Completing The Internship

Poverty and Homelessness

When a family has little money, necessities such as food and temporary shelter often matter more than anything else, sometimes even more than a permanent home. The number of people living in poverty is constantly on the rise. Poverty often continues generation after generation and breaking the cycle can be very difficult. Poverty also tends to make dreams and aspirations seem unattainable. Some parents even discourage their children from having dreams of greater economic status to protect them from being disappointed.

Poverty is a major contributor to many of the problems that a human services professional will encounter when working with people in a mental health or juvenile justice setting. Many clients simply do not have the means to provide for certain basic needs. This situation is often complicated by the fact that many people hesitate to ask for help. This factor can be moderated by providing a more compassionate atmosphere for such clients and guiding them toward resources that are available to them. 

Human services workers often work with the homeless, families in shelters, and outreach programs aimed at helping so-called “street-people.” Homelessness is a problem that most people do not want to think about. Having a primary residence is often taken for granted by most people and the thought of losing such a necessity is so frightening that many prefer to ignore it. People react differently to homelessness. Some even assume that homelessness is a choice or “deserved” when, in fact, it often is due to such misfortunes as fire, illness, or the loss of a job. 

Many interns are poorly prepared for their first encounters with those who are genuinely homeless. That can be a very humbling experience and leave the intern feeling inadequate or incompetent. Even professionals working in this area may feel that their contributions are only drops in a great bucket. However, it is a growing problem that needs to be addressed with compassion, understanding, and dedication. Dealing with the homeless can be one of those opportunities to receive more than what you are giving, if you are willing to learn from the encounter. This population provides you with an excellent opportunity to see how harsh life can be, to learn how to respond compassionately, and to remember to treat people with dignity.  

Part of becoming competent with this population is to learn about things like emergency shelters and transitional housing. Knowing what resources are available in your community and understanding how they work is a good way of increasing your competence. For example, many transitional homes include programs to help with finding employment, learning how to set up budgets, and finding a place to live. 

Mental Health Issues and Settings 

Many human services aim at helping with mental health issues. Typically, they offer outpatient services for children, adolescents, adults, and families. Often medications will be involved along with day-treatment and other wrap-around services. Sometimes more serious conditions, such as schizophrenia, also require agencies to work together. For example, many homeless people suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic schizophrenia. This problem was made worse by de-institutionalization, which you should have learned about in your other classes. As a result, it is not uncommon to find mental health agencies interfacing regularly with police departments. 

It takes time for interns to become accustomed to dealing with those who suffer serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. However, learning how to see the person who has the disease, and not just its manifestations, can go a long way in getting past these initial barriers. Learning about the major mental illnesses, seeing how professionals relate to the people who suffer them, and modeling your interactions after those clinicians who seem to make a positive difference are steps you can take toward becoming more competent with this population.  

If you have never taken a class in abnormal behavior, it will be more difficult for you to make connections, so be sure to either take such a course or do some intensive reading, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders or DSM 5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It may also help to watch videos and movies, especially those that show both the symptoms of mental disorders and stories of recovery. Remember, over the course of a lifetime, one in every two Americans will suffer a diagnosable mental health condition. 

Criminal Justice Populations 

There are many types of criminal justice settings that employ human services workers. They include police work, probation services, victim rights advocates, and juvenile systems. Some involve counseling services or protective services as well. Many mental health and substance abuse centers will have clients and programs that serve people who are in or who have been through the criminal justice system. Ex-convicts are a particularly important population because we all have a stake in helping them complete their parole and become fully integrated citizens. Yet, these individuals have the odds stacked against them in terms of such things as obtaining decent housing, finding jobs, and so on. Sometimes communities establish community-based volunteer programs dedicated to supporting people in this situation. If one is connected to your internship, attending a few of these meetings can increase your understanding of this population and perhaps your competence. 

Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse

Chemical dependency and substance abuse are on the rise, especially regarding opioid use, though alcohol remains a chronic problem. Therefore, you are likely to encounter clients who deal with addiction in one way or another. These difficulties range from a client having a problem to having a family member who has a problem, which can occur in any type of human services setting where you are interning. Moreover, some engage in criminal activities to get drugs. Chemical dependency and substance abuse can affect anyone regardless of age, race, or socioeconomic standing, and can, of course, involve criminal activity. 

There are many types of treatment programs for such individuals, including Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous and support programs for family members, such as Al-Anon (support for families of alcoholics) and Nar-Anon (support for families of addicts) as well as professional programs. Our understanding of these issues has grown significantly over the years, but successful recovery is still difficult, and relapses are a part of the process. Human services workers in general should have some knowledge about addiction because the program affects so many, especially if families are included. Fortunately, most colleges have courses on addiction and recovery that are helpful in this regard. 

If you are especially interested in this area, you should know that many if not most recovery programs have internships. Many states have lower-level chemical dependency counseling licensing based on academic and volunteer experiences. Substance abuse agencies that offer internships often hire as permanent or part-time employee students who are placed there once they graduate. 

Death and the Process of Dying 

We do not usually like to think about the unpleasant reality of death. Losing a loved one can cause depression. Most people turn to their religious communities when dealing with these issues and hospices are now common. If you are interested in this type of work, these sites usually are cautious about taking on interns because the patients and families are having a difficult enough time. However, some facilities offer internships for especially mature students and usually have them go through a rigorous sensitivity training as a part of the process. 

Special Issues Concerning the Development of Competence Countertransference (Again) 

Each one of the internship settings and occupations mentioned above can trigger countertransference for those who work in them, especially interns. For example, children are extremely vulnerable and innately appeal to our capacity for nurturing. If we have unresolved issues in that area, then it is easy to become over-involved. Dealing with child abuse invokes strong feelings of anger and disgust in most adults, but if you have been abused yourself, then the risk of living out unconscious issues and feelings is even higher. Many of us have mental health issues in our families and some of us have been in treatment ourselves. People who suffer from these conditions can affect us in many unconscious ways as we try to help them. Addiction, adolescence, crime, and death are all areas that effect our life experiences at deeper levels, especially if it is a part of our past or is a part of our current experience. 

As mentioned earlier, increasing your self-awareness, especially your ability to monitor your reactions and responses is the key to dealing with countertransference. Knowing which types of personalities, issues, and populations “trigger” countertransference responses can help you avoid them. Talking with your supervisor or working through your own issues, which often means talking with a therapist, are usually helpful too. However, there are some other general behaviors to cultivate that will help you become more competent in this area as well, whether you have issues or not. 

