Volunteer January 2027: Adult Therapy Program Clinical Trainee - Los Angeles

THE ADULT THERAPY PROGRAM 

Trainees in the Adult Program treat a caseload of individuals ages 18 and older.  Maple Counseling adult clients present a broad range of diagnoses and problems.  Supervision groups focus on developing your clinical skills, formulating case conceptualization, and building your ability to form effective therapeutic relationships with clients.   Diagnostic assessment skills are emphasized as part of the Intake and Assessment Track.

CORE REQUIREMENTS 

Provide 10 clinical hours per week as a Trainee (12 to 15 clinical hours per week if you are an Associate).  Attend a two-hour group supervision (in clinic) and one-hour triadic (offsite) supervision weekly.   Participate in the Intake and Assessment Track, conducting psychosocial assessments with new clients and attend the two-hour weekly Assessment Training (Wednesdays 2:00pm – 4:00pm via zoom).  Attend weekly Clinical Trainings (Tuesdays, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon via zoom) on a broad range of clinical topics.  You must schedule three different days of the week to see clients.  A minimum of one evening per week until 9:00pm and either a Friday or Saturday seeing clients is required. Remote telehealth sessions may be conducted at client request, but trainees must also be available to see clients in the clinic.  The Adult Program traineeship is approximately 20 hours per week.

MAPLE COUNSELING OVERVIEW

Maple Counseling offers a comprehensive training program for counselors working toward their LMFT, LCSW or LPCC license in the state of California.

All trainees are trained in a variety of contemporary and psychodynamic modalities of treatment and also receive diverse client and clinical experiences with extensive supervision and training. 

The foundation of Maple Counseling's treatment philosophy is depth-oriented work, which includes brief and longer-term approaches with the aim to address and improve a client’s current life functioning.

REQUIREMENTS

Traineeship at Maple Counseling requires a one-year minimum in-person commitment. Our MSW, MFT and PCC training programs are 18-20 hours per week.

Trainee applicants must be enrolled in an accredited graduate program, in good standing. AMFT, APCC and ACSW Associates must be registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

Start dates for our training cohorts are the following:

Adult Program: January, April, August
Child & Family Program: August
Adolescent Program: August

Applications for the January cohort are accepted in the fall of each year and those for the June and August cohorts are accepted between January and March. Once completed applications are reviewed, candidates may then be invited to interview.

Trainees are required to provide 10-15 clinical hours per week (depending on degree status). Trainees attend two hours of group supervision and one hour of individual/triadic supervision each week. Group supervision is held in person at the Maple clinic, whereas individual/triadic supervision may be either in person or online.

Weekly clinical trainings are mandatory and are held either in person or online depending on the program. First year trainees in the Adult Program receive an additional training in assessment and diagnosis and conduct all adult client intakes in the clinic.

Trainees are required to see clients a minimum of one evening per week and to see clients either on Friday or Saturday (day of the week determined by lottery). All trainees will see clients both in the Maple clinic and via telehealth.

Prospective associates and trainees may contact [email protected] for more information.

TRAINING PROGRAM

The training program is designed to evaluate and enhance competency levels in clinical knowledge, skills, and judgment. Maple Counseling has three primary programs: the Adult Program, the Adolescent (ACT) Program, and the Child & Family (CF) Program.

Trainees receive weekly group and triadic supervision by highly qualified clinical staff as well as opportunities to further refine existing ideas and skills. Structurally, the training programs are designed to provide a comprehensive, organized sequence of training and direct clinical experience. Depending on the program, offsite experiences are also available at partnering community-based agencies.

The core program consists of:

• Psychotherapy for Individuals, Children, and Families
• Individual/Triadic and Group Supervision
• Weekly Educational Seminars
• Intake Assessment Training

Additional opportunities include:

• Group Therapy
• Couples Therapy
• Formalized Diagnostic Assessment and Report Writing Training

Educational seminars are designed to educate interns about theoretical and practical information relevant to various areas of intervention. Seminars are also opportunities for interns to discuss topics of interest for their professional development. Examples of topics include basics of psychodynamic therapy, crisis intervention, transference and countertransference, interpretation in psychotherapy, legal and ethical issues, self-disclosure, the mental status examination, couples and family therapy, trauma, cultural diversity, and cultural competence training.

THEORETICAL ORIENTATION

The theoretical orientation of Maple Counseling is primarily insight-oriented and psychodynamic. Therapy in the Child, Adolescent, and Family (CAF) programs utilize an attachment focused theoretical approach and an integration of play therapy and family therapy techniques. Without specific limits on the length of therapy, clients have the opportunity to receive long-term treatment. This allows interns to work in-depth over time with their clients.

Maple Counseling’s educative program includes the core of psychodynamic principles and technique that has evolved over the years, and a wide range of insight-oriented models guide the clinical practice of our center. We also believe in meeting clients where they are, and providing care that is appropriate for each client’s needs. Trainees are taught and encouraged to apply varied approaches to treatment planning and interventions with each case.

SUPERVISION

Trainees participate weekly in one hour of triadic supervision, two hours of group supervision, and additional supervision if seeing couples or conducting groups. Each supervisee leads case conferences and presents videotaped sessions and process recordings. Growth occurs in the context of close effective supervision coupled with the freedom to experiment and develop independence and competence. Maple Counseling supports an ongoing exchange between supervisee and supervisor and is open to examination and modification of clinical programs and procedures to meet changing needs.

MAPLE COUNSELING STAFF

Over two dozen licensed clinicians and highly dedicated administrative personnel comprise the staff of Maple Counseling. Supervision and training are presented by our multidisciplinary staff of licensed professionals from the fields of Psychology, Social Work, and Marriage & Family Therapy. The clinical staff keeps abreast of the latest developments in the field and takes pride in providing accessible, individualized supervision and training. They are known for their accessibility and care. Supervisors also have a great deal of clinical experience from their own private practices and training as supervisors.

QUALIFICATIONS & APPLICATION

All MFT, PCC and Social Work student applicants must be enrolled in an accredited program. Associates must be registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Applications must include:

• An autobiographical statement (see application for questions)
• A current curriculum vitae
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the candidate's academic or clinical background
• A letter that you are in “good standing” if you are still in graduate school or a transcript from graduate school if you have completed your Masters.

For qualifying candidates, an interview with a Maple Counseling staff member will be part of the selection process. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance or rejection in accordance with the standard practices of "offers and acceptance."

IMPORTANT RECRUITING INFO & LINKS

Join Our Open Houses (Zoom)

Wednesday, September 30 11:30am-1:00pm
RSVP Here: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgijv10G6z3BJt-NC9FQrOkOBoEW0mcVV10vVCK2O3JsEdcA/viewform?pli=1

Monday, October 5th 6:00pm-7:30pm
RSVP Here: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTm27dYb46rpHQuuPjZnRAjgT3kj_k3xNby3tLODoirtLDSQ/viewform

Application Deadline: Sunday, October 11, 2026

Internship Orientation Week:
January Cohort (Adult Program Only): January 4 – 8

Internship Start Date:
January Cohort (Adult Program Only): January 11, 2027

Inclusion Statement: We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and are actively seeking therapists who reflect the diversity (ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) of the community we serve.

For more information, please see our website:  https://www.maple4counseling.org/work-with-us/internship-training.

Prospective associates and trainees may contact [email protected] for more information.