The Teaching Clinic
The Family Development Center’s Teaching Clinic will do the following:
Develop new therapists through curiosity, compassion and reflection. We expect new therapists to be curious about their clients and themselves, compassionate about the experiences of others, and reflective about how the therapeutic work impacts them personally and professionally.
Encourage difficult conversations. The Family Development Center will expect that new therapists and staff will engage in conversations that will stretch their levels of comfort, remembering that learning and empathy occurs in those painful places.
Train new therapists with current information, skills, and knowledge necessary to grow personally and professionally
Build a sense of community in which new therapists and staff feel heard and supported
Embrace all forms of diversity by offering culturally relevant training experiences
Experience the benefits of co-therapy
At The Family Development Center we offer a practice of therapy called “co-therapy” with families and couples.
This means, some of our clients have the benefit of working with two therapists. A co-therapy team may be made up of a therapist and an Intern therapist or two intern therapists. Co-therapy is at the heart of The Family Development Center’s Teaching Clinic. This therapeutic model has been researched, studied and documented as an effective method to conduct therapy with individuals, groups, couples and families.
Here are some of the benefits of co-therapy:
Promotes not practicing therapy in isolation
Allows therapists to share the workload (clinical documents and continuum of care)
Allows for multiple perspectives
Two therapist are more likely to reduce crisis that can occur during session
Increased diversity in the room (i.e., gender, life experience, ethnicity, communication style, etc.)
The co-therapy relationship is a live example of relationships (it’s an opportunity for clients to witness and experience success, allows for modeling of healthy relationships).
In situations where both therapists are not able to be present, one of the therapists can meet with the client to ensure the client’s needs are met in a timely manner.
Become an intern
TFDC is requesting a full year commitment. Currently accepting applications for the 2026-2027 placement year.
TFDC is requesting a full year commitment. Currently accepting applications for the 2026-2027 placement year.
Graduate student interns are an integral part of The Family Development Center
As part of The Family Development Center, interns will receive training and supervision, as well as opportunities to gain experience in co-therapy, play therapy, and individual, couples, and family therapy. Pre-recorded observation of other therapists and videotaping are also part of the learning experience. The Family Development Center is committed to creating an environment that is based on trust, learning, and compassion.
Intern Experience
In-office and at-home therapy settings: Interns will have the opportunity to observe and practice therapy in a clinical office setting as well as from the comfort of their own homes.
At least 80% of their time must be spent in the clinic.
In-person and Virtual: Interns will have the opportunity to observe and practice therapy with clients both in-person and virtually.
Co-therapy teams: Interns will have the opportunity to work with therapists in teams to provide therapy to individuals, couples, and families. Additionally, MFT and MSW interns work as a team to best meet the needs of client assessment and diagnosis.
Individual and Play therapy: Interns will have a caseload of their own. They will meet with individuals, couples, and children 8 years of age and older. Interns will record their sessions to be observed in their intern group as well as with their supervisor.
Recording: The Family Development Center has cameras in every therapy office. This allows all therapists to record their sessions (with client consent). Interns can watch videos and learn different styles of therapy as well as follow several different cases throughout the year.
Consultation: The Family Development Center therapists meet monthly for case consultation. This is an opportunity to staff cases, build relationships, receive/learn about additional training opportunities, and stay updated with necessary announcements. We run these meetings in a structured format. Therapists are also encouraged to consult with each other as needed outside of the weekly group consultation.
Supervision: Interns have a supervisor on site with whom they will meet weekly for one hour.
Intern Commitment
Full Year (12 months) commitment.
Minimum of 20 hours per week
for combined administrative work, office agency duties, co-therapy, client contact hours, supervision, and consultation.
At least eight (8) evening (4:00 p.m. or later) or weekend hours
Six (6) of which are to be in person.
At least three (3) of which should be a 5:00 p.m. or later
Weekly Client hours: ramp up to a minimum of 10 scheduled hours.
