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. 

The Importance of Ethics

Ethics and Laws 

Ethics are the rules of conduct. Often, they are recognized as the best practices based on the underlying principles of a given profession. Ethics are not laws, which are actual regulations one must comply with because they are established by an authority with judicial responsibility and the power of enforcement. In the most basic sense, ethics are principles, and laws are requirements. 

At many internship sites, one may see dedicated people working in ways that are consistent with a code of ethics that they take seriously. Typically, their mission is to ensure that people are treated fairly, equally, and respectfully. It is easy to understand how ethics and laws, such as licensing laws, protect clients as they help ensure clients of reasonable treatment. 

However, it is almost equally important to realize that ethics and laws also protect the workers. They provide rules that may be helpful in guiding us through difficult or risky professional situations. In addition, new circumstances are constantly emerging and must be examined by the professions and courts, sometimes resulting in revised or new codes of conduct, laws, and regulations. Understanding these issues ensures the clients’ safety and keeps a worker out of future legal trouble. Staying up to date and adhering to the standards of practice might be the only defense from a lawsuit. Most professions will offer classes or continuing education that focus on existing ethics and laws, particularly those that require credentialing. Students should ask instructors and supervisors about the practices that apply to their profession and their placement site and what the laws are and why they are in place. Moreover, the instructors and supervisors should advise students on how to handle ethical issues when the students encounter them.

Codes of Ethics and Human Services

Each human services discipline has its own code of ethics and some of them have licensing laws as well. Ethics are usually specified by the profession and based on professional values while laws are made by states, although there is often overlap between the two. For instance, the National Association of Social Workers (National Association of Social Workers, 2019) offers a code of ethics summarizing ethical principles that reflect the profession’s core values and uses them to establish a set of specific standards that should be used to guide social work practice based on the identified value. Some examples include : 

-	Value : Service
	Ethical Principle : A social worker challenges social injustice
-	Value : Social Justice
	Ethical Principle : A social worker challenges social injustice
-	Value : Dignity and Worth of the Person
	Ethical Principle : A social worker respects the inherent dignity and worth of the person. Again, each discipline will have its own professional code of ethics that embodies the values the discipline embraces and includes a set of behavioral guidelines as well. They can be found in counseling, criminal justice, psychology, social work, as well as in other areas. It is incumbent upon the intern to know about them. Your instructor and supervisor should make a point of helping you know where to look.

Agency Ethics 

Ethical codes and licensing laws are intended to protect the client, the practitioner, and the agency by ensuring that clients receive the best treatment within a set of behavioral boundaries. Sometimes the ethics of two professions or agencies may conflict. For example, Catholic Charities offers behavioral and mental health services that do not include abortion, while Planned Parenthood provides women’s wellness programs that emphasize choice. If you find that the views of an agency conflict with yours, it is important to think seriously about those conflicts, perhaps even re-evaluate the selection of that site if the conflicts seem to be insurmountable. In general, if you agree to be an intern at a site, you have also agreed to act in ways that do not contradict its prevailing values and standards unless they are illegal. Should you decide you cannot do that, then you should discuss the problem with your supervisor. If a compromise is not possible, then the ethical path for all concerned may be for you to consider another type of agency. 

Personal Codes of Ethics 

In addition to having a thorough understanding of the ethical code in your profession and the facility in which you work, it is important to become aware of and develop your personal code of ethics. Professionally, a major reason for this general rule is that, in practice, your ethical principles might be challenged or come into play, often quite unexpectedly. 

The more you know about what you believe and value in advance, the better prepared you may be when this time arises. Consequently, self-awareness is helpful in these situations. After all, people are rarely simple, and a client’s behavior may evoke conscious or unconscious feelings or reactions based on your experiences and background. Though this process is mostly an introspective one, it is often helpful to discuss these issues with others, such as your colleagues, instructor, and supervisor. Taking the time to develop a clear and reasonably articulate ethical foundation will help you face challenging situations in the future, and often will provide a sense of direction. Having a firm grasp of your personal beliefs may also be of value when making rapid decisions, such as in a critical relational moment or when dealing with a crisis. 

Example: You are a social worker at your local agency and someone you dislike walks through the door looking for help. Perhaps you are a criminal justice major who has just found out that you will be dealing with someone you grew up with but have not seen in years. Maybe you are a case manager driving a client to their medication appointment and you think you smell marijuana coming out of the apartment when the individual opens the door. Perhaps your next client is accused of child, spousal, or elder abuse. All these situations are examples that are likely to stir up conscious and unconscious reactions that challenge your ability to conduct yourself in a professional manner. The more you know about your personal values and ethics, the better able you will be to conduct yourself in accordance with your professional ethics and obligations without being overly judgmental or jumping to premature conclusions. 

General Ethical Guidelines 

There are many ethical concerns when it comes to clients. A few things to keep in mind are listed below : 

-	Be committed to helping people at the site, regardless of your personal preferences, no matter who the client may be. It may be helpful to keep in mind Carl Roger’s notion of unconditional positive regard, which means that you value everyone’s essential humanity, though you may not necessarily agree with or approve of their behavior.
-	Having cultural awareness is necessary. Always remember that every culture handles situations differently. Educate yourself on the different cultures that the agency will be working with as that type of information will give you better insight, understanding, and direction on how to proceed with a client. Similarly, educating yourself about a client’s respective culture before meeting with them can help you achieve a rapport with the client and avoid creating unnecessary obstacles in your work.
-	Conflicts can and will arise. Some of them might be unethical or even illegal to engage in. If a situation presents itself and you begin feeling uncertain, make sure to inform a supervisor and instructor as soon as you can to examine possible responses before making any decisions
-	Always be as proper and respectful as possible. Choose your written and oral words responsibly. Be aware of facial expressions and other non-verbal signals you may be conveying to your client. If non-verbal signals do not match what and how you are saying something, it may be more difficult for the client to believe what you are saying is true.
-	Pay attention to ethical and legal mandates. Most human services professionals are mandated-reporter occupations. States have laws concerning when and under what circumstances situations need to be reported. Suspicions can be based on circumstances that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position to suspect that a client has suffered or faces a threat of physical or mental harm. This practice is especially necessary if the situation involves a child under the age of 18 or an intellectually challenged, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person under the age of 21. It also may apply to suspected spousal or elder abuse. Suicidality and homicidality are other possibilities to be aware of. If such situations arise at the site, they must be taken seriously and should be discussed immediately with your supervisor.
-	A good ethical and professional guideline is to remember The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would want to be treated.

