Practicum Student For Therapy
Posted: March 21, 2023
By: Alexia Cabreras, Practicum Student
Supervised by Melissa Barton, LPC-S
As I mentioned earlier, there are many benefits associated with picking a student as your therapist. My goal is to help you open your mind to the benefits of seeing a student when deciding what level of a therapist may work for you. Not only that, but hear me out, many times, hearing the word "student" can throw you off…you may even ask, "what does a student know?" well, as a student myself, we know way more than we are often given credit for. So what are the benefits I keep talking about and never getting to?!
Ultimately, these are only a few benefits of choosing a student to work with. When you think about a student, think about your job. Did you ever have to do an internship in college before getting to where you are now? That's the case for us. If you see a fully licensed therapist, that's okay too! But remember, they were also students once.
Student or not, whoever you see and work with must serve the same purpose. Counselors help you enhance your overall well-being, a student has the same potential. So, if you or anyone you know is considering counseling, consider seeing a student.
Practicum Student For Therapy
Picking a practicum student, also known as a future therapist in training, can come with many benefits associated with your therapeutic experience. Before going into that, let me briefly explain what a practicum student is. A practicum student is exactly what it sounds, a student gaining clinical experience to graduate with their Masters's degree before licensure. Now that you have a better idea, let's talk benefits of seeing a student!Benefits of picking a student
Reduced Rates
Seeing a student means you get to pay less! Seeing a student allows you to receive services at a reduced rate. Many times counseling services are not covered by insurance. Because insurance only sometimes covers your therapy services, affording a counselor can come at a price that doesn't come easy to some.Different Perspectives
Seeing a student allows you to gain insight through a different perspective. Students are finishing up their Masters's degrees, which means information is being learned differently. A therapist who has been licensed for over ten years (if not more) may have learned differently than someone gaining new insight in a new generation.Diverse Experience
Because students are not licensed counselors…yet, they do not specialize in a particular branch of counseling. They may have preferences, such as the types of populations they like to work with, but they do not specialize in anything specifically. This ultimately means you get to work with someone with diverse knowledge on a little bit of everything and can help process different hardships simultaneously.Suitable For First Timers
If you have never been to counseling, a student may be the right choice for a first-timer. The reason being students are new, just like you are. When you've never been to therapy before, you don't have many expectations outside of trying to improve the problem; students can make that happen through their training.Under Supervision
Students are occasionally supervised, which means on-site LPC-Supervisors sometimes sit in with the students during their sessions to observe. Because students are still learning, supervisors are a great resource for the student to consult about their cases and receive additional guidance on how best to help you when you come into your session.Your therapeutic experience
Begin Therapy in Katy, TX!
If you are ready to work with a practicum student, one of the students at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide mental health counseling, as well as other mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:- Contact our office to set up an appointment or to learn more information
- Meet with one of our compassionate therapists
- Find ways to thrive through therapy with a practicum student!