Clinical Mental Health Practicum and Internship

1.  Consider the type of client and setting that most appeals to you. What do you want from an internship or practicum site?

2.  Research your area for potential sites

3.  Discuss options with your advisor

4. Talk to other students in the program from your area

5. Consult our resources, including this list of previous sites used by students (IN DEVELOPMENT -this list contains sites that have an active contract which means the placement process will be simplified and they are more likely to take new practicum students or interns)

6.  Read these articles: 

 How to land an internship you're excited about in 48 hours or less 

How to Write a Cover Letter or Cold Email Pitch for a Community Mental Health Clinic (CMHC) Practicum, Internship, or Clinical Supervision Field Placement Site

7. Call or email the site to see if they accept practicum students and/or interns

8.  Remember: it is the student's responsibility to identify potential sites. The faculty will assist in ensuring that your site will be able to provide the CACREP required experience and will either approve it or suggest you find an alternative site.  It is best if you identify more than one site in case one of them is not approved.

Our program follows CACREP standards in approving practicum and internship sites.  We will approve or not approve your site depending on whether it meets these requirements. Additionally, the site may not be telehealth. Please see the UTM policy below. 

The Site Itself

• The organization must provide a clinical mental health counseling setting offering individual counseling for clients with clinical diagnoses.  Preferably the site will offer both individual and group counseling.  You must have group counseling experience at one of your internship sites. 

• The site should agree to allow you to audio or video record at least one session per placement.

• Provide the opportunity to meet the required number of hours of direct contact with clients (40 hours for practicum and 120 hours for each internship course)  Direct contact does NOT include observation of other clinicians working with clients. The site must agree to allow you to counsel actual clients.

• The site supervisor must agree to do at least two live observations while you work with clients (more if recordings are not allowed). 

• The site must be in-person. See question below for more information & the program's stance on telehealth.

The Site Supervisor

• A minimum of a master’s degree, preferably in counseling or a related profession; 

• Active certifications and/or licenses in the geographic location where the student is placed, preferably in counseling or a related profession; 

• A minimum of two years post-master’s professional experience relevant to the CACREP specialized practice area in which the student is enrolled; 

• Agree to provide a minimum of one hour a week of individual or triadic supervision

Once you have read over this information, review the instruction sheet for either practicum or internship.  

Please note: 

• If the application and all required paperwork are not submitted by the deadline, you will NOT BE ALLOWED to register for the course! 

• Interns only have to complete the Site Interest Form if they are considering a new location for internship.

Deadlines for Spring Practicum & Internship 

April 30 –  Site Interest form 

September 30 – All of the following items must be submitted with the application form. 

• Practicum or Internship application: Application Form 

On this application form, you need to attach the following:

• Ethics Agreement:  Ethics Agreement Form   

• Student Profile:    Student Profile Sheet 

• Background Check Release Form (submitted to edstudserv@utm.edu) :  Background Release Form  

• Proof of Background Check (submitted to edstudserv@utm.edu) 

• Internship Students must submit proof of their taking and passing the Counseling Comp Exam 

Month Prior to Internship Beginning - Proof of Liability Coverage 

Deadlines for Fall Practicum & Internship 

January 30 –  Site Interest form 

April 30 – All of the following items must be submitted with the application form.

• Practicum or Internship application: Application Form 

On this application form, you need to attach the following:

• • • Ethics Agreement:  Ethics Agreement Form   

    • Student Profile:    Student Profile Sheet 

    •  Background Check Release Form (submitted to edstudserv@utm.edu) :  Background Release Form  

• Proof of Background Check (submitted to edstudserv@utm.edu) 

Month Prior to Internship Beginning - Proof of Liability Coverage 

Deadlines for Summer Internship (Note: Practicum not offered in Summer) 

September 30 –  Site Interest form only if considering a new site

January 30 – All of the following items must be submitted with the application form.

• Practicum or Internship application: Application Form 

On this application form, you need to attach the following:

• • • Ethics Agreement:  Ethics Agreement Form   

    • Student Profile:    Student Profile Sheet 

    •  Background Check Release Form (submitted to edstudserv@utm.edu) :  Background Release Form  

• Proof of Background Check (submitted to edstudserv@utm.edu) 

Month Prior to Internship Beginning - Proof of Liability Coverage 

CMH Practicum and Intern Student Handbook

CMH Site Supervisor Handbook - Jan 2019.pdf 

Practicum Application Process 

All of the following forms need to be submitted no later than: 

Spring 

April 30 - Site Interest Form

September 30 - Practicum Application

Fall

January 30 - Site Interest Form

April 30 - Practicum Applications

This is a list of forms required: 

1. Site Interest Form

2. Practicum Application: The online Practicum application needs to be completed and submitted before you can register for the Practicum class. As soon as it is approved, your Banner account will be coded to allow you to register for the practicum class. ***Please complete the items below before completing the online form as these items will be required to be uploaded into the application form.  

3. CMH Applications: please complete the online application by clicking the following link:  Application Form         

4. Student Profile Sheet: You can find this form in the file “Forms for Practicum and Internship.” This will be uploaded into the online application. 