Practicing Ethics at the Site

Maintaining professional ethics is not always easy. For example, it is important to remember that although you may not agree with all your workplace’s codes, you are usually obliged to abide by them. Learning how to integrate the ethics of the workplace and profession with your own is helpful and could enhance your professional image. For instance, you can fulfill your corporate social responsibility by recycling goods on site. Embodying ethics in this way may also serve as a role model for clients, especially children, who often look to you for guidance. 

Dual Relationships 

Part of a professional code of ethics and law that can cause people considerable trouble concerns avoiding dual relationships, especially if one is living or working in a small town. Dual or multiple relationships occur when a professional has more than one type of relationship with a client. More specifically, the relationship must be such that there is an unequal distribution of influence or power between the provider and the recipient of the services. For example, having a friendship is usually based on an equal distribution of influence, but having a professional relationship with a friend is not. What makes dual or multiple relationships unethical is the chance that the client might be exploited, and, as a result, potentially harmed. One clear violation of the code of ethics in most disciplines is that a provider and a recipient of services cannot have a sexual or financial relationship with one another. 

Countertransference

Countertransference, or the professional’s conscious and especially unconscious reactions to the client, should be something you learned about in other classes or coursework related to your major. Risks of countertransference are especially high when the clinician projects their unresolved conflicts and interpersonal issues onto the client. At times, for instance, a client might remind you of a person who you are close to, such as a parent, sibling, partner or ex-partner. Depending on your degree of self-awareness, sometimes you might not even be aware of it as the process often happens unconsciously. That is what makes the situation especially difficult or even dangerous. Self-awareness helps spot these possibilities before they become a problem, but general awareness of them helps too. One way to increase this ability to spot these problems is to ask yourself if the person you are working with reminds you of anyone else in your earlier or current life. If the answer is “yes,” then countertransference is likely to be a part of the situation. As you continue the internship, keep in mind that your job is to help the client in an appropriate way, with the emphasis on appropriate.

Even though you may believe you have a clear understanding of what countertransference is and how it works, it remains tricky because countertransference always happens in our psychological blind spots. While working with the elderly, for example, it is very easy to find yourself responding too much to a client, until you realize that they remind you of your own grandparent. Once again, if someone really irritates you, it may help to ask yourself who else have you responded to in this way from your childhood or from a current relationship. While such self-awareness might seem simple, it is difficult to achieve when countertransference is occurring. 

Example: An older person you are working with reminds you of someone you once knew and always makes you smile. They seem so “nice” and need a little money for rent or medications. You think nothing of offering to “lend” them some or even pay for it because you are supposed to help those in trouble, and, after all, it isn’t that much money. To do so, of course, would cross ethical lines. Once that happens, it is easy to form an attachment that could lead to other things, such as dependency, unrealistic expectations, and problematic behaviors that compromise your position when your behavior becomes known to others. In this way, a well-intentioned, but ill-considered action may lead to an ethical mess. 

Confidentiality

Confidentiality, as most interns know, is a key ethical responsibility. There are many dimensions to this issue, such as keeping client and staff information confidential, as well as conversations and observations made at the site and in classroom discussions. Another dimension of confidentiality to consider is outside of your work and academic environments.

Most people have a natural desire to talk about their experiences, particularly meaningful ones, with others. Always check with the supervisor to find out the limitations as to what can and cannot be discussed within and outside of the workplace. Keep in mind that when talking outside of the workplace, a person’s real name and identifying information (information that can be used to identify someone such as gender, age, physical characteristics, behavioral history, place of residence, occupation, and so on) should never be used. The same rules apply to journals, notes, and, of course, social media. In fact, it is probably best not to even think about “discussing” anything from your practicum using social media as that record never goes away. 

Example: You are in your practicum class and say, “I was taken by surprise at my internship site when Suzie, my best friend from high school, came out of the therapist’s office who treats only opioid addicts.” It may seem like you have “permission” to share this information at your classroom meeting because there are many Suzies in the world, and you did not mention a last name. 

However, that would be a mistake because you have revealed what is called personally identifying information, in fact, quite a bit of it. For example, you identified the person as having a common name.  Furthermore, you also specified a location and a relationship. Together, these three bits of information are more than enough to identify someone. In this case, someone in the class may have known a Suzie in your high school and that she had a best friend who had your first name! Or, perhaps the school’s social media pages showed a picture of you and Suzie together at an event. 

HIPPA regulations concerning client confidentiality often apply to human services settings, too. HIPAA is an acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that Congress passed in 1996 and is a compliance requirement for any health professional or setting. Most human services professionals talk about these requirements when discussing ethics, but it is also the law, which makes honoring these rules more than just an ethical obligation. These rules apply to all forms of information, including paper, oral, and electronic forms. Furthermore, only the minimum health information necessary to conduct business is to be used or shared. Criminal justice settings may have different rules concerning confidentiality because some records are open to the public for the asking, such as crime reports, so it is always advisable to discuss the rules with your supervisor early in your internship. 

Dependency vs. Empowerment 

One of the more challenging ethical issues that many interns in the helping professions face is the tendency or inclination to do too much for clients. In the extreme form, such practices involve going far beyond what is required to help the individual such that the client becomes dependent on you and expects you to do the work for them. This is a common ethical dilemma because the helping profession tends to hire workers who genuinely want to help the lives of others, and the clients generally do need help. However, crossing this line may lead to major problems, such as loaning people money, buying them things, and, on rare occasions, even taking them home, which usually leads to people being fired! 