Establish and Maintain Clear Boundaries 

Most of us who work in these fields care about people enough to take the lower than deserved salaries that usually come with such work. We often see or feel ourselves called to the field, perhaps because in some ways we have been on the other side of these experiences. This combination of factors can create a situation where we are tempted to do as much as we can to help someone who is without a home, with little income, or in some other condition of need. Since we are human as well, it is easy to overextend ourselves, be too generous, offer to do too much, and so on. At other times, we can be tired, frustrated, or discouraged about a person’s reaction, slow rate of progress, and so on. Both conditions make it easy to slide down the slippery slopes of countertransference, poor judgment, and mistakes.

One thing that helps to avoid this situation is to establish and maintain clear professional and personal boundaries. For example, you should not do “special favors” for a client, give them money, offer belongings, or take them into your home, all of which are ethically problematic behaviors that could lead to serious entanglements. Some situations encountered during an internship can be heart wrenching. You may even encounter a situation where you may be helping someone you know personally. Learning how to monitor yourself in such situations, especially for the possibility of countertransference or personal biases, is part of becoming more competent in terms of self-awareness. If you have difficulty maintaining a professional attitude and boundaries because of these or other factors, then it is important to talk with your supervisor or instructor about the situation. 

Paying Attention to Safety 

Violence can occur anywhere and at any time. Even though most people do not encounter violence at the workplace, human services workers often deal with individuals who have cognitive and behavioral limitations, including poor impulse control or aggressiveness. Sometimes our clients are desperate, or our site is in an area that is economically distressed, even dangerous. And, of course, some sites deal with risky situations, such as those associated with taking children away from parents, home visits, or criminal justice settings. 

There is always a possibility of encountering some form of danger in these and other situations. Therefore, it is imperative to follow the safety policies proscribed by your site, especially as an intern. Be aware of your environment, avoid potentially dangerous situations, and carry a cellphone. If you feel uncomfortable, remove yourself from the situation if possible and discuss it with the supervisor or instructor later. Remember, you are there to learn, not to put yourself in harm’s way. 

Your Professional Development 

Professional Style 

By now it should be clear that many human services professionals encounter a variety of difficult and complex situations. Each one is unique. As an intern, of course, no one would expect you to have a fully developed professional approach or even to have a clear idea as to what your general style might be. However, the internship gives you a chance to start discovering one, and it will be based on your personality, beliefs, experiences, attitudes, abilities, as well as experiences at the site. Developing your own style may seem awkward at first, but it will become more natural as your confidence in your professional work grows. It is also important to realize that every one’s style has strengths and. Of course, it is best to be aware of both. 

Example: The concept of style or approach is often difficult to understand because it is something we take for granted, that we automatically do, and are not necessarily aware of. Accordingly, we often use metaphors to help people identify their style. For instance, the clinical editor of this book once described his style as like a dog at work. That may seem like a derogatory metaphor at first, but dogs have great abilities: They are loyal and have extremely sensitive noses that allow them to track scents no matter how subtle. Moreover, once on a scent trail, dogs are famous for being diligent in their untiring pursuit of the goal. Sometimes we even describe this behavior as “dogged” and may admire a person for their ability to focus on a goal until it is reached regardless of the obstacles they encounter along the way.

Being motivated, dedicated, diligent, and persevering or dogged are all positive qualities that can be helpful when dealing with problems, whether one’s own or someone else’s. Such strengths are desirable in most fields and many areas of life, including being a good student. However, each style also has weaknesses. For example, once a dog gets on a scent, it does not easily break off of it, which connotes a certain rigidity that is likely to cause difficulty from time to time since flexibility is important. 

Animals, insects, trees, plants, historical figures, and other characters can be used as metaphors to help you cultivate self-awareness. For example, knowing your style can increase your awareness of your strengths, which may help you develop them further at your site. Since every style has weaknesses associated with it, too, knowing about those tendencies can help you minimize their impact on your work. If you cannot find a metaphor for your own style, ask someone who knows you well to come up with one to describe you. 

Problem-Solving Skills 

Above all else, a human services professional is a problem solver. Therefore, becoming more competent at solving problems in your area is a primary goal of the internship, as well as a large part of your workday. The types of circumstances you may encounter could be difficult, which is why the experience provided by internships is so important. It allows you to test your wings and act on your own while still having the support and guidance of a professional. Consequently, it is a good idea to interact with as many people and experience as many situations as possible. They will help you understand the differences between theory and practice. 

Knowledge, information, experience, flexibility, and creativity are all necessary for effective problem solving. Some of that can be learned in the classroom. However, the agency and clients will provide you with lessons about how to deal with real-world problems. Turning theory into practice increases both your competence (i.e., the ability to help) and confidence (i.e., the feeling that you are equipped to deal effectively with various possibilities). Flexibility helps you adjust when necessary, and creativity is oftentimes the only way to address an issue as there is no textbook or policy that always works. 

In addition, there are some very good problem-solving techniques you can easily learn as well, such as one developed by D’Zurilla & Goldfried (1971). Theirs is a 4-step easy-to-learn process that begins with making sure that you understand the real problem and thinking about possible solutions. Those two steps are followed by selecting the best solution and then developing a detailed step-by-step plan of action to reach the goal. Remember, having a clear plan is a good starting point and the steps you begin to take can be modified as new information emerges. 

Developing an Emotional “Heat” Shield 

Most experienced human services workers will tell you that the work is very rewarding but stressful. Just ask some of the people who work at your internship sites. The stress of the work comes in many forms: low wages, difficult clients, case overloads, lack of staff, high “failure” rates, agency turmoil, lack of appreciation, and more. These things can occur at the end of any day, build up over time, and eventually lead to a condition referred to as “burnout,” although compassion fatigue may be a more accurate description. In short, it is best to be proactive and develop some ways of dealing with stress in the near and long term. 

One helpful tool is to create something akin to a “heat shield.” Among other things, a heat shield is a device that protects objects from damage or harm caused by heat from combustion, friction, or high temperatures. For example, the exhaust system of a car has a heat shield to protect passengers from hot fumes and the space shuttle had ceramic tiles on its underside to protect the crew from the heat caused by friction as the vehicle re-entered the earth’s atmosphere. The shield stands between something that is crucial in a system, in our case, the individual, and the source of the heat, in this situation, the stressors associated with working in human services. 

An “emotional” heat shield (Murphy & Dillon, 2011) works in the same way. It is a behavioral and psychological set of practices that protects human services professionals from the everyday stress of the job and decreases the risk of negative consequences related to stress that could build up over time. After all, dealing with a steady flow of emergencies, child abuse, fear, loss, poverty, and so on can take a toll on anyone over time. 

