Relate Counseling Center is a community mental health center located in the western suburbs of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Relate Counseling Center provides comprehensive outpatient and co-located (e.g. early childhood programs, schools, and area food shelf programs) mental health services, including assessment, therapy, and psychiatric medication management for adults, adolescents, and children in individual, couple, family, and group formats. Our goal is to provide high quality care, working collaboratively with each client.

During this 9–12-month practicum, you will have a generalist training experience with the opportunity to work with clients across the lifespan with various presenting concerns. You can provide individual, couple, family, and group therapies depending on interests and client needs. Practicum Students typically work between 16-20 hours per week depending on their program needs.

Our students manage their own cases and gain direct experience with all aspects of diagnostic assessment and clinical documentation. Our students experience the daily life and routines of an outpatient therapist. Relate is a rare practicum experience in that we provide two different track opportunities, our traditional office-based placement or a school-based placement. Both opportunities allow students to practice individual therapy and gain the therapeutic skills necessary for being competent therapists following their placement with Relate.

Relate prides itself on being a solid training institute for our students. Numerous training opportunities are available to students, including practicum-specific training relevant to new clinicians. In addition, students can take part in consult groups to supplement their learning and experience. Examples of the groups offered include a staff engagement group, a BIPOC-only consultation and support group, a reflective supervision consult group, a play therapy consult group, and an EMDR/ART consult group. Practicum students are also provided with one hour of group supervision with other students at the clinic. In addition to the many training opportunities, individual supervision is provided at a minimum of one hour per week.

Relate works with graduate programs throughout the country to provide students a strong internship experience. Students are welcome and encouraged to participate in nearly all aspects of our clinic.

We work collaboratively with all graduate programs to help you meet licensing board and graduate program requirements. Students typically work between 16-20 hours a week depending on their needs and preferences. The length of practicum is based on student preferences or school requirements. Supervision typically involves 1-2 hours of individual supervision and 1-2 hours of group supervision. Informal supervision is also available and encouraged as needed.

Placement

Relate offers two options for practicum placement. An office-based therapy practicum takes place at one of the two Relate office locations (Eden Prairie or Minnetonka). The office-based placement offers the potential to provide outpatient therapy for children, adolescents, and adults.

Relate also offers a school-based therapy practicum, which takes place within a school setting at one of our many partner districts. A school placement gives practicum students the opportunity to do individual and family work while also being able to collaborate with the school team as necessary.

Application Process

Applications are accepted at any time, provided your application is sanctioned by your graduate program. For those graduate programs who participate in the uniform practicum application processes or matches, we adhere to the parameters for application dates, application review periods, and interview timelines. We are able to start practicum students year-round, noting that the majority of practicum students start in September, January, and May. Onboarding training typically occurs the week before your practicum starts.

For more information or to apply to Relate’s Therapy Practicum, please submit a cover letter and CV or resume via email to practicum@relatemn.org.