Clinical Mental Health Associate/Trainee Program

Summary of Internship:
CORA’s Mental Health Department is a training program for MFT Trainees and Interns. CORA’s mental health interns provide an array of clinical services including assessments, individual, group, family, and child therapy for those impacted by domestic violence. Interns will be provided comprehensive training around domestic violence dynamics and interventions, as well as clinical techniques when working with trauma. Interns and trainees are provided weekly individual and group clinical supervision from a licensed MFT.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:                 

• Provide individual, group and family therapy for DV survivors and family members.
• Conduct Intakes and Assessments as directed by Clinical Supervisor.
• Provide crisis management support as directed by Supervision staff or as requested by team members.
• Develop treatment plan and psychosocial assessment for each client on assigned case load.
• Participate in internal and external case consultations.
• Provide referrals for external therapy whenever indicated.
• Chart progress notes and maintain all records in accordance with agency standards, including treatment plans and discharge/transfer summaries.
• Work with Clinical Services Supervisor to promote quality assurance for department.
• Complete and support periodic program reports as directed by supervisor.
• Monitor records of all clients on caseload to ensure compliance with program outcomes, effective treatment plans and service delivery goals.
• Regularly attend and participate in individual and group supervision with a willingness to learn, engage in personal and professional reflection, and practice new techniques.
• Work closely with CORA staff from all departments to assess the clinical needs of clients and link them to appropriate services.

Desired Skills:

• Graduate level or post graduate level with experience in related field.
• Experience with individuals and families impacted by trauma
• Spanish, Tagalog, Mandarin or other language fluency.

Survivors

Many of us are drawn to this work because we are ourselves survivors of domestic violence and/ sexual assault. While volunteering with CORA may be a healthy part of a survivor's healing process, it could also be triggering and elicit intense feelings. For this reason, we believe that psychological well-being and self-care should be priorities for anyone engaged in this field-survivor or not.

Our Policy

It is CORA's policy to provide equal opportunities without regards to ethnicities, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or ability. Thank you for completing this application form and for your interest in volunteering with us. All information will be kept confidential and on file for one year. 

Important Information

Fingerprinting. For the protection for our clients, criminal check are required of all applicants. Please not a one-time fee may apply which we will reimburse. Former victims/ survivors are encouraged to apply no less than 12 months after the last date of service with CORA or other agency. All volunteer applicants will be interviewed by the Volunteer Manager. CORA may decline to accept a volunteer applicant if it is determined that the applicant is not an appropriate match.

 

CORA Traineeship FAQs

How long is the traineeship contract?

Trainees can choose between a 9 or 12-month contract.

 

How many hours a week are expected from a trainee?

The time commitment for this internship is between 16-24 hours a week.

 

How do those hours translate into a daily schedule?

We understand that some folks are still attending classes and/or working other jobs, so trainees are given a chance to build their own schedules. There is a mandatory group supervision meeting that is scheduled every Thursday from 1-3:30pm, which cannot be moved. Note that CORA is open Monday-Friday, which means we do not offer therapy services or supervision on the weekends.

 

What is a typical caseload for a trainee?

This depends on the trainees schedule and capacity. Trainees work closely with their clinical supervisor to determine a reasonable and sustainable number of clients to take on. Trainees typically have an average of 11 client hours per week. 

 

What population does CORA serve?

For a comprehensive breakdown of our clients, please check out this link: https://www.corasupport.org/what-we-do/family-support-services/

 

What kinds of therapy does CORA provide?

We offer individual, group, and family therapy to our clients. You can see more information about who can participate in specific kinds of therapy by going to this link: https://www.corasupport.org/what-we-do/family-support-services/

 

What therapy can I provide as a trainee?

You will have an opportunity to get trained and provide individual, group, and family therapy. Historically, our trainees have also been able to start brand new groups that may have not been offered before. Our groups are diverse (psychoeducational, process, expressive arts, skills group, etc).

 

What modalities does CORA use for therapy?

We believe that there is not just one way to approach healing. Our team is comprised of clinicians who use an integration of the following modalities: EMDR, somatic therapy, expressive arts therapy, drama therapy, child-centered play therapy, filial therapy, psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal/relational therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, structural family therapy, gestalt, parts work, and attachment repair work. Our team’s background and clinical experience is rich and diverse!

 

What training will I receive as a trainee?

As a trainee, you will receive the following trainings:

40-hour California Domestic Violence Counselor training (accredited by the state of CA)
EMDR Basic Training (Weekends 1 & 2)
Ongoing supervision (individual and group) on a variety of clinical topics, approaches and interventions for healing trauma in kids, adults, and families
 

I am multi/bilingual. Can I provide therapy in different languages other than English?

Absolutely! Currently, we have clinicians who provide services in English, Spanish, and/or Tagalog.