IDEALS for Families and Communities offers Internships and Externships to local graduate students and MFTAs leading to certification as a provider of RE Educational Programs, RE Therapy, Child-Centered Play Therapy, and/or Filial Therapy. Neither Internships nor Externships at IDEALS for Families and Communities are paid positions. However, both include training, opportunities to work with a variety of clients and settings, and certification–in a comfortable learning environment. Currently we have four Interns,
INTERNSHIPS
Each Internship is for a year, with most work done in our office in Frankfort, though some work can be done from our Lexington office and at the Fayette County Detention Center. We accept up to four Interns at a time. Currently Interns are from Asbury Seminary and Eastern Kentucky University.
The Intern Experience at IDEALS for Families and Communities is a rich one, with focus on serving the mental health and family development needs of people across the lifespan and across socio-economic boundaries. Interns may begin in the Fall or Spring semesters. Each semester you lead two groups at local agencies or the Fayette County Detention Center and at IDEALS. You participate in weekly group and individual supervision. Each semester you add a focus to your repertoire of therapy skills, receiving training, then seeing clients in that area. In the Fall Semester, you learn how to work with children, parents, and families in five days of training at the beginning of the semester. You then see children, parents, and families. In the Spring Semester, you learn how to work with individual adults and adolescents through five days of training, then you work with individual adults and adolescents. In the Summer Semester, you learn how to work with couples and step-families in five days of training, then you work with couples and step-families. Work is cumulative, so a student who begins in the Fall would see children, parents, and families in the fall, children, parents, families, individual adults and adolescents in the spring, and children, parents, families, individual adults, adolescents, couples, and step-families in the summer.
Interns who have an interest in relationship education may also include leading workshops in Mastering the Mysteries of Love, Mastering the Mysteries of Sacramental Love, Ready for Love, Mastering the Mysteries of Step-families, and Mastering the Magic of Play as part of the Internship experience.
Interns may work toward any Certification provided by IDEALS for Families and Communities, including Child-Centered Play Therapy, Relationship Enhancement Therapy, and Filial Therapy.
Mary Ortwein, MS, LMFT, provides supervision at IDEALS for Families and Communities. She is a certified supervisor in Kentucky for those seeking licensure in Marriage and Family Therapy (LMFT) and as a professional counselor (LPC)
If you are interested in becoming an Intern, contact Mary Ortwein to schedule an interview. Spaces fill up well in advance, so contact us well in advance. The easiest way to reach Mary is to email her at mary@skillswork.org
EXTERNSHIPS
IDEALS for Families and Communities also offers an Externship which provides supervision and certification to students and those with a mental health associate status. In an Externship, you either have clients of your own or see clients at IDEALS for Families and Communities in exchange for supervision. Externs usually work on certifications in Relationship Enhancement Therapy, Child-Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, or presenting Mastering the Mysteries of Love series relationship education.
Current Externs are from the University of Kentucky.
Each Externship includes (1) going through a program as a participant (2) professional training workshops, (3) an individual learning contract, (4) hands-on work with education groups or therapy clients, (5) supervision, and (6) demonstrated proficiency. Students should expect an externship to last from 6 months to 2 years.
Certification Areas
Relationship Enhancement Educational Programs. Learn to present Mastering the Mysteries of Love, Sacramental Love, Love’s Cradle, and/or Ready for Love. Each of these programs teaches the Relationship Enhancement skills. Certification requires 4 ½ days of professional training, coaching at two IDEALS sponsored couple workshops, co-leading two workshops, and conducting one workshop on your own along with 26 hours of supervision. Some of the supervision is provided as you coach the workshops.
Relationship Enhancement Therapy. Learn to use RE therapy with couples and families using crisis, time-designated, and experiential formats. Certification requires 4 ½ or 5 1/2 days of professional training, coaching at two IDEALS sponsored workshops, and using RE therapy with at least two couples or families with 26 hours of supervision. Some of the supervision is provided as you coach the workshops.
Child-Centered Play Therapy. Learn to use Axline’s child-centered play methods with children aged 3-12. Certification requires 4 days of professional training, coaching at two IDEALS sponsored workshops, and using Child-Centered Play Therapy with at least two children with 26 hours of supervision. Some of the supervision is provided as you coach the workshops.
Filial Therapy. Learn how to become co-therapists with parents to enhance relationships and create change in children and families. Certification requires 2-4 days of professional training, coaching one Mastering the Magic of Play workshop, co-leading a Mastering the Magic of Play program (Saturday workshop and 4 evening sessions), and using Filial with at least one family individually with 26 hours of supervision. Some of the supervision is provided as you coach the workshops.
Program Requirements
Participation as a Participant. Externships begin by attending Mastering the Mysteries of Love, Ready for Love, or Mastering the Magic of Play Saturday workshops as a participant. This provides you the opportunity to experience the programs for yourself to see if they are a good fit. Please bring your partner or a good friend for Mastering the Mysteries of Love. See Calendar on the Home Page for dates.
Training. Several days of professional training are required in each area. Some professional training days meet the requirements for more than one certification area. The training requirements for each area are listed below. Training is usually provided at our Frankfort office at 306 West Main Street or on campus at the University of Kentucky.