Of course, since everyone is unique, a person’s “heat shield” may take many forms. Some people are good at leaving work at the office. Others exercise, have hobbies, or belong to support groups. Many people meditate or have “me time,” and so on. The internship experience is a good place to figure out what elements may be helpful in the construction of your own heat shield. A personal heat shield will not only protect you from getting “burned” by the stress of the job but will also help prevent you from becoming too attached or connected with the clients. Each of the following can be a component of an effective “heat shield”: 

-	Maintaining a positive attitude by focusing on what is possible, not what is not.
-	Count the positive more than the negative: Make a list (mental or written) of all the things you did to help someone that day or week, especially those that were successful
-	Cultivate and use positive relationships with co-workers to provide a good system of support, advice and a safe place to vent when needed
-	Keep things in perspective. Remember the internship (or job) is only one part of your life. Other parts can be important, too, and provide a sense of balance.
-	Set aside time for yourself to recharge your batteries and prevent burn out. That is one reason clinicians have down time between appointments.
-	Learning proper meditation or exercising can be a way of discharging stress daily.
-	Do not let paperwork build up! Your supervisors depend on proper paperwork, such as intake information, case notes, documentation, and so on. Develop a system of getting it done before it becomes overwhelming. Make sure all the required documentation is done before you leave the office or, if that is not possible, arrive early to complete it the next day. These are excel lent habits to develop because they are proactive ways of reducing stress

It is not always easy to deal with stress, but the attitude you bring to the internship is something that is completely within your control. By focusing on the positives, keeping goals in sight, trying to maintain an attitude of confidence and flexibility, and counting your successes more than failures can help make your experience a good one and that is what the internship is all about. 

Practice Good Self Care 

Interns generally do not have to worry about burnout or compassion fatigue because it usually takes many years of working in the field before that is a problem. However, you will be involved in stressful situations, or at least witness them, at the site. In addition, these days, many students are already dealing with some substantial stressors themselves, such as attending classes, raising a family, holding down a job, paying off loans, all while interning at a site for no pay. Therefore, you may want to start developing good self-care habits that reduce the buildup of stress on your physical and emotional well-being. Here are some of the more common self-care strategies professionals often use to get away from the stress of their job. 

Hobbies: Having a hobby is a good way to relieve stress because it creates a positive state of well-being called flow which makes us feel good, alive, and competent. The hobby can be something as relaxing as knitting or as adrenaline pumping as racing. Whatever it is, it should be something you enjoy, that helps you unwind, and that may even give you what positive psychology calls a sense of “flow.” 

Taking Breaks (Pacing Yourself): If you begin to feel like you are losing perspective during the internship or hating what seems like an endless amount of work, then it may be time to stop for a few minutes and regroup. Do something simple that you find relaxing and enjoyable. Perhaps you can catch a few minutes alone or take a walk. Some people like to have a snack, although you do have to watch that one for obvious reasons. Consider this time as an “earned” break and try to build it into your day.  

Meditation/Contemplative Prayer/Exercise: Considerable research on such calming practices as meditation show that there are easy-to-learn techniques to reduce stress and improve well-being. Building such practices into your daily routine are all good ideas. Finding the one that works best for you and practicing it regularly is one of the best forms of good self care. 

Staying Connected: It is easy to feel lost when starting something new. Socializing and staying in contact with supportive and helpful people can create feelings of belonging, reduce stress, and increase self-confidence. Talking to other staff members when feeling stressed may help you feel connected, realize that you are not alone, understand these types of feelings as being normal in this line of work. Sharing experiences with your colleagues in the class (if there is one in conjunction with the internship), is an excellent way to find some relief by “sharing the burden.”  

Examples of Skill Development in Specific Areas

Human services has many branches, and each one involves mastering a set of skills. Your in ternship will introduce you to them in appropriate ways. The next few pages present some personal and professional challenges that interns may face in different settings. However, the number of examples is far from exhaustive. Instead of trying to cover every area you might encounter at an internship, we focus on becoming more competent in areas that most interns are likely to face. 

Staff Conflicts

There are disagreements and sometimes even conflicts in every workplace. Stressful situations like these can bring out the worst in people, including staff as well as clients. Consequently, it is important to know about your conflict style, especially its strengths and weaknesses. Knowing how to talk about and deal with different points of view is an essential skill because it can help us de-escalate situations and reach reasonable solutions. However, acquiring this ability takes time. If a stressful situation occurs among coworkers, try to stay within your role as an intern. Doing so will help you remain neutral and reduce the risk of contributing to the situation. 

Working with Abused or Neglected Children 

Child abuse and neglect is an area of human services that some professionals struggle with because the cases can be emotionally powerful. Protecting children is something that most professionals in this field see as a priority. Legally, a professional is obligated to report instances of child abuse. Yet, many professionals struggle with their own feelings when working in this area as they can range from outrage against the abuse to fear about some form of retribution by the alleged abuser. Consequently, it is important to remember that you are the voice of the child, perhaps the only one in this situation.

If you are working in a setting where you are likely to encounter abuse, it is important to develop some skill in detecting abuse and knowing how to handle or report it properly if it occurs. After all, children typically do not question the actions of adults, especially their parents, and child abuse occurs predominantly within the home. In addition, the children are often coached about what to say and how to answer in the event of an intervention. You need to be aware of this possibility and know how to address it. Fortunately, there are training sessions and continuing education courses where these skills can be developed, and you should be ready to take advantage of them.

Placing Children

Working with children in your internship can be particularly painful because it often involves watching children experience the loss and separation of one or both parents. The child may even become a ward of the foster care system. To be effective in this area, you must develop some sense of clinical objectivity. If you find yourself getting angry with the parents of abused or neglected children, it is time to re-examine your perspective. Blaming behaviors will only make the situation worse. Instead, try to follow procedures, document events properly, and adhere to your role. After all, that is what you are there for. Of course, in these situations an intern is likely to be only an observer, so use the opportunity to see how clinicians respond so that you can decide which behaviors to model. 

Adoption

Some children are placed for adoption for a variety of reasons. One of the most common is that the birth parents believe that it is the best way the for the child to have a chance at a better life. Closed adoptions, which means that even as an adult the adopted child cannot learn about their biological parents were common at one time. However, that practice has been replaced by what is called open adoption. Open adoption allows the birthparents, the adoptive couple, and the child to know more about their genetic histories and have an ongoing relationship with each other if they choose. 

Open adoption can also be done in a semi-open form, which allows for minimal contact between the child and biological parent(s). For example, letters and pictures may be shared through the adoption agency. In-person meetings are also scheduled if the birth parents agree to them. Of course, it is important to be able to maintain a professional demeanor and to follow the policies of the agency where you intern. Your role is to observe, learn, and model as you acquire the necessary skills to meet the needs of the clients. 