One way of preventing this type of ethical dilemma is to constantly involve the clients in the helping process as active participants so that they may learn to help themselves. For instance, if a client is looking for housing, you can involve them in the process of finding a home, which includes learning how to find advertisements, make calls, get references in order, have a bank account, and so forth. The proverbial Biblical story that discusses the difference between giving a person a fish and teaching them how to fish comes to mind here: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for life.” Even though well intended, doing too much for a client is unethical or at least detrimental.

If you find yourself in a situation where the client has become dependent, then appropriate action needs to be taken. You can help the client to recognize and rely on their own strengths thereby fostering their independence. Encouraging clients to develop their own plans, getting them to identify goals, and directing them to the appropriate resources is a win-win for both of you in the long run.

Sometimes you and your client will disagree on a plan, goal, or resource. Try to be profession al when these situations come up and remember that often people learn by making mistakes. If they are small ones, you can think about stepping back a bit and allowing the client to figure out what happened in order to avoid the error in the future. Small mistakes can be used as learning tools and build up confidence, if you continue to be supportive. Supervisors, of course, may sometimes take the same approach with you! 

Client Resistance 

Sometimes you may encounter a client who seems unwilling to help themselves. This situation may be especially frustrating to interns because we all want to demonstrate that we do care, are competent, and can do the work. Before doing anything, be sure to reflect on whether there is a cultural issue involved. It may be that the client is doing what they think they should be doing from their cultural perspective. For instance, most Americans expect eye contact and plenty of dialogue to occur when interacting with other people. However, in another culture, maintaining eye contact with a person in authority or speaking up is considered impolite or even rude. So, if an American is dealing with someone from that culture who appears politely reserved, we might regard them as depressed, bored, or resistant when they are not. Cultural competence is important in the human services field because we deal with human diversity all the time in our work.  

However, sometimes the client is just not prepared for change or really does not know how to start the process. It is important to do your best in these situations and offer support and guidance to the individual even though the person may not accept it until later. Of course, there are other types of resistance, some of which concern personality conflicts, differences in individual styles, and mental health issues, all of which should be brought up to your supervisor when they occur. 

Referrals

Sometimes referring the client to a different case manager or specialist is what the client may need. For instance, if you are working in the area of domestic violence and find that a client is an alcoholic, it helps to refer the individual to someone who specializes in doing therapy with people who suffer from addictions. There are several other reasons a referral may be necessary, such as having to end the internship experience before the client’s needs are completely met, a therapist changing jobs, or taking Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leaves, to name a few.  

One of the most delicate situations is when you and the client come to an impasse. Massive transference or countertransference problems, a lack of training and skills in an area that must be addressed in order to move forward, or a client’s resistance to change all create special problems in treatment. In general, it is important to realize that the client should never be abandoned. Instead, you, the supervisor, or the site should set up an alternative pathway to get clients the help they need and deserve. 

Sometimes clients may also ask to be referred to someone else. Try not to be offended if that happens. There are plenty of reasons why a client may ask to be referred to another professional and not many of them have to do with you or your style, though that can happen, too. Be sure to discuss the issue with your supervisor. That way you may be able to find out what went wrong, if anything, and gain knowledge.

Asking for Help

If you ever find yourself in a position that you are not sure how to handle, ask the supervisor or your instructor for guidance. If you are at the site and the supervisor is not available, it may be possible to check with one of the other staff members. If no one is available and you must act quickly, you will probably have to make the best decision you can based on your training and individual principles. These situations may be intimidating, but they can also be great learning opportunities. Afterward, you should process the experience with the supervisor and ask questions. Although there may be dumb questions somewhere in the universe, it is not during the internship. 

Documentation

Documentation, or an approved way to record events and transactions with a client(s) is extremely important in most human services settings. From mental health to criminal justice settings, documentation is valuable in at least two ways. First, it lets others know what transpired if you are not available. Imagine what being in a hospital would be like for nurses if there were no charts on the patients to turn to as you come on your shift! Second, documentation often has legal standing. It is a record of what you saw and did in response to a client. Good documentation not only protects the well-being of the client, but it protects you as well, as it can show that you followed appropriate procedures in your work with the individual.

Some people like to say, “If it is not on paper, then it didn’t happen.” Although that may be an exaggeration, the concept is a good one. Always follow agency policy on taking detailed notes and on documentation. Also, if a situation with a client occurs, or if you are injured in any way, tell the supervisor, and keep clear documentation of the incident. These are standards of practice at most agencies. Your internship site and your role there will determine such things as how to record information, what to write, how detailed it should be, and which format to use. Be sure to ask about these things if you are not told about them.

Depending on the agency, you should be cautious about signing documentation. After all, if you do sign something, it can be understood to mean that you agree with what is written. Therefore, if you must sign a document, make sure that it is accurate or that you agree with it. If you do not agree, it is important to see your supervisor and discuss this problem with them before signing. 

Identifying and Dealing with Dilemmas 

Being able to identify legal or ethical dilemmas is the first step toward properly handling them. Most likely you have already heard of some potential issues and some examples which have occurred with other interns or professionals. You should expect to experience dilemmas as well. One of the more common ones occurs when witnessing someone else doing something that you feel is wrong. Like it or not, once you have knowledge of the issue, an ethical burden lands on your shoulders. Since these situations are often difficult, it might be a good idea to spend some time considering how you might handle them in advance. For example, you may want to explore ethical dilemmas in the classroom component of the internship. It is also possible to review some hypothetical situations with your supervisor at the site. Such “imaginal variation,” as it is called, may help you handle yourself in a professional manner when such situations arise. 

If something like this does come up, remember to pause and take a deep breath before responding to a situation. Self-monitoring is important, as sometimes the first thing out of one’s mouth does not necessarily come out as intended. It is also always important to protect the interests of the client. While you never want to act without thinking things through, choosing to do nothing is still a choice. Failure to act is a decision, and, like all decisions, it has its own consequences. 

