Internships

SamaraCare is 50-years-strong thanks to a culture that believes in providing progressive, life-changing services to those who need us. We were founded on Christian beliefs that continue to guide our attitudes and behaviors. Every day we feel called to serve all people, regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic background or socioeconomic status.

With compassionate, goal-oriented treatment, we help clients address the issues, needs and hopes that concern them and guide them to develop new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. In the community, we look to establish a clear voice that de-stigmatizes mental health care and inspires people to get the help they need.

Pre-Doctoral Clinical Internship

SamaraCare Counseling offers a training program to pre-doctoral practicum level psychology students. Students have the opportunity to learn the foundational elements of the behavioral sciences in an outpatient community mental health setting with a wide range of clients.

Our Pre-Doctoral Practicum Training Program is a one year training program. Students develop basic competency in the areas of case conceptualization, treatment planning, outcome evaluation and therapy. We also have therapy practicum students do some assessments as well. We familiarize students with issues relevant to the integration of religious, spiritual and existential perspectives and clinical practice. We accept advanced therapy practicum students as well.

Students in practicum training will provide direct clinical services to children, adolescents and adults under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist. One aspect of our training program includes working at a local food pantry, Loaves and Fishes, by being in the milieu and then seeing clients at our Center. Training is a minimum of 950 hours of supervised professional experience. For more information contact Dr. Lauren Friedrich at 630-357-2456 ext. 141 or email her at LFriedrich@samaracarecounseling.org

MSW/MA Clinical Internship

SamaraCare Counseling offers a training program to MSW/MA students that are looking to develop and strengthen their clinical experience and clinical tools. The field placement offers exposure to a wide range of clinical issues, treatment needs, different populations, and different theoretical orientations. Due to the highly clinical focus of the internship site, this placement is only suitable to students in the second year of their MSW/MA program.

The field placement is a nine month to one year training program. As a training program located in a major metropolitan area, MSW and MA students are afforded the opportunity to work in a multi-racial, multi-ethnic community. Students are also afforded the opportunity to work with individuals from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. In addition to providing services at the main office in Naperville, students will offer clinical services at our satellite site, Loaves and Fishes in Naperville (a food pantry service).  Students will be immersed in building their skillset of direct clinical practice with children, adolescents and adults at this training site, as well as the setting of Loaves and Fishes providing students with additional training in learning how to provide treatment and interventions in a milieu setting.

Students will be provided with a minimum of weekly one hour individual supervision, weekly one hour group supervision, inclusion in clinical consultation groups and ongoing learning and enrichment opportunities that SamaraCare provides. An integrative model of supervision, combining skills model, solution-focused model, motivational techniques, developmental model and relationship model will be used and the primary role of this training program will be for students to master the skills to become an independent, ethical practitioner and obtain the highest level of competence possible.  This training site also provides students with the unique opportunity to become familiarized and trained in working with issues relevant to the integration of religious, spiritual and existential perspectives and clinical practice.  For more information please contact Jaimee Ory at 630-357-2456 ext. 118 or email her at jory@samaracarecounseling.org.