Internships

WHY INTERN AT COUNSELING WORKS

At Counseling Works, we believe your internship should be more than just a requirement—it should be a launchpad for your career. Our private practice is committed to supporting your personal and professional journey, providing a collaborative, high-growth environment where you’ll be mentored, trained, and truly seen as a developing clinician. While you’re working toward your LPC as a Counseling Associate (our title for all clinical interns!), we’re here to help you build confidence, competence, and community.

CULTURE

We know that clinical work is only part of your development. That’s why our integrated team approach includes:

• Administrative Support – Our Intake Coordinators, Credentialing Specialists, and Billing Team ensure that interns can focus on learning and client care—not logistics.
• Marketing Exposure – Interested in building a future private practice or community presence? We support interns in understanding marketing, outreach, and even shadowing speaking engagements or workshops.
• Collaborative Professionals – Our diverse clinical team includes experienced therapists specializing in a variety of clinical aspects who work together to model comprehensive care—and help you learn in the process.

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

We offer a structured internship experience that blends real-world learning with close supervision and mentorship. As a Counseling Associate, you will receive:

• Weekly individual supervision from a licensed, experienced clinician
• Weekly didactic training sessions tailored to internship needs and current clinical topics
• Monthly “Coffee & Learns” featuring guest speakers and specialty topics
• Group consultations with peers and licensed therapists held multiple times per month
• 1:1 mentorship with a staff clinician known as a Counseling Associate Mentor for individualized professional development
• Peer support and opportunities to connect with fellow therapists and associates

Our interns often say they feel like a valued part of the team from day one—not just observers. By connecting and collaborating with a variety of other professionals, students excel in their skills and begin to form professional relationships that last far beyond internship.

THE PROGRAM

At Counseling Works, we appreciate structure, transparency and preparedness to help alleviate the natural stress or tension that can come with grad school. You can review program details below to see what makes our program successful for Counseling Associates:

• Application & Interview Process – We’ll provide you with company and screening information to help you prepare for the interview process. You can expect 2 virtual interviews to occur over the span of 1-2 weeks after application.
• Offer & OnBoarding Information – If the role is a good fit for both you and Counseling Works, we’ll send you an offer letter and details on the onboarding process. This includes scheduling information, and what to expect on your first day.
  • Our schedules are about 18-20 hours a week including shifts at any of our locations. All Counseling Associates work out of the Naperville office one day a week, and schedules do include some weekend and evenings hours.
• Orientation Day – We’ll invite you to the office for an orientation day where you can see the space, and meet the team. You’ll learn more about the in’s and out’s of the program, with plenty of opportunities for questions.
• Counseling Associate Breakfast – We’ll host a breakfast meeting where you can meet with Counseling Associates from the current cohort to ask questions, or gain further insight into the company, the program, and even working with clients.
• Build Your Caseload – Starting your third week, you can expect to start seeing clients. We’ll help you build your caseload over time to match your comfort level, school expectations, and schedule.
• Ongoing Didactics & Engagement – During your time at Counseling Works, you can expect multiple levels of support and engagement from didactic training and Coffee & Learns, to social events and team meetings!

WHY THIS MATTERS

We understand that unpaid internships come with real challenges, and we are committed to making sure the value you receive in training, supervision, and mentorship far exceeds expectations. You’ll leave your internship at Counseling Works not only meeting your university requirements—but with the confidence and tools to step into provisionally licensed work in any clinical setting, especially private practice.

READY TO APPLY?

We’re always looking to support future mental health professionals who are passionate, curious, and ready to grow. Interested in joining our practice, or connecting to learn more? Submit your resume below! We’d love to connect and learn more about you.