Critical Thinking and Decision Making 

Knowledge of ethical standards only goes so far. Sometimes, you will have to rely on your own ability to deal with dilemmas that are not always clear-cut. Making an ethical decision is complex and difficult, but sometimes it simply must be done. As with any type of problem-solving, it is a good idea to view it from multiple perspectives because different points of view reflect different interests and priorities. Ideally, of course, you should discuss the situation with your supervisor or coworkers and take time to come up with the best solution. Keep in mind, though, that there will be times when you must act immediately and use your best judgment.

As discussed earlier, reflecting on your own code of ethics as well as knowing those of the agency and profession in advance helps. Staying calm is usually beneficial in these situations as well. Having a realistic view of yourself will help, too, as well as being aware of such factors as tone of voice, timing, non-verbal expression, and word choice. Once you successfully face a few of these situations, your confidence in your professional decision-making process is likely to increase. 

After the Decision 

It is not unusual to dwell on a difficult decision you made after the event is over. Having a good working alliance with your supervisor, colleagues, and instructor are especially helpful. These relationships can allow you to talk through issues and gain different perspectives on them. You may receive some constructive criticism about your decisions from time to time. After all, no one is perfect; otherwise, if you were, why would you even be in an internship? Try to understand this feedback as a part of the learning process that is concerned with helping you become better prepared for future situations. Learning this way may also help reduce second guessing yourself. While difficult, partial successes and failures can be the most valuable parts of an internship because they show you some of the more complicated facets of working with human experiences before you are accountable in the way that a full-time employee would be. 

Self Care 

Self care is essential in all helping professions due to the possibility of burnout. Burnout is a type of exhaustion that has a negative impact on physical, mental, and emotional health because it saps your energies in all three areas. It is easier to fall prey to burnout if you are not routinely trying to take care of yourself in these ways. Luckily, the reality of burnout is becoming more and more recognized every day, but you still must be active in identifying your own vulnerabilities. Though you may feel that you are “just an intern,” the need for self-care is still essential because your clients depend on you, and this level of responsibility should be treated respectfully. Also, interns are regularly juggling many demands while serving internships, such as class, family, and job obligations. 

Ethics and Continuing Education 

From social work to police work, human services usually require professionals to stay informed about up-to-date practices in order to deliver better service. Though each career has its own standards, keep in mind that it is your responsibility to understand and fulfill requirements and that those requirements frequently change. That is the reason that most human services professions, as a rule, offer and require continuing education credit. Most internship sites will have some of these professional educational opportunities, and it is a good idea to at least sit in on them. Another advantage is that sometimes sites offer access to high-level seminars, workshops, and programs. All can add to your growth and knowledge as a human services professional. 

Some of these events may include the opportunity to learn from outstanding experts in your field. If your agency is offering one of these events or sending people to a regional or national convention or workshop, try to be included. Sometimes training certifications are awarded, and each one of the higher-level events can become a resume item, not to mention a wonderful networking opportunity.

Challenges Along the Way 

Asking for and Giving Help 

It is important to remember that while at your practicum site, you can be an asset to the team. First, remember to always ask for help if you need it. This could be asking for help from your supervisor, coworkers, or any colleagues with whom you have worked. Second, remember you are at your site to gain knowledge and experience as a helping professional. Third, try to move toward increasing degrees of reasonable independence as your internship progresses. Finally, take advantage of any downtime to do or learn something new. Nonprofit internship sites always have work that needs to be done and showing initiative in this way is usually a win-win for all concerned.

Novice Stage

This stage begins when the student and the supervisor first meet and start to form impressions of one another. First impressions do matter, so be sure to dress appropriately, be friendly, and try to conform to the role of an intern, which is somewhere between a student and a professional. This stage is a bit awkward at first for the intern because everything is so new, but the supervisor is likely to be aware of that and try to reduce your anxiety. The same type of exchange goes on in many types of relationships, such as with instructors or bosses in classes or jobs you have had, so you are not as ill-equipped as it might first seem. Of course, such factors as age, individual preferences, maturity level, personality, and interpersonal skill level also play active roles in the process of forming a relationship, so they are likely to be alive here as well. Also remember, in addition to what is said, how it is said also conveys information in a relationship. Your tone of voice and other nonverbal communication cues matter, too. Over time, you will both have a better understanding of how you work together in the roles you play as supervisor and intern.

Clear communication and goal setting are crucial parts of the novice stage. It is helpful to be prepared with questions prior to the beginning of a shift. For instance, you can ask about the day’s responsibilities, which tasks need to be addressed, and what expectations people have for the projects that are assigned to you. It is also helpful if you communicate what you wish to learn at the site in terms of your goals and expectations. 

Learning Stage 

The next stage revolves around learning your roles, acquiring the skills necessary to fulfill them, and establishing relationships with your co-workers. Progress in these areas is usually accompanied by an increase in trust between you and your immediate supervisor, which is a two-way street. If things are going well, your development as an intern should include moving up to increasingly complex assignments or tasks and an increasing degree of responsibility or functional independence. 

Supervisors usually encourage and welcome questions because they help them assess your progress and bring attention to areas that they can assist you with as you improve your abilities. Consequently, it is important that you realize it is a good idea to ask for help or at least clarification if you are unsure about how to proceed. This practice also reduces the need to have information repeated or doing an assignment poorly and then having to do it over again. Of course, timing is important when asking a question and so is the way it is framed. There may be no stupid questions, but there are poor ways to ask them!  

In this stage, your ability to communicate with staff and clients improves as you learn your way around the agency and your duties. This growing sense of competence also increases learner confidence and is rewarding as well. Similarly, as you become more familiar with the agency’s rules, functions, and interpersonal culture, you are likely to expand your role and make it more your own. Some indications of progress at this level are asking to or being asked to take on more responsibilities, being treated like a member of a team, and offering to help when you see something that needs to be done instead of waiting to be told to do it.