Learning to Be Competent

Introduction

This chapter  discusses the ability to continue improving and developing competence while facing challenges at the site and in the field. Further, we look at some of the other dimensions of human services work, particularly those that have an impact on the intern or workers and how to cope with them effectively. For example, the emphasis is placed on the importance of developing a protective barrier to insulate yourself against the difficulties that may affect the emotional or psychological well-being of those who work in these fields. This chapter also offers suggestions and tools that service professionals can use to encourage and maintain a consistent perspective. 

Competence, of course, concerns the ability to face various challenges and to do something well. It is closely related to the developmental idea of mastery, which begins in the first moments of life and does not stop until death. In this sense, we all face the challenges of living and, hopefully, learn to increase our skills and abilities to deal with them.  

Similarly, the internship and work in your field will present a never-ending series of challenges that you will be able to deal with effectively as you master your responsibilities. In other words, it is an environment that supports the development of the abilities and skills necessary to function competently in each domain of human services work. Because many of these skills are personal and interpersonal in character, the internship experience may also help you grow as an individual. 

n addition to training you, the internship also offers other benefits. For example, it may provide opportunities to do work that you can add to your developing resume and present to future employers. If you conduct yourself wisely, some of the people you meet at the site may serve as future references. Each new duty at your internship is an opportunity to learn something new and to increase your skills. One small but important sign of increasing competence is not having to ask as many questions, because you already know what to do and that you can do it. Over time, this “I can do that” attitude often results in a feeling of self confidence as well.

The internship is an excellent place to upgrade your interpersonal skills. The experiences you have will help you ask increasingly sophisticated questions as you move to the next level. Your ability to observe how people respond to situations will also grow as you begin to understand why the agency, staff, and clients operate the way they do. Making sure that you do your best to act as a professional is also important, but do not attempt to do too much too soon. Although there may be important learning opportunities often described as “trials by fire,” it is best to take things one day at a time as developing competence in the workplace usually requires patience.  

Your questions, observations, and discussions, will also help you gain insight, see things from different perspectives, and with practice, increase your ability to be tactful, all which comes with experience. New experiences will give you an opportunity to implement what you learn as you take up increasingly sophisticated duties. These developments are also indications of increasing competence.

Maintaining Perspective in Difficult Situations 

One thing many people in human services have in common is the desire to make a difference in their communities. At the same time, human nature is such that some areas will be more attractive to you than others. For instance, someone who has experienced a very painful loss may find working with survivors rewarding. If you choose to work in an area that is personally meaningful in this way, you will need to pay attention to the possibilities of countertransference a bit more than in other areas. However, your experience might also be an advantage as it gives you more credibility than someone without it.

Working in human services means helping people face a variety of difficult challenges. Some will be straightforward and have a relatively simple solution. Others may be far more complicated and difficult to solve. Occasionally you will also encounter situations that are genuinely heart wrenching. Many of these will be difficult to deal with, especially if they are new to you, and may create some stress. 

Sometimes people have complicated problems that cannot be easily solved, so it is easy to feel overwhelmed at first. It helps to realize that change does not happen overnight, so developing patience is important when working in the field. It also helps to know about problem solving, emotional coping, goal setting, and so on; all of which should have been taught in your coursework.

The internship is the time to apply theory to practice. If you feel insecure or overwhelmed, there are several things you can do to help make the situation more manageable. 

-	Self-awareness is the key: The more you are aware of your own reactions, tendencies, beliefs and style, the better able you will be to set limits, avoid traps, and hold a steady course at the internship and beyond.
-	Stay calm and focused: An overwhelmed client may lead to an overwhelmed intern. You are usually not alone in the internship, so help is available – you do not have to do it all!
-	Boundaries are important: Always maintain appropriate boundaries and try to avoid taking your work and emotions home. If your internship has a classroom component associated with it, that can be a good place to process your reactions and experiences
-	Utilize teamwork: You are part of a team and do not have to figure things out alone.
-	Support is available: As an intern, you can readily turn to others for help.

Differing Socioeconomic Perspectives

Socioeconomic status includes such factors as the income level and social class in which clients are raised, their educational level, their occupation (or the lack of one), etc. All these phenomena can affect an individual’s perspective on the world, how they view others, their personal and social expectations, mannerisms, language, and more. For example, a client who is constantly dipping below the poverty line will have problems and face decisions that more economically-secure clients may never face. Understanding the reality of a client’s life will help you to establish greater credibility and rapport. Maintaining an open mind by discarding preconceived notions you may have about people in various socioeconomic situations will help. 

Of course, social interaction always goes two ways. Thus, you may want to be aware of how the client views you in terms of differences as well. For example, a struggling client may resent a human services worker who seems to be living a more “luxurious” lifestyle. Someone else might “fall between the cracks,” meaning they make too much money to qualify for a program but still need help. A wealthy client may become uncomfortable about working with someone who makes much less money than they do. Right or wrong, these reactions happen all the time and will need to be addressed. These situations and many others may make it difficult for clients to open up to you.

Differing Gender Perspectives 

The roles of men and women have changed over time, but there have always been distinct differences between the two. People are trained in their gender roles from birth, and gender role expectations are reinforced throughout one’s life. This gender training eventually results in a personal view of masculinity or femininity and an idea of where the individual and others fit within that framework. Sometimes people develop certain ideas about what jobs men do and what jobs women do, especially those who come from a traditional background or culture. Thus, they may be surprised when they encounter people working in fields that challenge these fixed notions of gender roles. 

Marital therapists often deal with differences between the communication styles of men and women. For example, men are often found to focus more on concrete issues, problem-solving, and action. Women tend to place a greater emphasis on interaction and on the emotional aspects of a situation. These differences in both verbal and nonverbal communication styles can also influence even the way men and women explain a given situation. Because of these differences, each member of a partnership may describe the same incident in an entirely different way. 

Example: When behaving similarly in identical situations, a man may be described as assertive, whereas a woman might be described as aggressive. Similarly, behavior seen as sensitive or nurturing when carried out by a woman may be perceived as weak or effeminate when carried out by a man. 

Differing Religious Perspectives 

The religious beliefs of a client population can vary tremendously and may range from outright fanaticism to complete atheism. This type of diversity often reflects the nature of the community an individual inhabits and ties into ethnicity as well. Many, if not most, clients rely on their religiosity to guide them through difficult times or when making important decisions. Sometimes, this dimension of their lives involves groups or community, such a church, synagogue, or mosque. Though it is often best not to pry, human services workers should try to develop a basic understanding of a client’s religious views. Not only can doing so demonstrate interest and respect, but it can also help one develop a better sense of who a person is, what their social resources are, and how they cope with problems. Ignoring one’s religious beliefs may also seem offensive to some. 

