Graduate-Level Therapy Interns: What They Are (and Why Clients Love Working With Them)
- Emily Morehead, MA, LPC-S
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
If you’re searching for a Texas therapist online, or hoping to find a Texas therapist in Colleyville or a Texas therapist in Allen, you might notice that some practices offer appointments with a graduate-level intern.
And if your first thought is, “Wait… does that mean they’re not qualified?” — you’re not alone.
The truth is: graduate-level interns are often a really great resource to start your therapy journey. They can offer high-quality support, with extra layers of care built in, and they help expand access to therapy in the community.
What is a graduate-level therapy intern?
A graduate-level intern is a therapist-in-training who is completing their final clinical phase of a master’s or doctoral program in counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a related mental health field. Don't worry, we will designate to you where they are in their program through informed consent when you contact us
Graduate level interns provide real therapy sessions with real clients, under structured clinical oversight. This internship is designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional practice, enabling interns to apply evidence-based skills in real time with the support of a licensed professional supervising them. You get a team, instead of just one clinician. Now, traditionally supervision happens behind the scenes, so you don't have to worry about another clinician being in your therapy session, but they are avaliable to support your graduate level therapist before and after sessions with resources and tools to deepen and support your work.
Are graduate interns supervised?
YES! and this is one of the biggest benefits.
At The Couch Therapy, graduate-level interns are not “on their own.” They receive ongoing supervision from a licensed clinician, which means:
Your care is reviewed through a clinical lens, from a supervisor with year sof experience.
Your therapist has a space to consult and grow
The work is supported by a larger clinical team
Why would someone choose an intern instead of a fully licensed therapist?
Working with a graduate intern can be an excellent fit if you want:
1) More support built into your care
Because interns are in active training, they’re continually learning, consulting, and sharpening their skills. Many clients benefit from the feeling that their therapy is receiving extra attention and oversight.
2) Access to additional resources
Interns are often deeply connected to current training models, research, and updated clinical approaches. That can translate into more tools, worksheets, psychoeducation, and interventions integrated into your work.
3) A highly present therapist who is motivated and engaged
Graduate interns tend to bring a lot of intentionality into sessions. They are often especially thoughtful, prepared, and committed to providing meaningful care and reflection because they are learning how to do this work with excellence and intentionality for caring for clients. They have a smaller caseload, and are deeply emersed in the learning process, which translates to lots of great resources.
4) A more affordable way to start therapy
Internships are one way our practice helps bridge mental health accessibility in the community, offering lower-cost services while still maintaining strong clinical oversight.
What about ethics and confidentiality?
Graduate interns are trained in professional ethics and are required to follow ethical codes that protect client welfare and ensure informed consent, privacy, and appropriate clinical boundaries.
In plain language: your experience still matters, your privacy still matters, and your therapy still deserves to feel safe and professional.
How The Couch Therapy uses internships intentionally
At The Couch Therapy, we don’t offer intern services as a “lesser” option.
We offer intern services because we believe in:
Developing strong future clinicians
Creating mentorship pathways through supervision
Expanding therapy access for Texans who need support now
Offering high-quality care that is rooted in ethics, training, and clinical structure
If you’re looking for therapy in Texas, including Colleyville and Allen, and you want a supportive place to start, working with an intern might be a really grounded first step.
Ally Doke, is joining us from SMU and is acccepting new clients. You can schedule a free 15 minute consultation today to start your journey of therapy.
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