Independent Stage 

This stage is characterized by having a more advanced set of skills, demonstrating a higher degree of decision-making ability or autonomy, and having more comfortable or friendly interactions with your colleagues at the site. A good indicator of reaching this level is the quality of the communication between you and your supervisors, as well as other members of the staff. Another one is feeling less anxious about your place in the agency and your ability to complete jobs assigned to you. At this point, successful interns usually find themselves doing the duties of an entry-level employee at the agency. 

Assuming your skills have progressed, the supervisor may offer opportunities for you to work more independently, which is to say with less supervision. You may find yourself, for instance, spontaneously asking for extra assignments, though it is important to make sure you are competent enough to succeed at them. Making sure that you have already demonstrated some of the skills necessary to succeed in those tasks helps both you and those you work with, including your supervisor, see that you are ready to take the next step. Finally, it is usually good to be flexible as an intern. Not only is flexibility an important asset in human services because it helps you “go with the flow” when the need arises, it also reduces tension. 

The Dynamics of Dealing with a Supervisor 

Accommodating Supervisor Style 

Every supervisor is unique in that each has their own clinical and supervisory style. A skilled supervisor will teach, guide, and sometimes even mentor you in order to better prepare you for your future in the field. However, it is important to remember that even the best supervisors may not always be as accessible as you would like, so try to be patient when necessary. Remember, they have many responsibilities at the site, including overseeing your work. Supervising your growth is an additional duty, not one that replaces another. 

While it is most desirable to have a supervisor with qualities and teaching methods that mesh well with your style, sometimes those styles may conflict with one another. In order to solve conflicts in general, it is important to have good communication skills and be willing to find common ground. In this situation, the same relational dynamics that you have experienced with differing supervisory styles in the past may help here. For example, if you find yourself in an internship site where there are difficulties with supervision, try not to get discouraged. Also, seeing things from different perspectives can help. Finally, your colleagues and instructors can help you during class meetings or office hours. You may find that you are not alone when facing such a challenge. Your peers may even help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your style, as well as those of the supervisor. Your instructor and classmates can also help you come up with ideas on how to improve or at least better deal with the situation. 

Keep in mind that your supervisor has their own personality and style, too. Generally, supervisors are happy to help because they want to see you succeed. After all, they became professionals for the same reason most of us do, which is to have the opportunity to help others. However, occasionally, a supervisor may have a difficult problem or be dealing with a stressful day and seem irritable or even short-tempered because of it. No matter what kind of day it is, do the best job you can. Remember, although you supervisor’s style may be irritating to you, it is not your role to change it.  

It is, however, your job to learn how to deal with different styles, which means that this situation can be a learning opportunity. Although unpleasant, having a difficult supervisor is valuable because learning about different styles, and how to cope with them, are likely to come in handy in the future. This type of awareness can be an essential skill that can be carried throughout your entire career, so even a poor supervisor may turn out to be a good one in the long run, even if it is only to show what not to do! After all, there is no guarantee that says you will always have a good supervisor or boss. 

Everyone has communication and relational styles. Some common examples of how they appear in the supervisory relationship are provided below. Each one is accompanied by its strengths and weaknesses. It may be helpful to try to identify your style and that of your supervisor so that you are better.

Examples of Supervisory Styles
-	Over Involved Style: Manifested by micromanaging or sometimes by being “buddies.”
-	Authoritarian (Controlling) Style: Needing to demonstrate they are in charge, demanding perfection, having strict rules, showing a low tolerance for individuality
-	Laissez-Faire Style: An attitude of letting things take their own course without interfering. May appear under involved, offering little direction.
-	Authoritative Style: Knowledgeable, appropriately assertive, and open to suggestions when appropriate.

Examples of Student Styles
-	Passive Style: Accepting or allowing what happens to happen. Tends to avoid active input, responses, or resistance.
-	Aggressive Style: Pursuing one’s interests too forcefully, sometimes unduly so or without listening to others.
-	Assertive Style: Having and showing a confident, energetic, goal-oriented approach
-	Realistic Style: A person who accepts a situation as it is and is prepared to make the best out of the circumstances.

Preparing for Success 

The site supervisor plays an essential role in the professional lives of internship students, so they can be one of the keys to having a successful internship experience. There are several things that can be done to increase the chances of a positive relationship. For example, simple things, such as being prepared and being courteous, can go a long way to help this process. Trying your best to stick to the established schedule is important because supervisors, and sometimes even clients, count on you being there at the appointed times. 

Still, life is complicated and unexpected events, such as sudden illness, bad weather, family emergencies, and so on, may happen. Thus, it is best to establish procedures to follow and to avoid schedule changes or problems as much as possible. It is a good idea to have a backup plan in place. For instance, if you have children or care-taker responsibilities, then having alternative arrangements made with someone in advance can help. If your work schedule changes, give the site or the supervisor as much advance notice as possible. Above all, avoid simply not showing up. While most supervisors are understanding, you alone are accountable for your decisions. Requesting a day off for an activity is significantly better than calling off at the last moment or just not showing up. 

Staying on Track 

Some people look at time requirements of the internship and its schedule as an intrusion because of family, school, or employment responsibilities. However, sometimes it is possible to coordinate schedules in advance. For example, many schools have spring breaks that may make it possible for you to increase hours at the internship site, which reduces their impact on the rest of the semester. Working weekends may be possible at some sites, such as a residential program, if the time is supervised. This type of schedule balancing or time management also facilitates the development of a good working relationship with those at your site and fosters a sense of working with someone, as opposed to working for someone. 

The ability to settle into a routine quickly helps facilitate movement through the developmental stages of the internships. Supervisors and other coworkers know that you are there to learn. They want you to feel included and part of the agency or team. If you are shy, keep in mind that many others have been through the same experience, including the people you work with. After all, they were interns or beginners at one time, just like you! 

Contracting to Meet Student Needs 

It is important to have an idea about what you would like to achieve during the internship because it will help you focus your time in those directions. You should, for instance, be able to describe what your goals are so that others can help you identify opportunities or assignments that will help you reach them. This type of planning and prioritizing allows you to play an active role in your education and helps others know what to do to help make the internship a good one for you. 

