Counseling Practicum

Program Overview

The Genesis Therapy Center offers an 11-month counseling practicum placement for master’s-level students. Students will provide counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults, as well as to individuals, couples, and families.

Student Requirements and Schedule

Student trainees must commit at least three days per week to The Genesis Therapy Center. Students must be available on Thursdays for Genesis team meetings and didactic presentations. Extern supervision groups are held on a separate designated day. Remaining hours are scheduled based on office availability and each student’s academic schedule. Students should expect to work at least one evening until 8:00 p.m. or on Saturdays to complete clinical hours. The practicum begins with a mandatory orientation on the first Monday of August.

Students are also required to attend a mandatory all-day staff retreat in mid-winter from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Time off during the practicum is limited to one week of vacation, up to five sick days, and the following holidays: Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, and July 4. Vacation time must be approved by The Genesis Therapy Center’s Executive Director, Training Director, and the student’s individual supervisor.

Extern students must be able to work independently, take initiative, and collaborate effectively as part of a team. Students must also be able to travel to Genesis locations throughout the Chicago metro area and are required to have their own vehicle for travel between sites.

Training: Supervision and Didactics

Individual supervision: Students receive one hour of individual supervision each week and are required to review audiovisual session recordings.
Live supervision: Live supervision is provided at least twice during the training year.
Extern supervision group: Externs participate in group supervision two times per month.
Didactics: Genesis staff present on a range of clinical and professional topics throughout the year. Student participation is required.
Case consultation and staff participation: Students are encouraged to attend the supervision group at the site where they are working and are required to attend The Genesis Therapy Center’s monthly staff meeting. Students also present cases in student-only groups and in groups with the full staff. Additional supervision is available for complex cases or situations.

Small group in a circle meeting, led by a woman in a white suit in a bright office lounge.

Training: Direct Service Activities

Psychotherapy: Students provide 10–14 client hours per week. They are expected to carry several long-term psychotherapy cases to gain deeper clinical experience and gradually build to a caseload of 10–14 individuals or couples per week.
Outreach: Students may spend approximately 1–2 hours per week helping staff plan, develop, and present brief workshops or community service projects for the communities served by Genesis sites. Students also participate in community expos, health fairs, and annual fundraisers.
Group psychotherapy: Students are encouraged to develop a group based on a topic or population of interest and learn how to market their services to the community.

Training: Indirect Service Activities

Indirect service activities may include participating in marketing efforts such as fliers and mailings; maintaining referral-source databases; discussing clinical issues through Genesis podcasts, the website, or social media; preparing for cases and group sessions; completing supervisor-assigned readings; learning about The Genesis Therapy Center’s mission; and developing an understanding of how nonprofit organizations operate.