Thank you for your interest our Clinical Internship Program

Maria Droste Counseling Center is proud to help advance therapists-in-training with our clinical internship program.

As an intern with us, you’ll gain valuable experience while being supported by experienced and professional therapists. Many employers find that counselors who come through our program are well-trained and mindfully prepared for their work helping others.

 We are now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 internship year. All positions for the Integrated Care Track have been filled. We are accepting applications for the Children First Track. Due to the needs of our sites, we are only considering candidates who are fluent in Spanish and highly prioritizing candidates with diverse identities.

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What we offer at a glance

• 30+ year history of clinical training
• Unpaid internship with stipend & work-study eligible
• Group and individual supervision provided weekly
• Advanced training provided weekly
• Case consultation provided monthly
• Diverse, inclusive environment
• BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and White Awareness spaces for all personnel facilitated by staff
• Opportunity to work with community agencies
• Post-graduate fellowship opportunities

Please note: All offers for internship or fellowship will be contingent on a clear background check and provision of proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or valid letter of exemption. Below, please find detailed information on Maria Droste programs, as well as FAQs that address internship tracks, requirements, and supervision. Please read through the following information carefully before reaching out to our program staff.

Choosing Internship Tracks

Applicants are asked to indicate which track(s) they are interested in applying for. Regardless of track, all clinical placements require at 20 hour/week commitment. Maria Droste interns are all expected to function as therapists. This means that they will meet regularly with clients, complete accurate billing, and complete comprehensive and compliant documentation. All tracks very closely resemble real-life jobs and provide vital skills required for entering the workforce.

Learn more about our Children First Combined and Integrated Care Combined Tracks here: Internship Tracks

The following information is meant give you an idea of what you can expect from an internship with the Maria Droste Counseling Center as well as how to apply. If you have any other questions about our internship program after reviewing the FAQs, please contact recruitment@mariadroste.org. We look forward to helping you in your training as a therapist.

Do you provide practica opportunities? 

No, we do not provide practica opportunities. Our clinical internships  are tailored for graduate students seeking master’s level internship or doctoral level practicum placement.

How many interns do you take? 

Intern cohorts at Maria Droste are usually 30-35 people. The number varies each to year depending on the needs of our programs.

How long is the internship?

All Internship opportunities at Maria Droste are 10 months in duration, beginning in August and ending in May of the following year. We are unable to accept interns for shorter durations of time or at alternative start/ending dates.

How many hours a week is an internship with Maria Droste? 

Our interns, regardless of their track, usually commit to around 20 hours a week during an internship at Maria Droste.

What kind of experience will I get as a Maria Droste intern? 

Through our internship program, interns receive experience with: 

• Individual Therapy for Clients of All Ages (based on track)
• Medicaid Billing
• Group Therapy 
• Couples and Family Interventions 
• Integrated Care in the Community

What is an internship with Maria Droste REALLY like? 

Internships at Maria Droste are intensive placements that provide high-level, real-life training. Interns at Maria Droste are expected to function as therapists, meaning they regularly meet with clients, bill for sessions, and complete comprehensive documentation–including meeting Medicaid compliance standards. The internship very closely resembles a real-life therapy job and provides invaluable preparation for post-graduation entry into the mental health field. Relatedly, employers report high satisfaction with former Maria Droste interns due to their knowledge and experience.

What are the internship tracks? 

In their applications, internship candidates are asked to indicated which track(s) they are interested in applying for: Children First Combined and/or Integrated Care Combined. Click here for more information about each track and please read it over carefully before choosing tracks on your application.

What is supervision like? 

Internship supervisors are members of The Therapist Group, a collective of therapists highly experienced in a wide variety of modalities, and who are enthusiastic about training our interns. Due to increasingly specialized placements, we also hire field supervisors with specific expertise. All of our supervisors have tremendous respect for the important role that interns play in our mission of providing quality services to the community, and they receive training and consultation specifically related to their supervisory roles. Interns receive weekly individual supervision and group supervision twice monthly. 

When will I know who my supervisor is?

Supervisors are matched with intern therapists based on client population, modalities, years of experience, identity, etc. Interns and supervisors both have an opportunity to share their hopes for a supervisor match prior to matching. The matching process occurs during the summer and interns receive their supervisor match during fall orientation in August.

What are the internship program requirements? 

All applicants for a Maria Droste Counseling Center internship must:: 

• be currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program 
• commit to 20 hours/week
• commit to a 10 month internship (mid August to June)  
• attend one hour individual supervision per week 
• have ability to work independently
• mission aligned
• possess self-awareness and a commitment to personal growth. 

**Interns who have not had their own counseling are asked to complete a minimum of 6 sessions prior to starting the internship**

• attend training every Friday morning from 8:30 to noon
• have ability to schedule clients at least one evening (4-7pm) 
• have ability to respond to client emergencies, such as mandatory reports, as needed 
• complete all clinical and agency paperwork & billing within required timelines 
• complete a minimum of two audio/video recordings 

Is this a paid internship? 

No. However, we offer stipends to all interns. We are also an off-campus Federal Work-Study eligible site. Maria Droste Counseling Center continues to explore ways to compensate graduate-level providers for their time.

How does Maria Droste Counseling Center support interns throughout internship? 

The Program Team at Maria Droste Counseling Center is comprised of various staff members who are responsible for overseeing various aspects of internship, fellowship, and other components of clinical training. This team creates a training schedule for interns, meets weekly to discuss program management, and solicits feedback from interns and fellows regularly to evaluate the needs of each unique cohort. 

Is my graduate program partnered with Maria Droste and can I apply for an internship? 

Maria Droste Counseling Center is an approved field placement site for several graduate programs. These currently include: 

• Colorado State University: Masters of Social Work 
• Metropolitan State University of Denver: Masters of Social Work 
• Naropa University: M.A. Mindfulness-Based TCP, M.A. Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychology, M.A. Somatic Dance Movement Body Psychotherapy, M.A. Art Therapy
• Regis University: M.A. Counseling, M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy 
• University of Colorado Denver: M.A. Counseling Psychology, M.A. Clinical Mental Health, M.A. Couple and Family Counseling, PhD School Psychology 
• University of Denver: Masters of Social Work, M.A. Counseling Psychology, M.A. International Disaster Psychology, Psy.D. Child and Adolescent Assessment and Intervention, Psy.D. Clinical Psychology 
• University of Northern Colorado: M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A. School Counseling 
• Capella University: M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling 

What if my graduate program is not listed above and I’d like to apply for an internship? 

Any other programs need to be cleared with our Director of Clinical Training, and have an anti-discrimination statement that is inclusive (i.e. includes sexual orientation and gender identity). For programs not listed above, please send an email to recruitment@mariadroste.org and include your university’s anti-discrimination statement, a summary of your academic and clinical training progression, and a contact person for your program. 

I’ve read everything and I still have questions. Who can I reach out to? 

For more information about our graduate training program, please e-mail recruitment@mariadroste.org 

I’m ready to apply! Where do I go? 

As mentioned above, we will begin accepting applications for the internship year on a rolling basis starting on January 1. The application is available to review and begin completing here.