Internship Forms

Your college, the placement site, or both may have certain legal obligations or routine requirements that must be met. One of them, for example, may be the need for a formal legal agreement between your educational institution and the placement site. Another one could be a written plan detailing such things as who you will be working with, what duties you will be performing while at the site, and the educational objectives you, the site, and your instructor feel are important for you to master. One of the most empowering ways to achieve your goals is to draw up an internship or educational “agreement.” 

This type of agreement is often developed in written form so that the college, agency, supervisor, and student are all quite literally on the same page in regard to expected duties, requirements, and objectives. Another benefit of a written agreement is that it allows you to track progress and provides you standing if the agency points you in directions you did not intend or agree to go. 

In other words, these agreements are better handled by spelling them out on paper so that they can be used as a guide to help create a good internship plan and to maintain this focus throughout the internship experience. In this sense, the internship agreement is like a contract that you may refer to throughout the process. It should also include such information as to what your expected duties will be, the number of hours you will work, and who will supervise your time and work at the placement. Most colleges do not permit students to drive clients in their own or even the agency’s vehicles because of liability issues. However, some colleges will provide professional liability insurance to cover your interactions with clients. If these matters are not spelled out, you should talk to both the supervisor and your instructor about them.

Sometimes, especially when things are busy for everyone at the site, it may seem as though the supervisor or the staff does not care about what happens to the intern because they are a lower priority. However, you have some responsibility for making the internship a good training experience as well. So instead of showing up and simply following someone around, you may need to be flexible and even creative. For example, if you spot something that needs to be addressed and feel doing so is within your range of abilities, you might volunteer to take on the project. In addition to filling in hours that otherwise might go unused or be less than educational, you will also show that you have initiative and the willingness to help where you can. 

Good contracts provide the foundations for a good internship experience. Consequently, your goals will also be reviewed by supervisors and agencies who will have some sound ideas and suggestions regarding your expectations and limitations. Sometimes they even see more potential in an intern than the student does. This situation can create the opportunity to grow beyond your expectations. Accordingly, sometimes it is best to modify an agreement. In that case, changes should be approved by the intern, the supervisor, and the instructor. Occasionally, a college or site will not use a contract but have only a verbal agreement with the intern. Although this isn’t the best situation, at least you can document what you agree to do, and not do, and then discuss that with your instructor.  

Although rare, sometimes an internship does not work out well for a variety of reasons. For example, there may be a sudden change in supervisors or insurmountable interpersonal conflicts. Though no one wants to see things go in this direction, the clinical editor of this book has found that it is always possible to find alternatives, sometimes including finding a new site, without penalizing the student, unless they are responsible for the conflict. Your instructor may also find helpful ways of dealing with this situation if you bring it up to them. 

The Classroom and Classroom Discussion 

Most internships are accompanied by a regular group meeting, class, or some other type of regular gathering. That practice is important because it is a conducive environment where students can describe their learning experiences, express how they feel about something connected to the internships, ask questions, seek help, as well as offer and receive support to and from their colleagues. This part of the internship is valuable because it is part of what case management theory calls “monitoring” (Moxely, 1989). The purpose of monitoring involves gathering information and receiving feedback about what is going on for students and how they are progressing through the stages of the internship process. This information, in turn, allows the instructor to assess the development of the intern, offer helpful guidance when needed, spot problems early on, and intervene when necessary. Even internships that do not have a regular classroom component have some sort of monitoring built into them at the site or with the instructor of the course. 

Consequently, it is beneficial to attend classroom discussions as that is where people hear about, reflect on, and offer ideas to each other concerning the experiences they are having at their individual sites. Not talking about the positive and negative experiences of interning may even hinder your development and interfere with your ability to grow as a professional, not to mention limiting your ability to help your colleagues. In addition, class discussions or conferences with your instructor (if you do not have a class meeting associated with your internship) act as a support group where you can talk about your experiences good or bad--and the group can help you effectively work through them. Talking through certain scenarios will also show the instructor signs of your growth. 

Similarly, there may be times when you feel stuck, are uncertain, or face a problem at your site. Your classroom colleagues can be an important resource for such things as brainstorming solutions and suggesting different approaches to the problem. This aspect of the internship also gives you an opportunity to see the growth process from different perspectives as everyone goes through it a little differently. Sometimes just knowing that others are dealing with the same issue is helpful all by itself. 

Example: You have a question about your site that could not be addressed on the day you were there. One thing you can do is to remember that you will have time to discuss these uncertainties with your classmates and your professor. Furthermore, it is important that you share your questions and concerns so that your professor can make suggestions and offer you guidance. Of course, it is also important to realize and honor the confidential nature of these discussions. 

Goals and Obstacles 

You may encounter problems reaching some of your goals during the internship. Typical issues include not feeling you are learning as much as you expected, feeling lost, or feeling like a burden. Such problems can be discussed with the supervisor, with the professor, and with classmates. Classmates and professors are an outstanding resource and can be used as an information tool for self-monitoring and reflection during the internship and may help you find ways to make the experience more satisfying. Often, people use role-playing scenarios in the classroom to help deal with a problem concerning one’s supervisor or a given staff worker. The goal of a good “working alliance” with your supervisor is to create an atmosphere where both of you feel free to talk to one another honestly. 

Being Under-Challenged 

Sometimes students find themselves feeling like they are not getting the type of experience they expected. For instance, it may be that their priorities or goals have been pushed aside or their work at the agency has become routine. These situations arise for several reasons, most of which are not the students’ fault. For example, it could be that the agency’s busy season is at another time of the year or that the funding streams have changed in ways that make original agreements untenable. In general, the agency’s priorities come first, so the intern needs to adjust, not the other way around. 

The professor and your peers can help you adjust your goals or find new ways of meeting them during the remainder of the internship. Brainstorming ideas may help you know how to approach the supervisor, find other alternatives to meet your goals, and restructure your goals. 

