Group Therapist Intern
Weekly outpatient therapy isn't always enough, and a trip to the ER isn't the only answer. Patients and their families rely on Compass Health Center when in crisis – every day, we help people overcome depression, anxiety, suicidality, obsessions/compulsions, trauma, chronic pain, and other obstacles in order for our patients to live freely.
About This Role
We are seeking motivated students looking to learn and grow their clinical skills with the help of our talented clinical supervisors. This position is only available to students in the 2026-2027 internship year of a Master level clinical program (social work, counseling, psychology).
Our internship offers an in-depth opportunity to gain clinical experience in multiple treatment modalities and theoretical frameworks with a focus on group therapy, CBT, DBT, ACT and potential additional opportunities with assessment, ERP, trauma, individual work, family, art therapy, and more. Opportunities exist across all Compass clinical programs including Young Child, Child, Adolescent, Young Adult/Adult, OCD/Complex Anxiety, and Trauma.
Click HERE to watch a short video about our internship program!
What You’ll Do
- Provide individual and group therapeutic interventions in PHP and IOP therapy groups including coping skills groups, process groups, experiential therapy groups and more
- Attend multidisciplinary rounds (including psychiatrists, teachers, group therapists, primary therapists, family therapists and directors)
- Aid in development and facilitation of DBT/CBT/ACT groups in addition to other theoretical frameworks and modalities
- Observe and support various clinical modalities including group, individual, and family therapy as well as intake
- Have clinical exposure to and learning opportunities within specialty programs and theoretical models which may include OCD and ERP, Trauma and CPT, Substance Use Treatment, Young Child Dysregulated Behavior
- Engage in monthly didactic trainings with subject matter experts throughout the organization
- Learn about the assessment and treatment of self-harm and suicidal ideation and safety planning
- Help with various administrative tasks
- Learn to administer and then administer various clinical assessments with patients
- Co-facilitate experiential and creative arts therapy groups
- Complete progress notes and assist with treatment plan updates
- Provide clinical observations/input from a social work or counseling psychology perspective to Treatment Teams
- Participate in discharge planning for patients (outpatient providers, follow up care, transition back to school)
- Assist in facilitation of family groups
- Participate in individual and/or group supervision on a weekly basis
- Participate in continuous quality improvement and professional development through weekly opportunities in the Summer and monthly opportunities throughout the year
- Attend weekly Program planning meeting
*Specific opportunities may vary by location/program
Who You Are
- Eager to learn and apply various clinical models and modalities
- Seeking opportunities for significant clinical growth in a setting that treats a wide variety of diagnoses and symptoms
- Ability to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills
- Excellent time management skills, including the ability to juggle multiple demands simultaneously in a fast paced and challenging environment
- Ability to maintain patient privacy at all times
- Desire to work in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient setting with focus on group therapy modality
- Completed coursework related to treatment for children/adolescents and/or young adults/adults, group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or dialectical behavior therapy
Training Hours:
- Start Date: August 2026
- End Date:May 2027 / to be determined in conjunction with program
- Weekly Schedule:To be determined in conjunction with program; 20-24 hours/week
Supervision:
- Provided by individuals with the following credentials: LCSW, LCPC, PhD, PsyD
- There will be individual and/or group supervision weekly (1 hour total).
- Monthly group supervision will occur with all student interns, post-doctoral interns, and first-year employees.
- Interns can expect a developmental style of supervision.
- Interns will be expected to be active participants in setting goals and expectations for their internship year, as well as able to complete the training activities and job functions as listed above.
What We Offer:
- Ongoing quality improvement and professional development opportunities, including weekly opportunities in the Summer and monthly opportunities throughout the year
- Monthly didactic trainings with subject matter experts throughout the organization
- Additional guidance and supervision from multi-disciplinary staff, including psychiatrists, teachers, group therapists, primary therapists, family therapists and directors.
- Interns demonstrating exemplary performance will be strongly considered for future employment at Compass. Benefits for full-time Compass employees (non-interns) are below for reference.
- Please note: this is an unpaid internship
We know job descriptions can be intimidating, so if this sounds like an opportunity for you, please don't hesitate to apply!
Who We Are
Compass Health Center is a recognized leader in crisis-level mental health, bringing passion, connection, and patient-centered care to the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient space (PHP/IOP). Based in Chicagoland, we serve hundreds of patients every day, ranging from ages 5 through adulthood, in our onsite facilities or through our flourishing virtual programming. Compass fills a critical gap between outpatient and inpatient care through an intermediate level of Behavioral Healthcare.
A few more things we want you to know: our values are super important to us, and hopefully will be to you, too. Cultural humility, teamwork, continuous improvement, connection, patient centered care, passion, innovation, and agility should be your power sources. Joining Compass is an opportunity to feel fulfilled through a joint mission towards healing our communities.
Benefits & Perks
We know that you will be dedicated to your purpose here. We look at that investment as a two-way street. We are proud to offer plenty of space for growth, and opportunities to pursue continuous development within our organization.
For eligible positions, our other benefits include: comprehensive medical/dental/vision plans, 401k program with company matching, generous PTO (including competitive parental leave after 1 year of employment), and continuous training through CEU seminars and volunteering opportunities.
What’s Next?
Compass is committed to cultivating diverse and dynamic teams who exude passion for their craft, so whether or not you check all the boxes, we encourage you to apply – we’d be grateful to hear from you!