Individual Learning Contract. We work out an individual learning contract to respect the individual interests and learning needs of each Extern. The learning contract will include goals, assessment of interests and current skills, and a plan. The plan will include background reading, relevant supplemental learning opportunities (such as learning how to use a pre-marriage inventory or gaining experience working with a special population), structure for hands-on work, a timeline, and “work-study” or payment arrangements.
Hands On Work with Education Groups or Therapy Clients. Each certification requires that you coach at some of our Mastering the Mysteries of Love or Mastering the Magic of Play workshops, then lead groups and work individually with your own clients. It is in this supervised hands-on practice that you gain skill and comfort with Relationship Enhancement methods. Students are expected to work with therapy clients in their own settings. IDEALS can usually provide workshop opportunities for program practice.
Supervision. Each certification area requires 26 hours of supervision which centers on live observation or video/audio tapes. Most professional training days include 1-2 hours of supervision as part of the training. You receive some supervision as you coach. All time spent co-leading counts as supervision. The remainder of supervision will center around preparation for or review of group coaching or co-leading or will be based on live observation, audio, or video tapes.
Demonstrated Proficiency. Actual certification is “by invitation only”. It requires demonstrated skill in the certification area. Skill reference sheets are provided as part of your individual contract to help you identify strengths and areas for growth. While we expect each person to easily demonstrate a high skill level by 26 hours of supervision, IDEALS reserves the right to require additional work before granting a certification.
Costs
Students pay at the student rate for their initial Mastering the Mysteries of Love workshop or Magic of Play workshop ($25 for each of 2 workshops). After the first workshop you can enroll as an Extern. To be certified in an area, you attend the professional training (which is free), coach one or more Saturday workshop for us each semester (which you do free for us, but which gives you valuable experience), and receive supervision in your chosen certification area according to your individual learning contract (usually 8-10 hours a semester).
Questions
Who can become an Extern?
IDEALS Externships are open to area students. RE Program Externships are open to both undergraduates and graduate students from a variety of majors. RE Therapy, Child-Centered Play Therapy, and Filial Therapy Externships are open only to graduate students enrolled in an accredited therapy training program or to Associates working on licensure.
Why an Externship?
We believe an Externship provides a greater learning opportunity than training, practice, or supervision alone might provide. Each learning format complements the others. Instead of tasting of a program or therapy method, you have the opportunity to drink deeply – learning thoroughly in the process. You also become part of a learning community – with fellow externs, other professionals who attend IDEALS workshops, and the larger Relationship Enhancement and Marriage Initiative communities.
Can you work on more than one certification at a time?
It is possible, but not recommended. Start with one. As you near completion, begin a second.
Do supervision hours count toward school or licensure requirements?
Mary Ortwein, supervisor, is a Kentucky licensed Marriage and Family Therapist eligible to provide supervision toward licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Kentucky. The Kentucky Professional Counselor licensure board also accepts her supervision toward licensure as a Professional Counselor. She is also an AAMFT Supervisor-in-Training. Until she has full Supervisor status, therapy supervision does not count for graduation or AAMFT requirements. She is not a Registered Play Therapist, but IDEALS trainings in play therapy count toward APT registered play therapy requirements.
What if I want to attend trainings or get supervision without becoming an Extern?
Students may attend professional trainings or receive supervision without becoming an Extern. They would pay at the student rate. Student rate is half the standard rate for any workshop. They need to pre-register.
How long will a certification take?
Expect the process to take one to two years. Required workshops are offered at least once each year in Central Kentucky.
What if I graduate or move away before I finish?
Supervision can be continued through telephone and video. Training by other RE trainers may substitute for IDEALS workshops.
| Extern Certification Program Outlines | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programs | RE Educational Programs | RE Therapy | Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) | Filial Therapy |
| Prerequisites | Mastering the Mysteries of Love Workshop for Couples | Mastering the Mysteries of Love Workshop for Couples | Mastering the Magic of Play Workshop for Parents | Demonstrated expertise in Child-Centered Play or 2 day Child-Centered Play training |
| Required Professional Workshop |
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| Optional Professional Workshops | Pick one not required by your certification or attend a any special topic workshop | Pick one not required by your certification or attend a special topic workshop | Pick one not required by your certification or attend one special topic workshop | |
| Hands-on work | Coach 2 MMLs Co-lead 2 MMLs or RFLsLead own MML or RFL grp in your own setting |
Coach 2 MMLs Work with at least 2 couples |
Coach 2 MMPs Work with at least 2 children |
Coach 1 MMP Co-lead 1 MMP Work with at least 1 Filial family |
| Supervision | 26 hr | 26 hr | 26 hr | 26 hr |
| Common Supplemental Learning | REP, MML, LC RFL Leader’s guides, Guerney book Smart Marriages newslist, conference Local Marriage Initiative Activities |
Scuka’s RE Therapy book RE Therapist Man Selected Guerney readings Ginsberg book |
Axline Magic of Play-Ortwein Selected Guerney readings Parenting-Guerney Single Par-Ginsberg |
Magic of Play-Ortwein Selected Guerney readings VanFleet-Filial Parenting-Guerney |