As a human services professional, you’ll want to understand how spirituality is formed. Some people are born into a faith and are immersed in it from a young age. Others may develop a connection with a religion later in their lives. Often, people start off in a certain religious direction but later in life move away from it. Occasionally, people have conversion experiences, which are very powerful and often transformative. The bottom line, then, is that it is important to work within a client’s own belief system rather than ignoring or “fighting” with it. 

Example: In some cultures, a female has little “voice,” meaning that many decisions are made for her in life, often by a male figure, whether it be a husband, a father, a grandfather, or an uncle. Although acceptance does not necessarily mean agreement, not understanding or appreciating these cultural practices may make work very difficult for the human services professional and could even be destructive to the relationship. 

Differences in Family Perspectives 

Human services workers of all types, including interns, may encounter ways of viewing the family that are unfamiliar to them. Every family unit is unique and not all relationships within families have the same type of impact on their family structure. Someone who is married may have a very different expectation about their personal relationships than someone who is single. Divorce is becoming more prevalent today but there are also some groups and individuals who look down on it. Part of our responsibility is to become familiar with individuals and not stereotypes. 

Each family is unique and can be its own “mini culture.” Since family plays such a large role in forming an individual’s personality, worldview, values, and behaviors, understanding a client’s family of origin can help you to understand the client. The same holds true, of course, for the individual’s current family situation. Therefore, knowing about the role the family plays in a person’s life is important. 

If, for example, a client is close with their family, they are more likely to have a strong support system behind them. Sometimes, however, the client has no family and their only support is their case worker. Frequently, the family is the source of many of the client’s current problems. In small towns, even the family’s reputation may be important to know about, as others often make assumptions and treat people based on that reputation, for good and for ill. 

The Single “Family”

A single person is not, by definition, a “family.” However, they do come from families. They often see friends as family and the “single experience” is becoming far more common as a preferred choice. Often, being single means having to deal with other people’s biases about families. For example, a single person’s family of origin may exert pressure on them to have a family. Friends and family often ask single people when they are going to get married. Married people all too often think that everyone wants to be married just like them. Including a single friend in group activities can make the friend feel like the odd person out.  In addition, employers may “expect” more from them because they do not have a spouse, partner, or child to take care of after work. The result for the single person may be working longer hours, more evenings, on more holidays or weekends than those who are married and have families. 

Single people must deal with both positive and negative perceptions. For example, people only see their freedom or think that single people are lonely, sad, or that there is something “wrong” with them for following this lifestyle. The fact of the matter is that some people just do not want to get married. In other instances, single people see marriage as a possibility but not a priority as their careers or personal interests might be more important to them. 

Couples Without Children 

Approximately 10 percent of married couples do not have children. About half of those cannot have them biologically. Some who want children, then, may adopt while others do not. Either way, other people may judge these couples as having a deep flaw in their biological makeup or character. However, not all individuals or couples are ready or interested in becoming parents. In fact, many couples who choose not to adopt or have children of their own are quite happy, even happier than couples who do have children because children often decrease marital satisfaction for a good number of years. In addition, times are changing, and it is becoming more common to be unmarried or even un-partnered. Some people are dedicated to their work. Others are involved in meaningful activities that tie up much of their time. Some couples are simply happy with one another and do not feel that they need anything else in their relationship. It is important to be free of pre-judgments when assessing any families. There are so many factors that influence the life decisions we make, and it is our job to be open and understanding to these varying conditions. 

The Single Parent

There are also single parents who are judged in negative ways by others. It is interesting when some people see or hear about a single dad; they think that the man must be a good dad for stepping in and taking care of his child. Yet, when they see a single mom, often society looks at her very differently. The fact that moms do not get as much credit as single dads do is a problem. Sometimes they are often seen as women just wanting to get money from the government, and, at other times, single moms are pitied for having a child with a “father who does not have any involvement with the child/children.” Of course, many people also look down on “deadbeat dads,” who fail to live up to their parental responsibilities.  

The fact of the matter children constitute the largest number of poor people in America and most of them live with single parents. Most single parents are younger, poorly educated or trained women. It does not take much thought to realize under these conditions that being a single parent is incredibly difficult, especially if you are among the so-called working poor who earn too much money and do not qualify for welfare or childcare benefits. Imagine how hard it would be to take care of small children, survive on a minimum wage without health care benefits, and try to better yourself all at the same time! 

The Blended Family and “Nonstandard” Parents 

Blended families come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, they may even become the norm soon as the nuclear family declines. Blended families include divorced and remarried parents, homes that care for foster children, as well as situations where relatives are raising another family member’s child(ren), such as grandparents parenting their grandchildren. In addition, many couples today live together without being married, but still have children. No matter how blended families are put together, they face the same challenges that other families do and often even more. 

Same Sex Couples 

People hold different views on same sex marriages. Some accept same sex marriages (and parenthood), believing that you fall in love with who you fall in love with. Others believe that same sex relationships are wrong based on religious beliefs. However, it is important to realize that same sex couples may face the same interpersonal, financial, and social problems so-called “straight” couples and parents do, and sometimes even more.

Differing Gender Orientations 

Sexual values and orientations are based on the personal beliefs of an individual, and one’s attitudes or feelings about sex and sexuality. People hold different beliefs about sexual values and practices based on such things as their backgrounds. No matter what one’s sexual values may be, unless they involve abuse, a human services worker should keep an open mind on the matter. It is not up to the human services worker to judge the client but to help the client to the best of the worker’s ability. If an intern is not able to separate their values from those of the client when it comes to sexual values and orientations, then they should discuss the matter with the instructor or supervisor. 

Issues involving sexual orientation can be intense and emotionally driven. Sexual orientation does, however, have a great impact on an individual’s life and how they experience the world.  As a society, the United States does not uniformly accept homosexuality. Because views on homosexuality are strongly influenced by family and religion, it is difficult to alter these perceptions. Some sex researchers use the term non-heterosexual rather than homosexual because that term is more inclusive. For instance, non-heterosexual includes transgender and non-binary persons as well. Regardless of one’s opinion, a human services worker must do their best to treat everyone equally. Even though same sex marriage is legal in an increasing number of countries, including the United States, there is still discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. 

Sexual identity, orientation, and behavior are sensitive topics at the personal, interpersonal, and social levels. Therefore, you may want to think about how you would respond if a client shared this kind of information with you. Reacting negatively or carelessly may irreparably damage your relationship with a client.