Example: Jane is interning at a crisis center and has the goal of working face-to-face with clients in crisis. Unfortunately, since starting her internship, she has been unable to sit in on an intake session for various reasons not of her making. Instead, Jane’s work has been focused on organizing paperwork and making copies for her supervisor. While Jane understands the importance of the work she is doing, she fears she will go through the entire internship missing out on other valuable experiences. Jane discusses her concerns in the classroom, and classmates encourage her to have a discussion with her supervisor. Jane then makes some suggestions to the supervisor about how to include more client contact into her routine without dumping all the paperwork on someone else. The supervisor tweaks the suggestions a bit and together they find a strategy that meets Jane’s goal of increasing her clinical skills with clients in crisis while still meeting the clerical needs of the agency. 

Setting up Self Directed Goals 

Often, a supervisor will help set up a work schedule but then become too busy to adjust it in ways that lead to increasing degrees of training and skill acquisition. At that point, it may seem like they are just keeping you busy with mundane tasks to simply fill up your time to meet the hours. If you feel that the internship has lost its sense of direction or that you are not progressing any further, it is important to think proactively. Instead of complaining to the supervisor, you might consider presenting them with a plan that would move you toward your goals or increase your level of responsibility or involvement. If you have trouble formulating one, it might be a good idea to share your situation with your instructor or classmates since they are part of your network and can act as resources who can help you generate possible solutions.

Example: Mohamed is working at a busy mental health facility and found himself underutilized. Since he is interested in doing community work, he proposes to create a book of community services that can identify resources people can use to find assistance with housing, transportation, utility services, job training, food, childcare, and so on. The result of his efforts is a set of Facebook pages that list basic human services, names to contact, phone numbers to use, and active links to click on that can put clients in touch with those who can help them. The supervisor valued his contribution enough to assign someone to maintain the site even after Mohamed graduated. 

Developing More Challenging Goals

Sometimes interns reach the point where they feel they have met the goals that were set down in the original educational agreement and have time to do more. Of course, it is wise to make sure you have met those goals before discussing the situation with your supervisor. Take a moment to make sure that all expectations have been met and then try creating a goal or set of them that you think would help you grow while also offering something of value to the agency. Next, approach the supervisor with a tentative plan. If the supervisor feels that you are ready, and if there is no longer a need for you to continue to perform your current duties, you may be able to take the next step in your professional development. 

Every person with whom you have contact may be a source of education and opportunity. Getting to know others within the agency allows you to discuss career interests with them and learn about career possibilities associated with their roles at the agency. Offering to help others in their work and creating new tasks are just a few ways to take things into your own hands when there is nothing to do or when your jobs have become routine. Taking the initiative in learning about the agency and the services it provides often makes a good impression and opens new doors. 

Example : Rosetta works at a center that focuses on dealing with substance abuse. In her down time, she did research on other agencies in surrounding counties because she saw that clients often move from county to county. Consequently, Rosetta identified, compiled, and printed out a list of AA/NA meeting schedules for each county so that clients would have the opportunity to continue to attend meetings after they moved. 

Evaluations

A good supervisor will regularly assess your ability to take on new tasks. However, it is important for interns to evaluate themselves from time to time as well. Most interns will want to review their objectives periodically and conduct reflective self-assessments. This process can be done informally, or through keeping a journal, a file on a computer or phone, and so on. Near the end of the internship, the instructor often requests that the supervisor do a final report, evaluation, or summary of the student and their performance at the site. Of course, you are likely to have a general feel about how things are going based on the supervisor’s reactions or meetings regarding your work performance. So, if the internship does not seem to be allowing yours goals to be met, requesting time for a meeting before the semester is over can prevent problems.  

Regardless of how challenging the tasks may be, always do your best work. If you take pride in your work, coworkers and supervisors will notice. Remember, these people are now in your network. When it comes to future jobs, they could be potential references. 

Handling the Discomfort of Negative Feedback

It is also important to keep in mind that no two interns will progress at the same rate. Sometimes interns feel that they are not given the freedom to develop more fully. Other times they may feel they were asked to do too much. You may look at the situation and feel discouraged or lose confidence in your abilities. It is important to discuss this reaction with your supervisor and ask for suggestions for improvement. Learning how to accept constructive criticism is a crucial component of this process, especially if you are a beginner. Try your best to listen, but also realize that the supervisor is looking at the bigger agency picture that you cannot see. 

In situations where it seems that the supervisor and staff are talking about you in a way that does not feel good, be sure to avoid forming any cognitive distortions or irrational thoughts about it. Avoid overgeneralizing, personalizing, and surrendering to emotional reasoning. Be sure to look those terms up if they are unfamiliar to you (Mruk, 2013). After all, they may be discussing progress as well as the lack of it and your potential rather than your limitations. If you feel that the discussions are taking place in a negative way, or if it seems that the problem is a personality conflict you are having with the supervisor or their style, it is advisable to talk with your instructor about it. After all, the instructor is the individual who oversees your internship and who has the responsibility to make sure it is progressing properly. It is also likely that the instructor is more interested in your professional development than anything else. 

Embrace Learning Opportunities 

It is a good practice to experience as many dimensions of the internship and agency as possible. In addition to the supervisor, other staff members and your duties are opportunities for you to learn something new.

Learning from Co-workers and Supervisors 

Talking with co-workers at the internship site is a good way to build rapport and to network. They can teach you about diverse community resources. Office staff also tend to have the benefit of direct contact, can offer insights, and have more time for you than supervisors. They might even take a liking to you and become an informal mentor. This person might be able to teach you many aspects of the job that your supervisor does not have the time to do. Consequently, make sure you ask to be introduced to other co-workers. Often, they know more about “office politics” than anyone else and can offer insights or support about this more subtle and informal dimension of the agency. Talking with people in the break room or at lunch can be instructional if you approach it as a potential learning opportunity! 

