Note: Unless a potential candidate has previous autism experience, we generally only accept students who are enrolled in programs that allow group supervision to count for their weekly supervision requirements.
Our practice cannot provide/guarantee individual supervision provided to students on a weekly basis.
Completing your Master’s practicum or Internship(s) with Connection Counseling & Consultation is a very unique experience. There is no other outpatient therapy practice that offers the variety of experiences we offer. We pride ourselves on providing quality care to the folks we serve which means you will receive a very high level of supervision and support. We also strive to be competent in all needs connected to clients who identify as neurodivergent and/or queer.
We are a small practice, and so compared to most larger agencies we offer a very individualized approach for our students. You will receive group supervision on a regular basis, and that group will be composed of individuals who are working towards their license post-graduation, as well as students who are working on practicums and internships. Supervision is provided by April Artz, LPC (read bio for more details on April).
The Big Picture:
I’m Master’s level student
What can I expect from a placement?
Placements will involve the student:
Assisting in running in-person therapeutic groups on Sundays & Wednesday evenings for a wide range of neurodiverse youth (Direct hours)
Being part of the inclusion team where we provide direct/real time support to youth enrolled in Hebrew school who require some extra facilitation and structure in order to be successful (Direct hours)
Assisting with behind-the-scenes tasks (ex: curriculum development, resource guides, etc)
Shadowing April & CC&C team members at local Jewish schools where CC&C provides consultation services (school year only)
Shadowing April to learn more about early development in children (school year only)
Picking up your own coaching or therapy clients after having shadowed several clinicians at the practice (Direct hours)
A deep dive into understanding the world of neurodiversity and what it looks like from childhood through adulthood
Students will:
Recognize what autism looks like across all ages, genders, and stages of life
Incorporate Positive Behavior Support techniques into a natural environment (these techniques work for groups of all ages and are easily transferred to other settings and groups)
Create behavior charts, reward systems, visual schedules, and social stories
Make accommodations for students with invisible disabilities at the schools where we provide consultation services
Learn how group therapy can be fun and therapeutic all at the same time
Learn how to meet clients where they are at and find creative approaches and solutions vs applying a one size fits all approach
What Positive Behavior Support consultation looks like when applied in local private school settings
Assist in creating and delivering presentations on autism, neurodiversity, and positive behavior support for local schools, agencies, etc.
Skills Needed to be Successful:
Strong executive functioning/organizational skills
Ability to “jump right in” as needed
Assertiveness
Strong communication skills
Open minded
Creative: We never use a one size fits all approach
Not wedded strongly to using only one therapeutic methodology (ex: only CBT, only DBT, etc)
Emotional fortitude (not all clients will be socially gracious/immediately responsive)
Patience in terms of conducting individual therapy (we only assign you individual clients once you have shadowed for a few weeks)
If you have a passion for neurodiversity and are a quick learner, we will happily keep you around for prac and internship!
If your program allows it, we sometimes provide paid work opportunities to students once they have reached Internship II, depending on the practice’s needs and the student’s availability/level of professionalism demonstrated over time