Fostering Growth and Excellence

Josselyn Welcomes Record-Breaking Class of Clinical Interns

In a testament to its commitment to quality mental health care, Josselyn is proud to welcome its largest class of clinical interns yet. This year, 30 interns hailing from 13 area schools and universities have joined the ranks, nearly doubling the number from the previous year.

“This increase in intern participation is not only indicative of the substantial growth at Josselyn, but also its position as a top-tier training site,” said Susan Resko, CEO and President.

For years, Josselyn has been recognized as an example of excellence in the mental health care field.

Part of this recognition comes from Josselyn’s dedication to training the next generation of mental health professionals.

Clinical trainer and therapist John Cahill, LPC, believes Josselyn is the best place to grow as a therapist.

“The level of training, supervision, consultation, and professional development offered at Josselyn is unparalleled. Josselyn walks the walk when it comes to helping employees and interns grow in their careers,” he said.

This year’s class of interns, selected from a highly competitive pool of candidates, further exemplifies Josselyn’s standing as a preferred option for those seeking high quality training in the mental health field.

Incoming intern Georgia Pappas, who is pursuing a Master of Science in clinical mental health counseling at National Louis University, explains her internship decision. “I wanted an internship at Josselyn even before applying for my graduate program because I spoke to a mental health professional who completed their own training at Josselyn over twenty years ago and I learned about Josselyn’s dedication to teaching future clinicians.”

What sets Josselyn apart is its commitment to providing a supportive and collaborative environment for its interns and employees. Thomas Tharayil, LCSW, BCD, Director of Internships, believes that one of Josselyn’s key strengths is its emphasis on clinical supervision and training, ensuring that clinicians are well-prepared to empathically respond to their clients, and the complex range of challenges they face. “We understand that the best way to ensure our clients receive the highest level of care is to invest in our clinicians,” he said.

Clinical consultant and therapist Patrick Dawley, LCPC, explains the valuable clinical experience that Josselyn’s internship program provides.

“In addition to their three weekly hours of required supervision, Josselyn offers interns up to seven more weekly hours of support through recurring consultation groups led by experienced Josselyn clinicians addressing specific areas of clinical interest,” said Dawley.

This focus on collaboration and clinical supervision is echoed by incoming intern Rebecca Friedman, who is pursuing a master’s degree in social work with a mental health specialization at the University of Illinois Chicago. Friedman explains, “I chose Josselyn because of the level of supervision it offers in both an individual and group setting. I know Josselyn will provide me a lot of emotional, intellectual, and occupational support over the course of my internship. I admire the work that Josselyn puts in to helping their clients as well as staff members and interns.”

Supervising the interns is a team of seasoned clinicians who are equally enthusiastic about Josselyn’s growth and the development of the incoming class of second-level master’s students.

Cahill said Josselyn’s locations in the North Shore and beyond, combined with its vision of Mental health for all, means therapists work with clients from every walk of life and with a wide range of presenting problems.

“For a clinician starting their career, the only other place one would see such a wide range is if they worked in a hospital. However, in a hospital, the focus is on stabilization. At Josselyn, we journey past stabilization and travel with clients while they heal. There is no better training than that.”