Institute for Children, Youth, and Families




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Intern Stories

Kristine Armstrong

Agency: Divorce Recovery (Our Family Services)

Term: Spring - 2001

I have the opportunity to do an internship for the Family Counseling Agency in the Divorce Recovery department. As an intern, my weekly responsibilities include six hours of office work, including answering phones and preparing materials for the support groups and education classes. I attended a training group for six weeks to prepare me for my main responsibility of co-facilitating a "children of divorce" recovery group. Once training is complete, I will co-facilitate a support group for children ages 8-9 who come from divorced families. I get diverse experiences while working both with the administrative side and the support groups that the agency provides to the public.

I decided to do the internship because I wanted to figure out what I was interested in for my future career. The internship has provided me with hands-on experience in the field, and I have wonderful mentors helping me along the way. I want to pursue marriage and family counseling, so this internship was the perfect fit for me. It also allows me to network with other agencies that fit my interests. After graduation, I plan on attending graduate school for counseling.

I have learned so much from my experience working in the Family Counseling Agency. I was unsure about the type of therapy I was interested in pursuing but my work with the divorce recovery group has really made me examine group therapy. I have learned a great deal about communication, listening, and facilitation of support groups, group processes, and coping skills. I have also learned about what makes a successful agency and all of the administrative tasks that go into making the program operate. I strongly recommend the internship to anyone who wants to get her or his feet wet before jumping into a profession or graduate school. Opportunities like the internship can allow you to gain a greater understanding of your strengths, interests, and future career path.

I will never forget the day during the group training for the divorce recovery group when I realized that I had a passion for group therapy. The group was doing a particular exercise where we had to speak about a loss that we were letting go of. As each person spoke, I could see the other group members relating to and feeling for one another. Several people got tears in their eyes as people told their stories. I found a feeling of empowerment in working together as a group and letting the group take on an energy of its own. Being a group therapist was something I can see myself doing in the future. The internship has allowed me to gain a better understanding of myself and what I hope to accomplish in the future.

University of Arizona
Family and Consumer Sciences
1110 E. South Campus Dr.
PO Box 210033
Tucson, AZ 85721-0033
Phone: (520)626-4433
Fax: (520)621-3401
families@ag.arizona.edu