Is a Practicum Student Therapist a Good Option for You?

At Crossroads we strongly believe in the value of having practicum students on staff. Besides the enthusiasm they bring to the team, it is important to be providing opportunity and investing in the next generation of therapists within our province, Nova Scotia. By including them on the Crossroads team, we are able to mentor them (called supervision) and provide them valuable feedback as they navigate new scenarios and approaches to counselling. A question you might be asking may be, is a practicum student therapist a good option for you?

Let’s explore this question.

1. Practicum student therapists are in the process of gaining the education required to be a certified therapist. In many cases, they are working to complete their Master of Counselling Psychology degree.
2. Practicum students at Crossroads are supervised by a registered psychologist. They are provided support to ensure that they are utilizing their professional techniques and ethics.
3. Sessions with a practicum student therapist cost much less. Students need to complete a specific number of counselling hours to complete their degree and certification. This provides a great opportunity to offer services at a significantly reduced rate both to ensure they get their hours and to help people who face financial pressures have the opportunity to participate in therapy. At Crossroads, the base hourly rate for practicum students is $25/hr. This has proven to be a great option for families without medical coverage.

Practicum Student Therapists at Crossroads

Currently Crossroads has 1 practicum student therapist, Julia Slaunwhite. Beginning in September, Sydney Walker, who has provided our administrative support, will join the team as a practicum student therapist. Sydney brings a focus on couples counselling which will include the introduction of couples Gottman Assessment. Both Julia and Sydney are expecting to transition to being Registered Counselling Therapist – Candidates on the Crossroads team once finished their degrees.

Rebecca MacLean has recently completed her practicum and degree and has joined the team as a Registered Counselling Therapist – Candidate. This has been a win for her, her clients and Crossroads.

If you are interested in setting up a session with a practicum student therapist, please contact us and indicate your interest.