Clinical Internship and Post-Grad Opportunities

Real world apprenticeship is the best form of teaching.

This photo is us: Ben Taussig and Vanessa Knight in 2010, freshly graduated from our MA program, which we attended together. We launch Secure immediately and have spent the years honing our skills, focusing on clinical work, and gaining experience that we can share with you. Now, we both find ourselves with successful practices, mid-40s with families. We started our practice with two kids each, and added two more to each family! We know what it's like to be new, to need reassurance, to feel a little unsure. To read more about Ben and Vanessa's history, read here. Both owners are supervisors for the state of Kansas. Missouri post-graduate supervision will be coming in October 2025.

What does an internship look like with Secure?

Interns and supervisees that "come from" Secure are a reflection of our practice itself and of the work we do to train new professionals. We want you to be your best self as a clinician, and we will give you our best. This means, first and foremost, giving attention to these details:

work/home/play balance that gives joyful practice without burnout and financial security, including contribution to the community at large
ethical decision-making and socio-cultural awareness
the in's and out's of everyday practice management and understanding of the field's nuances.

What if I want to do my internship elsewhere and come back to Secure later?

We welcome independent contractors (those who need a platform for scheduling or class registrations) or other clinicians with their own practice platforms who would like to use our beautiful therapy spaces for periods of time during the week, provided our practice's philosophy of practice is in line with that of guest clinicians. Our offices are also available to the general public for hourly use, as we believe that quiet, therapeutic environments can be hard to find in cafes, libraries, and plexpod setups. If you are interested in using our spaces to provide clinical sessions, host groups or teach classes (even if they are not related to the therapy field), send us an email at securecounselingclinic@gmail.com or use our online space reservation system.

Download a PDF Brochure

For Graduate Clinicians

What does Secure offer to graduate clinicians?

Online self-paced internship orientation course you can do from home,

Make your own session schedule and access offices when you need to 24/7,

Virtual sessions allowed,

Individual supervision (onsite or virtual),

Setup that prepares you for a post-graduate seamless option to continue with Secure or use Secure's offices as an independent clinician,

Study space, physical resource library, and Google Drive

No Drama work environment that encourages direct and kind communication,

Family-friendly staff culture that encourages work/home/play balance,

Supervision and mentoring directly from owners, who have been in the field for over 15 years and in the KC Metro for 20 years and a lifetime,

Mentorship through the difficulties of setting up a name for yourself, niches, the nuances of collegial relationships (which we will share with you), and the practical/logistical in's and out's of private practice,

Opportunities to work with local nonprofits and collaborate with small business owners as a source of referrals and extending philanthropy to the public.

Who

... can be an intern counselor?
... are the supervising clinicians?

Graduate-level students in accredited educational programs for psychology, clinical psychotherapy, counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work or similar fields may apply for clinical internship, which is an. unpaid position. The states of Kansas and Missouri do not allow unlicensed degree candidates to receive payment for services while in training.

Supervisors for the Secure Counseling Clinic internships are Ben Taussig and Vanessa Knight. Generally, Ben Taussig supervises counseling students who are at the Leawood office, and Vanessa Knight supervises counseling students who are at the Downtown KC office. Each supervisor is the back up for the other, and you will also have supervision from your educational institution.

What

... do interns do?

Interns are in the beginning of their experiential training as counselors and therapists. At this stage, each student has completed a practicum (usually observing sessions or conducting sessions while observed) and is ready to move on to conducting alone sessions with clients of the supervisor. You can also lead groups for the community, depending on what your specific areas of interest are!

Outside of direct contact with clients, universities generally recognize case consultation, supervision time, reading and absorbing resources, offering classes for local nonprofits in the clinic spaces, creating material or content for the practice, creatively contributing to the field or presenting at professional conferences. Your school will also allow some activities like weekly self-care, depending on the specifics of your program.

Where

11111 Nall Avenue, Suite 112, Leawood, KS 66211
104 West 9th Street, Suite 400A, Kansas City, MO 64105

Each student chooses a site (Leawood or Downtown), depending on personal needs, clinical practice preferences, and need for building availability. During your internship, it will not matter whether you are in KS or MO. You can complete internship hours anywhere, regardless of the state. Once you've graduated and are looking for post-graduate or provisional licensure hours and supervision, you'll need to choose one to start with or do both KS and MO.

The practice's group and class space is in the Downtown Office, and interns from both sites can use it.