Geographic Perspectives 

Like many countries, the United States has several regional cultures. Typically, they include New England, the South, the Midwest, and Southwest, and the West and East coasts, though it is possible to break the country into even smaller geographic regions if desired. Typically, they include historical, socioeconomic, cultural, political, and linguistic or “accent” differences.  People are heavily influenced by their environments, especially their places of origin. Even when we move to a different geographical region, we often retain the values and ways of life that we are accustomed to after even becoming “acculturated” to the new region. For example, people from the North, especially New York City, usually talk, walk, and live life “faster” than those from the South, particularly the Deep South. American Indians have several geographic tribal regions, each of which has its own customs. 

There are at least two good reasons to do some research on your client’s geographic background.  First, if you are not familiar with their customs, you may strongly offend them and damage any future relationship. Second, by becoming familiar with their customs, the human services worker will build rapport with clients, who, in turn, may become more likely to trust the worker and be more open to assistance. 

Physically Challenged Perspectives 

When encountering someone who is physically or mentally challenged, people often react with a sense of pity, superiority, or ignorance. Sometimes people even feel frightened or worry that something similar could happen to them and pull away from those who are challenged. The most common reaction, though, is feeling awkward and uncomfortable. It can be difficult to know how to act or what to say when you encounter clients with these challenges. 

People with physical and mental challenges are often labeled. If they have a physical or mental handicap, they are sometimes seen as incompetent or even dangerous as in the case of an intellectual disability (formerly known as retardation) or schizophrenia. Seeing these possibilities instead of the individual is likely to cause unnecessary problems for the intern and the client. One of the key things to remember when you encounter someone with a physical or mental disability is that the disability is only one aspect of the person’s life. Each person with a disability is a distinct individual with a unique personality and set of life circumstances.

It is also important to realize that a disability affects each client differently depending on a variety of factors, including how long the person has dealt with the disability, the severity of the disability, and the individual’s personality and coping style. Keep in mind that people with physical and/or mental problems and disabilities are fully human: We all have dreams, fears, challenges, and hopes that puts us in the same boat. Though they may look or act differently, each client has their own thoughts, feelings, issues, strengths, and ideas to bring to the table, just like any other person. Sometimes the client’s ideas, adjustments, and solutions may be better than yours! 

Unique Circumstances 

Persons with a Criminal Background 

Some internship sites focus on working with people who have criminal backgrounds. In some agency settings, you may encounter clients who also have a criminal background even though your work focuses on helping them in other areas. Some clients may have committed crimes for typically criminal reasons like greed. Others may have done so in relation to a mental health problem like addiction or poverty. People who have a criminal past but have reformed oftentimes still carry the stigma and bear the prejudice of being an “ex con.” Sometimes interns need to “get used” to these kinds of criminal backgrounds if they have never encountered them before. Still, all human services workers must still see these individuals for who, not what, they are if they come to you for help. 

It may help to remember that prison is not a nice place. Sometimes crimes are committed there as well, which means that your client may have suffered in some terrible ways, such as being raped, but did not report it. Regardless, trauma is trauma and will have deleterious effects on whomever suffers it. For the most part, clients with criminal records need to be treated as just another person who needs assistance, unless, of course, they pose a risk to one’s safety.  

Example: An intern is working at a place such as Job and Family Services. The intern feels that since they follow the law, it is unfair to get an ex-con a job while there are people on the caseload with no criminal records who need the same help. In this case, the intern may need to examine their values and look for the possibility of countertransference, especially if the intern happened to be a victim of a crime. After all, someone with a criminal background who is trying to reform means fewer tax dollars spent on crime, and more tax revenues, which benefit society overall. In addition, many recovering addicts have a criminal past, and helping them become fully engaged citizens brings similar benefits. 

Undocumented Persons 

Undocumented persons create a unique situation for some interns. If one comes across a client who is an undocumented person, the clinician should first make sure he or she is familiar with the agencies policies on that matter. If there is no policy, the clinician should then talk to the supervisor as to what to do about the situation. Remember, there are some legal and ethical issues associated with this area of human services work, such as the risk of deportation if authorities find the client is here illegally. 

Be sure to consider your own views on these matters and do some research on the issues as some beliefs are not supported by facts. For example, sometimes people think that those who illegally enter this country are here to steal jobs or commit violent crimes. However, it turns out that most of the jobs that undocumented persons take are difficult, undesirable, and pay low wages, even below minimum wage. Moreover, illegal immigrants have a lower incidence of violent crime than legal citizens since they have much to lose if they become involved in the criminal justice system. 

Challenges Along the Way

Scenario : A young man, around 25 years old, comes into the agency. He happens to be an immigrant from Iraq. The intern had a family member die in the 9/11 attacks and has strong anti Muslim feelings. In this case, the intern should probably reflect on the situation. If they realize that their personal issues may have a negative impact on the work, then the individual should talk with the supervisor about the possibility of countertransference and how to handle it.

Typical Examples Of Diverse Human Phenomena

There are many cultural, racial, and ethnic differences to appreciate in understanding human behavior  far too many to consider in any book, let alone one this size. Fortunately, your other classes should have discussed many of these issues as they affect people’s perception, experience, and behavior. In addition, it is important to remember what we said about the four great “isms” that we are all prone to, consciously and unconsciously : racism, sexism, ageism, and classism. Your internship is likely to be focused on or deal with certain groups more than others. However, there are some general forms of diversity we can at least point out here. Before you read through some of the possibilities that follow, it might be a good idea to reflect on your own conscious and unconscious views and feelings about each one. That way, you may also gain some insight into your worldview. 

Differing Age Related Perspectives 

Age is something we all deal with when it comes to diversity since each developmental stage involves facing its own challenges. Further, as we move through the life cycle, our perspectives change. For example, a child sees things differently than an adult and an older adult may see things differently than a younger one. These are age related factors you may encounter in your internship, which create a diversity of perception and experience. Many internships involve working with just a portion of the life cycle, such as agencies that specialize in various age related populations ranging from children’s services through geriatric services. Other internships involve a wide range of ages. Whichever the case, this aspect of the internship becomes more complex when there is a significant gap in the age of the intern and the clientele the agency serves. 

Working with Children

Agencies that provide services primarily to children, such as those in daycare or educational settings, are the most likely to have clear guidelines and rules governing internship behavior. As a group, children share more similarities than adolescents, adults, or the aged because they have not had as much time to differentiate themselves. Still, depending on how diverse the center’s clientele is, there may be many differences you encounter because parenting expectations and practices reflect cultures as well as backgrounds. 