5. Current Background Check:

• Please print and complete the background check release form and the VECHS Waiver Agreement and Statement.  

• Both forms must be submitted to the Educator Preparation Office at edstudserv@utm.edu, prior to completing your criminal background check.  

• The forms and instructions for registering for the background checks can be found by clicking on the following link: UTM Background Check Information 

• If you are currently working within a school system we will accept a letter from your school district stating that they have a current TN background check for you on file.  

6. Background Check Release Form  - UTM Background Check Information 

7. Proof of Liability Insurance  

• Visit the American Counseling Association at www.counseling.org for an online application for student membership. 

• Joining your professional organization as a student member provides the liability insurance you will need.   

• You are permitted to wait to purchase liability insurance until the month prior to your internship experience! Be advised that you will not, however, be approved to register for your practicum course until proof of liability insurance is provided. Once you purchase your insurance, you will need to upload a copy of the membership in the online application and email a copy to Sean Hackett: shacket3@utm.edu

8. The following forms will be completed by the Education Graduate Student Services Coordinator:  

• Site Agreement for Counseling practicum   

• Site Supervisor Application   

All of the following forms need to be submitted no later than: 

Spring: September 30

Summer: January 30

Fall: April 30

Note: You only have to complete another Site Interest Form if you are planning to apply for a new location for internship, so it was not included in the timeline here. 

This is a list of forms required: 

1. Internship Application: The internship applications are completed electronically and are sent directly to the Education Graduate Student Services Coordinator when you hit submit. Please complete the online form. ***Please complete the items below before completing the online form as these items will be required to be uploaded into the application form.  

2. CMHC Applications: please complete the online application by clicking the following link:  Application Form         

3. Student Profile Sheet: You can find this form in the file “Forms for Practicum and Internship.” This will be uploaded into the online application. 

4. Current Background Check:

• Please print and complete the background check release form and the VECHS Waiver Agreement and Statement.  

• Both forms must be submitted to the Educator Preparation Office at edstudserv@utm.edu, prior to completing your criminal background check.  

• The forms and instructions for registering for the background checks can be found by clicking on the following link: UTM Background Check Information 

• If you are currently working within a school system we will accept a letter from your school district stating that they have a current TN background check for you on file.  

5. Background Check Release Form  - UTM Background Check Information 

6. Proof of Liability Insurance  

• Visit the American Counseling Association at www.counseling.org for an online application for student membership. 

• Joining your professional organization as a student member provides the liability insurance you will need.   

• You are permitted to wait to purchase liability insurance until the month prior to your internship experience! Be advised that you will not, however, be approved to register for your practicum course until proof of liability insurance is provided. Once you purchase your insurance, you will need to upload a copy of the membership in the online application and email a copy to Sean Hackett: shacket3@utm.edu

7. The following forms will be completed by the Education Graduate Student Services Coordinator:  

• Site Agreement for Counseling practicum   

• Site Supervisor Application   

If you have questions about placements and/or site supervisor qualifications, 

please contact:

CMH Practicum and Internship Coordinator:   Dr. Covington Hanley by email at chanley@utm.edu

If you have any problems with the application or the forms, please contact:

CEHBS Graduate Student Coordinator:    Sean Hackett by email at shacket3@utm.edu

UT Martin will not authorize telehealth sites for practicum or internship.  

These hands-on, in-person clinical experiences are a crucial phase for skill development, and our program prepares students for these hands-on, in-person experiences. The goal is for these experiences to prepare our students to work confidently across various modalities in the future. In-person counseling experiences during practicum and internship ensure safety, minimize liability, and provide developmentally appropriate training for our students. In-person settings allow students to practice foundational counseling skills in a safe and supportive environment where immediate intervention and oversight are available if crises arise.  

While telehealth is an important modality in modern counseling, it also introduces unique risks and complexities, including ethical and legal considerations, that require advanced experience to navigate effectively.  Engaging in telehealth counseling requires specific additional training, such as continuing education (CEs) or specialized coursework, to ensure competency. Being an effective in-person counselor does not automatically translate to being an effective telehealth provider, as online counseling requires distinct skills in areas like managing technological challenges, maintaining therapeutic presence in a virtual space, and addressing crisis situations remotely. We encourage appropriate telehealth experiences at in-person facilities, with telehealth-trained supervisors on site. 

By focusing on in-person training during our field experiences, we’re prioritizing both client and student safety while equipping our students with the strong foundational skills they need for a successful and ethical counseling practice.  

In this program, you get individual or triadic supervision from your site supervisor and group supervision from your faculty team. 

Site supervision often relates to specific issues on site, such as administrative issues, but also allows for a context-specific exploration of your growth and development. 

Faculty group supervision bridges academic learning and clinical practice. It provides a collaborative environment where you will process real-world casework, receive diverse peer and faculty feedback, refine case conceptualization skills, and navigate the emotional stressors of early clinical work. Many of our students list this course as their favorite because they are able to be with each other "live" and create meaningful connections.