Example: A supervisor was constantly busy dealing with different departments but made time to have the intern attend a professional team meeting. The intern watched how co-workers conversed with each other about different cases. They were able to support one another in finding solutions for different situations when dealing with clients and found the experience of working with others beneficial. One staff member at the meeting with whom the intern had little previous contact seemed to respond very positively when the intern volunteered additional information about the client. After this meeting, the intern made it a point to seek out that staff member and began an amicable, professional relationship that blossomed over time. 

Learning from Clients 

The clients at the site can also be a source of learning, perhaps even the greatest one in the long run as they should be the focus of your work. Clients usually have their own perspective about the site and how it works. Learning about how someone else experiences the process is another opportunity to gain insight. In fact, client perspectives are necessary to appreciate if you truly want to grasp the whole picture. Positive and negative client-related experiences can be some of the most instructional ones you have as you learn how to become a professional. Most of us in the field, including the clinical editor of this book, still remember what we learned from clients many years after the interaction or relationship ended. 

Observing and Modeling Others 

Being a student in the internship course offers an opportunity to observe the instructor, supervisor, and the staff around you. The internship gives you a chance to see first-hand how people in the field dress, greet people, comport themselves with colleagues, contact other agencies, as well as their clients. You will also have the chance to form interpersonal relationships with staff at the facility during your lunch and break periods. Reflecting on what you observe is a good source of insight or learning that cannot be found in classrooms or textbooks. If you happen to find yourself admiring someone’s professional capabilities, interpersonal style, and ways of approaching the work, you can experiment with modeling your own behavior after theirs. Learning what feels good to you, what is compatible with your style, and then trying it out can be a great way of increasing your skill set and confidence. 

Challenges Along the Way 

Often unexpected circumstances and events happen when working with the public. Although they may cause anxiety in the beginning, these are times when you can start relying on your developing professional skills. Observing how your supervisor handles delicate situations, for example, may help you navigate your way through a similar situation or task. Seeing how someone handles an irate, sad, frustrated, or anxious client effectively gives you a larger range of possible responses when you encounter similar situations. Therefore, part of the learning process involves noting good professional skills in action, including such things as the individual’s mannerisms, tone of voice, non-verbal behaviors, and so on. Observing and reflecting on this type of information may help prepare you for the unexpected situations you encounter at your site and later in your career. 

Example: When the family of a client demands information and answers to questions that they are not privileged to, the family member may become demanding or agitated toward you. In this case, if possible, you might remember how someone else at the agency handled the situation effectively. For example, listening intently and responding in a calm, clear manner is often helpful. Be sure to report such situations to staff or your supervisor and document everything that transpired. Then reflect on what you learned from the experience.

Using Supervision Effectively

Supervision

What we call internships today have their historical roots in apprenticeships. These are teaching and learning relationships in which the student learns an art, trade, or job from a skilled professional. This type of learning environment usually takes many years. It begins with a selection process, such as having a certain ability or grade point average. It involves finding someone to guide you through the learning process (e.g. an experienced craftsman or instructor). The apprenticeship often concludes with some sort of “final examination” that ends in graduation and the apprentice’s recognition as a professional. As with teaching relationships in general, this one can also be mutually beneficial as most people like to share their expertise with others, and teaching often “teaches” the teacher, as well as the student.  

Supervision is at the heart of fieldwork. In this sense it is like an apprenticeship although you are likely to continue to have supervisors if you go on for a graduate degree or license. Learning how supervisors interact with coworkers and clients gives you an opportunity to observe and even model similar behaviors as you start to turn theory into practice. Supervisory insight, experience, and involvement with your education will help you develop a sense of what it means to be a professional in your field as well.

Occasionally, a supervisor can also become a mentor, which is a special type of teaching-learning relationship and can have a positive impact on one’s career. Most times, a supervisor will schedule individual time with an intern to go over the student’s duties, clients, and caseloads. However, sometimes supervisors are too busy to give interns as much direct supervision as interns would like. While disappointing, it might be helpful to remember that supervisors usually sacrifice productive work time and space to make room for interns. So even if your supervisor does not seem to meet your expectations, that does not mean they do not care. Similarly, not all supervisors have the same style or approach, so be prepared to be as flexible and realistic with your expectations as possible. 

The Supervised Internship

Internships are an efficient and effective way of learning because they provide professional guidance. Often, supervisors can work one-on-one with you in ways that are compatible with your learning style, which is more difficult to achieve in a classroom environment. Although course work gives you an idea of what to expect, it is the guided experience that turns theory into knowledge and knowledge into ability. This fieldwork setting is like a laboratory where you can test ideas and techniques without, hopefully, things “blowing up” in your or your client’s face. Similarly, supervised experience allows you to test theoretical concepts and perspectives in a real-world environment and to find out which techniques work best in various situations. During this learning process, you are also beginning to develop your own style as a helping professional. 

Knowing Your Role

Beginning the internship can be stressful if you have not prepared for it. Researching the site and the kind of services it provides can prepare you and give you a sense of what to expect. By understanding your role as an intern, you also show the supervisor that you are a team player who will try to enact the supervisor’s suggestions. Accordingly, it is important to respect the boundaries of being a student in training. Even if you think you know how to handle a situation, the supervisor ultimately makes the call as to whether you are ready to handle a client alone. 

Paying attention to the daily activities in the office will help you anticipate tasks and make yourself more useful when the supervisor is busy. Offering to help with duties that are not defined on your list shows that you will be easy to work with. When the supervisor is overloaded with duties you cannot perform, you can still network at the facility. Asking questions is often a good way to interact with others and shows that you are interested in knowing what to do and how to do it. 

Developmental Stages in Your Supervisory Relationship

Like most relationships, the one that occurs between an intern and a supervisor is constantly evolving. Ideally, the quality of the relationship will improve as the degree of communication does because that allows both parties to better share information and develop interpersonal connections. Trust builds over time and helps you to talk more freely, examine your strengths and weaknesses, recognize your mistakes and achievements, and do the type of exploration that is necessary for professional development to occur. Unless the relationship is problematic for one person or the other, it usually goes through three stages: the novice stage, the learning stage, and the independent stage. Each one has its own distinct characteristics.