Therapist Internships
Therapist internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on clinical and case-management experience, mentorship from working therapists, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated in {{top_industries_phrase}}, with Achieve Beyond Pediatric Therapy and Autism Services, Insight Counseling, and MERIDIAN HEALTH SERVICES among the employers posting roles now.
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Mental Health Therapist Intern (MSW or CMHC)
Insight Counseling Group | Draper, Utah
Insight Counseling Group is seeking a motivated MSW or Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) intern who is interested in developing strong clinical skills in an outpatient private-practice setting.
We are especially interested in applicants who already have meaningful experience working with clients in behavioral health, social services, case management, residential treatment, crisis services, substance-use treatment, child welfare, or another direct-care setting. While this is a training position, prior professional experience and demonstrated comfort working directly with clients will be strongly prioritized.
Our practice works with a wide range of clinical concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship concerns, attachment issues, OCD, and complex trauma. Interns have the opportunity to develop skills in assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, documentation, and individual psychotherapy while receiving regular clinical supervision and consultation.
Compensation
This is a paid clinical internship. Interns are compensated $25–$30 per completed clinical session, depending on experience and role.
What We're Looking For
The strongest candidates will:
- Be currently enrolled in an accredited MSW or Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and eligible to complete a clinical internship/practicum
- Have prior experience working directly with clients in a behavioral-health or social-service setting
- Demonstrate maturity, professionalism, dependability, and strong interpersonal skills
- Be comfortable receiving feedback and actively participating in clinical supervision
- Have strong written communication and documentation skills
- Be interested in developing long-term clinical skills rather than simply completing required internship hours
- Be able to manage increasing clinical responsibility as competency develops
- Have an interest in trauma-informed psychotherapy and evidence-based treatment
- Be proactive, resourceful, and comfortable taking an active role in developing their caseload
Preference will be given to applicants with previous mental-health experience, particularly experience involving assessment, crisis work, case management, residential treatment, behavioral health, or direct therapeutic support.
Caseload Development
Because this is a private-practice setting, we particularly value interns who are comfortable taking initiative in building and maintaining their own caseload.
The practice will support interns with referrals, visibility, and clinical infrastructure, but the strongest candidates will also be willing to actively participate in developing their client base. This may include building professional referral relationships, networking appropriately within the community, responding promptly to prospective-client inquiries, maintaining availability that supports client access, and helping create a strong professional presence.
Applicants who already have community connections, referral relationships, experience networking, or a demonstrated ability to attract and retain clients will be especially competitive.
We are looking for someone who sees caseload development as part of learning how to function successfully in private practice—not simply waiting for a full schedule to be provided.
Internship Experience
Interns will receive:
- Individual clinical supervision
- Ongoing case consultation and clinical training
- Experience conducting intake assessments and developing treatment plans
- Experience providing outpatient psychotherapy under supervision
- Exposure to trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches
- Support developing clinical judgment, documentation, boundaries, and professional identity
- Experience learning the clinical and professional aspects of working within a group private practice
Our clinicians utilize approaches including CBT, DBT, ACT, EMDR, IFS-informed work, attachment-based therapy, and other evidence-based and trauma-focused interventions.
Ideal Candidate
This position is best suited for someone who is confident, curious, clinically minded, and willing to take initiative. We value interns who ask good questions, prepare for supervision, follow through on responsibilities, communicate well, and genuinely want to become excellent clinicians.
Because private practice requires a greater degree of independence than many traditional internship settings, applicants with previous professional experience and the ability to contribute to building their own caseload are particularly encouraged to apply.
To Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing:
- Your graduate program and anticipated internship dates
- Your previous behavioral-health or direct-client experience
- Any experience you have with networking, referrals, community outreach, or building a client base
- The populations or clinical concerns you are most interested in working with
- What you hope to gain from a private-practice clinical internship
Location: Draper, Utah
Position: MSW or CMHC Clinical Internship / Practicum
Compensation: $25–$30 per completed clinical session
Setting: Outpatient group private practice
Pay: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
Work Location: In person
Therapist Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Tips for Your Therapist Internship Search
Apply in the fall for summer internships
Large hospital systems, managed behavioral health organizations, and corporate wellness programs recruit summer therapist interns as early as September of the preceding year. Smaller practices and co-op placements post closer to their start dates. Treating fall semester as active application season keeps you ahead of most candidates.
Build a clinical portfolio before you apply
Without an extensive work history, your evidence is your practicum documentation. Compile two or three supervised case summaries, treatment plans, or research project write-ups that name the population, the modality used, and your documented hours. Recruiters screening therapist intern candidates want something concrete to assess your clinical reasoning.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and faculty supervisors often know which sites recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to smaller practices and nonprofits running their own cohorts alongside campus activity to reach employers who never attend fairs.
Practice your clinical interview format out loud
Therapist intern screens typically include behavioral questions about handling difficult client scenarios, ethical dilemmas, and cultural competence, often combined with a brief role-play or case vignette. Practice responding out loud, explaining your reasoning step by step, since interviewers weigh how you think through ambiguity as much as your final answer.
Target structured training programs built for new therapists
Many larger hospital networks, managed care organizations, and community mental health centers run formal intern cohort or practicum programs designed for candidates new to the field. These programs recruit early, fill fast, and often include structured supervision hours that count toward licensure, so identify the ones that fit your degree program and apply in the first wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 100% of the therapist internships listed here. Telehealth and hybrid placements make up the rest. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you search, then filter by location and work type so you are not sorting through roles that do not fit your clinical training requirements or supervision needs.
Therapist Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a therapist internship?
Lead with coursework, documented case studies, and any supervised clinical hours rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A portfolio of session notes, treatment plans, or field practicum logs gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Pair direct applications with campus career fairs, where program recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a therapist internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it for therapist interns is consistent performance on real client caseloads, demonstrating clinical judgment, and the site's headcount at the end of the term. Position yourself by asking about return-offer timelines early, but build skills as if the next role is still open competition.
When should I apply for therapist internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large hospital systems, managed care organizations, and community mental health networks recruit summer interns the preceding fall, sometimes as early as September. Smaller practices, nonprofits, and co-op placements post closer to their actual start dates, so openings appear year-round. Check listings frequently and treat the fall semester as active application season.
Are therapist internships paid?
Most professional therapist internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by employer size, industry, and location, and listings display it where the employer chooses to disclose it. Nonprofit and community-based sites sometimes offer stipends rather than hourly wages, while hospital and corporate wellness programs tend to offer more structured compensation packages.
What should a therapist internship resume include?
Lead with projects and supervised experience, not work history. Include two or three documented clinical or research projects naming the populations served, modalities applied, and any published case studies or practicum reports reviewers can read. Add relevant coursework in assessment, counseling theory, and ethics. Keep everything to one page and place your supervised hours total near the top.
Are there remote therapist internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 0% of the therapist internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts conducting telehealth or administrative work fill fast once posted, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
Can international students get therapist internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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