Clinical Student Interns

Internship is a rite of passage for ALL helping & medical professions. Our interns are graduate students currently enrolled in accredited programs including Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling or Social Work around the Triangle area. Interns have finished- or are about to finish- all required coursework from their graduate programs, and are working towards completing internship hours so that they can pursue licensure in a mental health field.

Here at Three Oaks, Clinical Student Interns have the same expectations as all other clinicians on the team, including maintaining a caseload and completing administrative tasks. However, interns execute these expectations on a smaller scale to make room for other expectations as outlined by their graduate programs.

Working with a Clinical Student Intern is like being able to work with multiple Three Oaks providers simultaneously! Interns receive required weekly clinical supervision from our licensed Clinical Intern Supervisors. Supervisors are specially trained, fully licensed therapists. Additionally, interns are under the supervision of professors in their graduate programs. Everything discussed between an intern and supervisor remains confidential; you can be assured of your privacy.

Our interns also attend regular consultations with members of our clinical staff. Consultations involve receiving feedback from peers about one’s work with individual clients. This collaboration allows exposure to many different therapeutic styles & techniques which translates to YOU having a provider who is able to meet your concerns from a variety of professional, clinical lenses! No identifying information about a client is shared during consultations.

Interns are also still students, which means that the latest clinical research is woven into their graduate curricula, beneficially informing their direct work with you during therapy sessions.

Working with a Clinical Student Intern allows for much financial flexibility. Insurance companies are not able to reimburse interns for services. This means that Three Oaks interns are able to schedule clients on a sliding scale or "reduced rate" basis, allowing you and the Clinical Student Intern to negotiate a cost per session together.

Three Oaks believes that finances should never be a barrier to getting exceptional counseling services. Our Internship Program plays a huge role in Three Oaks being able to welcome clients to the practice who are uninsured or otherwise unable to budget for professional therapeutic support.

Also, working with an intern is an excellent option for folks who do have insurance but do not want to submit a mental health claim through an insurance company. Submitting insurance claims requires the need for a mental health diagnosis which becomes part of the client's permanent medical record.

Our Clinical Intern Supervisors take their roles very seriously when it comes to preparing future therapists for success in their mental health careers. 100% of therapy session fees collected are used towards the professional development of our interns. The price per session covers the costs of the interns' supervision, professional headshots, consultations, and training that help further benefit their clinical practice & education. By working with a Clinical Student Intern, you are directly impacting the next generation of helping professionals in the field of mental health.