Clinical Training: Master’s-Level Internship

The Bellevue College Counseling Center offers clinical training and supervision to individuals seeking to gain experience providing mental health services in a higher education setting.

Use the drop-down menu below to learn more about our training opportunities.

The 2024 – 2025 internship application process is now closed. Check back in mid-Nov. for the 2025 – 2026 internship application.

The Bellevue College Counseling Center is excited to announce that we will be accepting master’s Level Interns for the 2025-2026 academic year. Applications will be due Jan. 27. Interviews will be held mid-Feb. Internship will start early Sept. 2025.

*Bellevue College cannot accept candidates who require the College to provide clinical liability insurance during the internship.

Applicants enrolled in an accredited university not located within WA State, must:
•Be able to be physically present at the Bellevue College Counseling Center during their internship; and
•Check with their individual programs and State licensing boards to ensure that an internship placement with the Bellevue College Counseling Center meets their requirements.

The BC Counseling Center focuses on individual and group therapy and does not provide family or couples counseling.

Intern Learning Objectives:

  • Execute core clinical knowledge and skills in providing culturally-competent and socially-just short- and long-term individual (personal, educational, and career) and group counseling.
  • Implement core clinical knowledge and skills in assisting students, including those who are on academic probation, in identifying and resolving problems affecting their educational and personal development by clarifying short- and long-range educational/personal/occupational goals.
  • Execute the core skills and knowledge base in assessing and helping clients prepare for, minimize, and resolve crisis situations.
  • Develop culturally responsive therapeutic modalities when working with historically underrepresented student populations.
  • Create and maintain ethical and professional relationships with all students, clients, supervisor, and colleagues and staff at the Center and on campus.
  • Identify and connect clients with appropriate campus and community resources and services.
  • Generate ideas for outreach activities targeting different student populations, plan outreach projects, and conduct outreach activities appropriate for the targeted populations.
  • Adhere to the Center’s standards for record keeping and utilizing feedback obtained from developmentally supportive clinical supervision for personal and professional growth.

Site Objectives:

  • Support interns in applying what they are learning in an ethical and culturally competent manner through their engagement in developmentally supportive clinical supervision and other learning activities.
  • Foster interns’ confidence as a mental health professionals.
  • Support interns in developing their identities as mental health providers in a college setting.
  • Provide mentorship for the next generation of counselors.

Essential Functions/Job Duties:

An intern at the Counseling Center performs duties and responsibilities under the general direction of the Site Supervisor. The intern will receive at least one-hour of weekly individual clinical supervision with a licensed mental health counselor and/or licensed psychologist. The intern also has the opportunity to participate in the Counseling Center’s weekly staff meetings and case consultations.

Below are the typical duties of an intern:

  • Provide culturally-competent and socially-just short- and long-term individual (personal, educational, and career) and group counseling.
  • Assist students with identifying and resolving problems affecting their educational and personal development by clarifying short- and long-range educational/personal/occupational goals.
  • Provide crisis counseling and assessment for students in distress.
  • Use culturally responsive therapeutic modalities when working with historically underrepresented student populations.
  • Refer students to appropriate campus and community resources and services.
  • Support students on academic probation and other student populations by providing appropriate interventions to help them achieve academic success.
  • Provide developmental advising practices to help students set educational goals.
  • Perform related duties as required.

Other Potential Functions/Job Duties:

 Interns may also have the opportunity to do the following:

  • Create and deliver outreach activities/events, workshops, and other prevention services to the campus community.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Enrollment in an accredited university in Counseling; Counseling Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Educational Psychology; Educational Counseling; Social Work, or related field.
    • Applicants enrolled in an accredited university not located within WA State, must:
      • Be able to be physically present at the Bellevue College Counseling Center during their internship; and
      • Check with their individual programs and State licensing boards to ensure that an internship placement with the Bellevue College Counseling Center meets their requirements.
  • Completion of at least 3 credits of each of the following or related courses:
    • Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling/Psychotherapy
    • Theories of Counseling/Psychotherapy
    • Diagnosis and Assessment/Psychopathology
    • Counseling Lab/Skills (1 -3 credits)
  • Willing to learn to provide culturally responsive personal, academic, and career counseling, especially to individuals with diverse backgrounds.
  • Openness to receive and integrate feedback.
  • Exceptional interpersonal communication skills and an ability to work effectively and collaboratively with diverse teams and diverse populations.
  • Willingness to commit to a 9–12-month experience, with an end date of no earlier than late June, as well as working a minimum of 18 hours per week in-person and remotely.

 Preferred Qualifications

  • Interest in pursuing a career in higher education.
  • Experience or familiarity with short-term counseling models (e.g., CBT, ACT, Solution Focused Therapy, etc.)
  • Experience working with Black or Latinx populations.
  • Bilingual skills.

Application Directions:

Link to Job Posting and Application will be posted mid-Nov.

Please include All of the following materials:

  1. Complete an online Application (see link above)
  2. An updated resume or curriculum vitae
  3. A cover letter (1-page maximum) that addresses the following:
    • What interests you in an internship at Bellevue College’s Counseling Center;
    • How do you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications;
    • What are your professional goals after you graduate; and
    • What are your graduate programs’ training requirements (e.g., number of hours; number of months; etc.).
  4. A Statement of Diversity (1-page maximum) that addresses the following:
    • Provide specific examples of how your educational and/or professional experiences, background or philosophy demonstrate your commitment to diversity and equity, and how these prepare you to contribute to Bellevue College and the Counseling Center.
  5. A list of at least 3 professional or academic references we may contact that includes their name, phone number, and email address.

For questions, please send an email to the Counseling Center Program Chair, Steven Martel, at: steven.martel@bellevuecollege.edu.

Last Updated April 4, 2024