Because children are a vulnerable population, you are likely to encounter such things as background checks, state rules, specific agency requirements, and close supervision in these settings. In addition, most students who intern at these sites either have experience with children or a strong interest in them. If sitting on the floor, getting down on your hands and knees, participating in spontaneous play, and dealing with rapid changes in behavior are not a part of your personal style, then this type of setting may not be for you. 

Working with Adolescents 

Adolescence is often a time when young adults struggle to do well in a given area or areas, and the clinician can point them in a positive direction. However, working with adolescents is sometimes said to be similar to walking a tight rope: If a professional leans too much in one direction, they risk appearing authoritarian, which may lead to a loss of trust or even rebellion by the adolescent. If the professional leans too far toward being a buddy, then they will likely lose their authority, which means they may not be taken seriously. Effectively dealing with age related diversity requires keeping a good balance between what is needed for the client to succeed and helping that adolescent take the necessary steps they need to get there without doing it for the individual. Walking this tight rope can be difficult and exhausting at first, but like many things, ability comes with practice.

When working with adolescents, it may help to think back to your adolescent years, especially if they were challenging. For example, it might be a good idea to remember what it was like to make decisions on your own for the first time. Sometimes adolescents feel that they know what is best for them, and they perceive everyone else as stupid, especially adults  which can include you! In this case, telling someone what to do is unlikely to be helpful. 

Simply asking questions to ensure that adolescents have thought things through fully might be more effective. Sometimes, of course, the decisions adolescents make are not the best choices. When that happens, be careful not to be quick to judge but instead to view this development as an opportunity to talk to them about what they have learned from the decision. When working with adolescents, it is easy to feel like your work does not matter because no one is even listening. However, it is often the case that they may be paying more attention than meets the eye through such processes as observational learning or modeling! 

Working with adolescents is a skill that comes with education, practice, and field experience because, in part, different cultures expect different types of interactions with adolescents. Are you a human services worker aiding a family that expects children to be seen and not heard? Or, are you working with a family that gives children and adolescents free reign to express themselves in whatever manner they choose? In either instance, it may be helpful to realize these cultural and socioeconomic differences are active in each family or social situation. Similarly, it is important to know about and to recognize adoles cent subcultures that affect your client. Learning subculture and counterculture behaviors may assist with better understanding and provide more accurate and appropriate methods of helping the client. 

Working with the Elderly 

There are at least two important factors related to age to keep in mind when working with older populations. One is that people become increasingly diverse in terms of their background and preferences as they age. After all, they have had more time to experience the possibilities life has to offer! Everyone has their own story that they have played an active role in creating. The other dimension to consider is that for the most part, the intern is much younger than the client in this setting. That difference creates special challenges. The greater the age gap, the more drastic the differences can be. Some cultures genuinely appreciate the elderly. In general, however, ours tends to value youth more than the aged. Like any other challenge, differences in age can be worked through. In addition, working with a population that is further along on life’s timeline than you are can be viewed as an important learning opportunity. If the human services worker is considerably younger than the client, the client may have difficulty seeing the intern as credible. How could the client trust what the human services worker is telling them if that person has not lived as long and experienced what they have? Sometimes an interesting reversal occurs when an intern happens to be older than the supervisor or instructor. In either case, the general guidelines are the same: Be respectful, keep an open mind, and focus on the matter at hand. Sometimes it is helpful to acknowledge the age difference and talk about it as a way of bridging these gaps.

Appreciating Cultural Diversity (Multiculturalism)

Developing Cultural Sensitivity in the Internship 

During the internship, you will have an opportunity to interact with clients who have different cultural backgrounds and experiences. Consequently, it is important to be able to demonstrate culturally competent and appropriately inclusive behavior when interacting with people from cultures and backgrounds different from your own. Utilizing your internship site to appreciate the types of diversity that are present in your community may help you determine what type of cultural skills you need to develop. For instance, if your site assists the Amish and Mennonite communities, you may wish to learn the differences between the two groups to better tailor your approach and services. 

Of course, knowing all the nuances for every culture is impossible. However, familiarizing yourself with those cultures you are most likely to encounter is a reasonable expectation for interns, agencies, and clients to have. If the type of internship you select is like your own cultural background, you may want to consider volunteering at an agency that is more diverse. 

Keep in mind that you are still in a learning process, which means it is appropriate to ask the supervisor about the suitable methods of interaction with various types of people or groups. The willingness to understand, appreciate, and experience cultural diversity will help you develop greater communication skills and cultural competency. Your internship may even be a platform for expanding your cultural awareness and ability to work with people of different perspectives and orientations. Indeed, the experience may even help you identify personal biases. Becoming aware of them is often the first step in overcoming and preventing the types of countertransference that can arise based on such things as how one sees gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and so forth. 

The Reality of Cultural Differences

Cultural diversity is a much broader concept than just differences based on race or ethnicity, as it may also include equally powerful and important differences in gender, religion, and socioeconomic status. Sometimes these differences are obvious and can even be expressed by the type of clothing that is worn. At other times, the differences may be far more subtle, such as in the way conversations are held, how frequently people touch others, or how much interpersonal space they prefer. 

Example: In Western culture, patting a child on the head can simply mean “Atta boy” or “What a sweetheart,” whereas, in some tribal cultures, touching a child’s head signifies that you have a negative or even evil wish for that child. 

Preparing for and gaining knowledge of cultural norms prepares you to notice important differences, increases your understanding of those you work with, and helps you to communicate more effectively. What human services worker would not want those types of skills in their work with others? Cultivating a culturally sensitive approach is vital to having a successful client-human services worker relationship and benefits both professionals as well as the clients they serve. 

Developing Cultural Awareness

When experiencing cultural differences at the practicum site, you may come to have new or uncomfortable emotions. As a human services worker, one way to prepare yourself for these new experiences is to become more aware of your own cultural preferences and habits, both positive and negative ones. Knowing your cultural practices better helps you assess whether they are appropriate in a situation and better enables you to adjust, if necessary. Otherwise, you may appear naive, underprepared, insensitive, or even ignorant. 

Each one of us is a partial product of our biology, gender, age, and social class. If all we had to do in life is interact with people who have the same backgrounds, there would be little need for cultural awareness, sensitivity, and competence because we would all reflect similar environments and could take them for granted. However, that is hardly ever the case in the real world. Instead, one thing all of us can do is to become aware of, and learn how to recognize, our own culturally-based perceptions, expectations, and reactions and then make appropriate adjustments when dealing with others from different backgrounds. 

