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What a Healthy Mental Health Internship Looks Like
It doesn’t have to be this way.
At Reaching Hope, Dr. Born’s training program follows a radical yet simple philosophy: Students are people first, clinicians second.
That means:
- Orientation emphasizes connection, not just paperwork.
- Supervisors treat self-care plans as a priority, not a checkbox.
- Saying “no” receives support and respect.
- Supervision remains safe, relational, and consistent.
As a result, students graduate with confidence, clarity, and a strong sense of agency. They thrive because someone believed in them, treated them with respect, and recognized their value. In short, they weren’t just trained — they were nurtured.
If You’re Still Carrying the Impact of a Harmful Mental Health Internship…
You are not alone.
You deserved better.
And it’s not too late.
Many early career therapists — including myself — carry stories from mental health internships that left a lasting mark. Sometimes that mark shows up as chronic burnout. At other times, it appears as undercharging, people-pleasing, imposter syndrome, or hesitation to ask for what we truly need.
More importantly, healing can begin with three steps:
- Naming what happened. Whether it was neglect, exploitation, or outright abuse, acknowledge that it mattered.
- Getting support. Through your own therapist, peer consultation, or a supportive community, allow yourself to be cared for.
- Becoming part of the solution. Mentor someone else, advocate for change in your agency, and set a new standard for the profession.
In fact, sometimes the most healing thing we can do is to give another therapist the experience we should have had ourselves.
Let’s Keep This Conversation Going
If this resonates with you, I’d love to invite you to join my newsletter for therapists. It’s where I share new podcast episodes, free trainings, and thoughtful resources designed to support you as both a clinician and a human.
And if we’re not yet connected, come find me on LinkedIn. It’s one of my favorite spaces to share updates, cheer you on, and hear your story.
Finally, I encourage you to support the incredible work my guest is doing. Dr. Ambra Born is the founder and executive director of Reaching Hope, an organization providing trauma-informed mental health services in Colorado. You can also follow them on Instagram at @reaching_hope_colorado.
Therefore, let’s shine more sunlight on these broken systems. Let’s support one another. And let’s remember: your worth as a therapist was never meant to be built on suffering.
xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Resources:
Heinonen, E., Orlinsky, D. E., Willutzki, U., Rønnestad, M. H., Schröder, T., Messina, I., Löffler-Stastka, H., & Hartmann, A. (2022). Psychotherapist trainees’ quality of life: Patterns and correlates. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 864691. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.864691
Kulaylat, A. N., Qin, D., Sun, S. X., Hollenbeak, C. S., & Dillhoff, M. (2017). Perceptions of mistreatment among trainees vary at different stages of clinical training. BMC Medical Education, 17(1), 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-016-0853-4
Cook, R. M., Davis, E. D., & Harden, D. (2019). Self-reported symptoms of burnout in novice professional counselors: A content analysis. The Professional Counselor, 9(4), 317–332. https://tpcjournal.nbcc.org/self-reported-symptoms-of-burnout-in-novice-professional-counselors-a-content-analysis/
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