The ramp-up period is generally 13 weeks.
One hour of individual supervision per week.
To be scheduled with your supervisor.
One-and-a-half hours of group supervision every other week.
Friday 10:30-12:00 p.m.
One-and-a-half hours of group consultation per week.
Wednesday 12:15-1:45 p.m.
Application & selection process
We offer late August and mid-May starts.
Applicants will answer the questions below and submit a formal cover letter and resume from MFT, MSW, or LPCC.
For Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) applicants, interviews begin in October of every year.
For Clinical Social Work (MSW) and Professional Counselors (LPCC) applicants, interviews will begin in March of every year.
All applicants go through an interview process that consists of an individual interview with several The Family Development Center staff members.
Apply for a Teaching Clinic Internship
The application is now open for the 2026-2027 placement year.
Questions can be directed to dionne@thefamilydevelopmentcenter.com
Become an Extern
Post-Graduate externs are an integral part of The Family Development Center
For recent graduates of a Master’s program in counseling, social work, and/or marriage and family therapy.
This model supports new clinicians in the transition to outpatient mental health. The focus at the beginning of the externship is more on training and supervision, as the year progresses, externs see more clients and have fewer training hours. Throughout the year, externs have at least 80 training hours.
Position Title: Externship Position
Location: In-person (at least 80%) and virtual (up to 20%)
Position Level: New Master’s level Graduates (working towards LMFT, LICSW, LPCC licensure)
Classification: Salaried
Salary Range: $60,000.00 - $61,215.00
Job Type: Full-time
Extern Experience
In-office and at-home therapy settings: Externs will have the opportunity to observe and practice therapy in a clinical office setting as well as from the comfort of their own homes. At least 80% of their time must be spent in the clinic.
In-person and Virtual: Externs will have the opportunity to observe and practice therapy with clients both in-person and virtually.
Co-therapy teams: Externs will have the opportunity to work with therapists in teams to provide therapy to individuals, couples, and families. Additionally, MFT and MSW externs work as a team to best meet the needs of client assessment and diagnosis.
Individual and Play therapy: Externs will have a caseload of their own. They will meet with individuals, couples, and children aged 8 years and older. Externs will record their sessions to be observed in their extern group as well as with their supervisor.
Recording: The Family Development Center has cameras in every therapy office. This allows all therapists to record their sessions (with client consent). Externs can watch videos and learn different styles of therapy as well as follow several cases throughout the year.
Consultation: The Family Development Center therapists meet monthly for case consultation. This is an opportunity to staff cases, build relationships, receive/learn about additional training opportunities, and stay updated with necessary announcements. We run these meetings in a structured format. Therapists are also encouraged to consult with each other as needed outside of the weekly group consultation.
Supervision: Externs have a supervisor on site with whom they will meet weekly for one hour.
Externship Commitment
A minimum of 40 hours per week.
at least 80% of the time at the office and up to 20% of the time at home.
A minimum of 34 hours per week in your schedule for clients, consultations, training, supervision, etc.
The remaining hours would be for administrative responsibilities, including documentation, billing, scheduling, and general client management associated with client care for your outpatient clients.
A minimum of seven (7) evening hours (4:00 p.m. or later) -or- weekend hours will be offered to clients. Of which,
at least four (4) must be in-person, and
two (2) must be 5:00 p.m. or later.
Your compensation will include your annual salary and a $500.00 training stipend.
In addition to the cash compensation, your total compensation package will include:
Salaried Pay for Therapists
Paid time off (PTO)
Simple IRA match, up to 3%
Health & Dental (30+ hrs per week)
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Learning & Development: Hours and Stipend
Supervision
Clinic-wide Training
Professional License reimbursement
Flexible Schedule
Apply for a Teaching Clinic Externship
For recent graduates of a Master’s program in counseling, social work, and/or marriage and family therapy.
Questions can be directed to dionne@thefamilydevelopmentcenter.com