES (Therapeutic Interventions Designed to Empower Students) provides therapy services to students at 12 different school sites (elementary, middle and high school) in the San Diego Unified School District. Practicum placements with TIDES are a 12-month commitment, 20-25 hours per week. Interns will be trained on county paperwork, documentation and billing systems that accompanies each client contact and consultation.
Therapists have regular meetings with students, parents and school staff and are expected to initiate collaborative conversations with their client's teachers and counselors to obtain feedback on the child's progress in the classroom. School counseling occurs on site Monday through Friday, during school hours with occasional parent meetings in the evenings. Individual and group supervision are provided weekly and there is a required 1 hour administrative staff meeting each week.
This practicum offers extensive training and prepares students to be professional therapists with high legal and ethical standards.
For more information, click here or contact:
Deanna amudio, LPCC
[email protected]
(619) 281-8313 ext.10734
Oz San Diego Internship and Practicum
Oz is a two week intensive residential treatment facility for youth ages 12-17. While at Oz youth receive Individual, Group, and Family therapy. After the two week residential treatment program the youth and their family receive 8 weeks of family therapy aftercare which can be conducted through Family Therapy or the Multi-Family Group. Youth at Oz have a variety of presenting problems including depression, suicidal ideation/attempts, anxiety, oppositional defiance, self-harming behaviors, drug and alcohol use, and past trauma including sexual and physical abuse.
Internship students will work alongside of Residential Supervisors in overseeing the daily structure for the residents. Interns will have opportunity to assist with the daily check-ins, and develop and lead enrichment activities focused on the residents’ treatment goals. Hours are flexible and can be during evenings and weekends. A 6 month minimum commitment is required.
Practicum students will conduct intakes with the youth and family and provide the individual and family therapy for their clients. They will also be responsible to develop and conduct groups with the residents. Group topics can focus on healthy relationships, drug and alcohol use, anger management, self-harming behaviors, etc. Practicum students will also have an opportunity to observe and eventually co-facilitate the Multi-Family Group that comprises of past Oz residents and their families that are participating in aftercare. Theory focuses on Brief-Strategic and Family Systems. Therapists develop their hypothesis on the function of the youth’s behaviors within the family and work with the family to bring about change. Practicum students will complete assessments, write case notes, develop treatment goals, and write up a service summary upon client discharge. Supervision is provided through weekly Individual and Group supervision by a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Weekly treatment team meetings are conducted with Counseling and Residential Supervisor staff.
For more information, click here, or contact:
Nicole Reich, LMFT
[email protected]
(619) 281-8313 ext. 10711
Kinship Support Services
The YMCA Kinship Support Program has internship opportunities available for Foundation Year (first year) Master of Social Work students attending accredited programs. Interns are responsible for completing mezzo and macro activities and providing case management services to a caseload of up to 15 clients at a time. Hours are flexible, but interns are expected to complete a minimum of 16 hours per week for 9-12 months. The experience involves the following:
- Collaboration with Child Welfare Services social workers and staff from other community agencies
- Client engagement, home visits, intakes and assessments
- Case Plan Development
- Hard and electronic file maintenance
- Information and referral to appropriate resources
- Participation in team meetings and individual and group supervision
- Assistance with support groups and other events
For more information, click here or contact:
Melissa Brooks, MSW
[email protected]
(619) 543-9850 ext. 12440
Transitional Housing Programs
We provide a strength-based, individualized approach to assisting youth ages 18-24 reaches their personal goals. These youth have aged out of their foster care placement and/or have former probation involvement. Youth are provided with case management, housing, independent living skills and counseling.
Our counseling approach is client centered and directed at helping the youth develop and maintain healthy relationships. Individual, family and group counseling is offered, as well as targeted assessments to determine areas of growth and interests.
For more information, contact:
Tara Hodgens, LMFT
[email protected]
(760) 721-8930