Learning about the various cultural differences of the people you are likely to encounter or work with will assist you as an intern. Becoming more culturally competent will also help you in your career. After all, consciously or unconsciously holding on to thoughts, ideas, jargon, or mannerisms that one’s culture is superior to another will certainly be noticeable to clients. Such narrow views may create unnecessary barriers in your work that only make it harder for both parties. 

Self-Awareness

In order to appreciate cultural differences, it is often necessary to enhance your own self aware ness. To be effective in the field of human services, professionals need to be aware of the dynamics of power that are associated with privileges that you may have based on your race, ethnicity, gender, age, or social class, including education and income. The first step in that process may be to recognize that historical inequality does exist in these areas. Every culture has a hierarchy of power and privilege. Awareness of your own biases, power, and preconceived ideas of various populations is essential to be an effective culturally-competent worker. By recognizing your privileges, you can begin to understand the disadvantages other cultures experience. 

Example: In Western cultures, privilege is often given to people who are heterosexual, white, young, tall, Christian, wealthy, educated, healthy, and male. Conversely, any person who does not fall into one of the favored or privileged categories may suffer some type of social, emotional, or economic disadvantage. It is also important to realize as a human services worker that even if a client does fit into a “privileged” category, it is still necessary to treat that person as an individual and not as though they are “privileged.” 

Activity: At this point, it might be worth reflecting on what you have experienced that could be a privilege in your life, stemming from such things as your race, ethnicity, gender, or age. What about your socioeconomic status, including that of your family, your current social class, level of education, and so on might be important to know? Do you have any privilege based on these factors? What are your feelings about these factors in relation to others, especially the client population you are working with? Remember, you also can have unconscious feelings and beliefs about these things. Knowing about them is important because they can give rise to both transference and countertransference when dealing with others. If you like, make a list of those you are likely to encounter in your internship and what you feel or believe about them, and then reflect on that list. 

Personal Style 

Everyone deals with cultural diversity differently. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to one’s verbal and nonverbal ways of reacting and communicating. Personal style, or the way you characteristically perceive, react to, and attempt to deal with the world, is going to affect how you comport yourself in cultural situations. If you find yourself reacting or acting uncomfortably or anxiously in a situation that has strong cultural undertones and do not feel able to navigate this territory appropriately, then talking to co-workers, teachers, or a supervisor may be the best course of action. After all, they might have experience in that area and could make helpful suggestions. It may seem as though these encounters are uncomfortable at first, but the reason for doing an internship is to gain knowledge. Part of that process involves finding one’s own strengths and weaknesses so that you can maximize the former and minimize the latter. 

An ethnocentric individual often judges other people and groups by comparing them to the culture that the person grew up in or favors. Fortunately, this type of bias can be moderated by increasing self-awareness, avoiding stereotypes, and being open minded, all of which help a person to step out of their cultural box and see people as individuals instead. Appreciating diversity in this way can benefit any agency, organization, or nation. Hence, it is best to try to respect and appreciate the diversity in one’s immediate environment. After all, every culture is unique and has its own strengths.

It does take time and effort to gain a deeper understanding of other cultures. Yet, the more you learn about clients and their cultures, the better able you are to help them. Probably the most effective way to increase your awareness and appreciation of other cultures is through direct experience and observation. However, indirect methods help as well. For instance, reading books or articles, watching movies, viewing internet videos, listening to TED talks, and so forth are effective ways of accessing cultural information. In addition, your practicum supervisor may have some suggestions about expanding your awareness while at the site. You may find it useful researching certain cultures to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of offending someone by unintentionally saying the wrong thing or acting inappropriately.

Relating to Other Cultures 

As an intern, you are likely to meet people who are different from you every day. There are many ways to react to these differences, and your ability to display a non-defensive posture, to learn about the client, and to become aware of your own reactions will need to be developed. Most human services workers will try to learn about the client population in a variety of ways to improve the quality of the services they provide. The better the intern can relate to the client, the more likely the client is to develop trust in the intern and share their concerns and problems. Continuing Education programs often help professionals learn more about how to effectively deal with cultural diversity and inclusion or multiculturalism. Once a professional relationship begins to form, some clients are willing to discuss their culture and belief systems, especially if you have expressed interest in learning about them. 

Acceptance and Cultural Competence

 Successful internships usually require developing some degree of skill in cultural competence. After all, one mission of human services is to empower the client, so knowing how that works in each individual’s environment is important. Each discipline, from social work to law enforcement, will require its own set of skills. However, some things are important for all of them. In general, the principle of acceptance is part of a foundation for building a working relationship between the client and the human services worker. Although it is not necessary to agree with any given practice, acceptance usually involves some degree of empathy or concern. Mutual respect is also established as a result of affirming someone’s individuality and recognizing the strengths of the person, including those of their cultural background. In a sense, successful human services workers embrace each person’s unique contribution to humanity.  

Self Monitoring 

It is important to be aware that your personal views and beliefs may have an impact on your client’s life. Consequently, it behooves you to practice monitoring your own reactions while interacting with them. After all, you will probably express your own beliefs nonverbally through such things as facial expressions, speech patterns, and the like. People pay a lot of attention to nonverbal signs, so it is important to self-monitor (the process by which an individual analyzes their own behavior and actions). This activity involves self-reflection so that you can identify times when who you are either helps or hurts your work. Such awareness increases your chances of responding more effectively in the future. Self-monitoring, then, is an important skill to have, and your internship is an excellent place to begin to acquire this ability or improve it. 

Dealing with Mistakes

 Mistakes are inevitable. However, each one is also an opportunity to learn. As a student, you are in a unique situation to take advantage of this possibility because you are under an umbrella of protections provided by your professor, supervisor, and your role of being a learner, and not a professional yet. This status allows you some room to stumble as you learn to walk, so-to-speak. Indeed, the internship may be the last time in your career you have this much room to learn without suffering serious consequences. 

As an intern, if you find yourself in an awkward situation you do not know how to handle, it is not the end of the world. This status also permits you to be honest about mistakes, apologize for them if necessary, and then discuss them with your supervisor or instructor so that you can move forward by learning from the situation. Dwelling on the mistake is not going to change it, so it is helpful to focus on how it can be handled better next time. 

Doing a little homework is another way to deal with being new or inexperienced. For instance, if you know that some duty or interaction is likely to be challenging for you, then it may help to prepare for it. Role-playing is often helpful because it allows you to practice alternate ways to deal with such situations and learn what feels most comfortable or compatible with your personality and style. A colleague or coworker may be willing to assist with this role-playing activity. It also helps to know that interns are seldom in situations where what they do can result in serious damage or harm, providing they pay attention to safety.