JFS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

COME LEARN WITH US

Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service offers graduate internships and practica.

Our Training Opportunities

Shalom Austin JFS offers a wide array of mental health and support services as part of our mission to strengthen the community by empowering all individuals and families through affordable and culturally sensitive social services to maintain wellness and dignity across the lifespan.

We believe that training and mentorship strengthen our agency, our current clients, and our community. We value a workplace that fosters equity, safety, continuing education and professional development, and work-life balance. We strive to offer supervision that is supportive and formative. Offering experiential training and healthy student-supervisor relationships is an integral part of how we work to strengthen the community.

Couple having conversation with psychologist on therapy

Graduate Internships and Practicums

Shalom Austin JFS proudly offers internship and practicum opportunities to graduate students in the Central Texas area studying mental health or social services. Our interdisciplinary clinical team is made up of psychologists, social workers, and counselors who work collaboratively to support our community. We work with students to provide learning opportunities specific to their areas of interest and expertise. Previously, we have partnered with The University of Texas at Austin, St. Edward’s University, Baylor University, Texas State University, and Lamar University to place students. We are happy to cultivate relationships with other universities as students express interest.

Our internship and practicum requirements are listed below:

Some graduate level course work at an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, counseling, or a related field
Some understanding of assessment, treatment, and evaluation of individuals, couples, families, and/or groups
Commitment to a placement lasting at least five months for a minimum of 10 hours/week
A service orientation and dedication to cultural responsiveness
Excellent time management and communication skills

All students receive professional development and work under the supervision of a licensed therapist. When circumstances allow, we provide group supervision for students placed with us.

To learn more or start the application process, please email jfstrainees@shalomaustin.org

Social Work

JFS offers several types of placements for social work students in graduate school. The first is a clinical placement that focuses on providing individual, family, and group therapy and supporting our infusion of mental health into other Shalom Austin programs. This placement is designed for students who have completed the majority of their coursework and are looking to practice more advanced clinical skills. We also offer a more generalist opportunity involving a mix of therapy, case management, and other program support. This placement is a good fit for first-year students or those with interest in exploring multiple types of service provision. If you are interested in a macrolevel placement that focuses on program development, administration, and policy practice, please let us know.

Professional Counseling

Our clinical placement is a great fit for graduate-level counseling students interested in developing counseling skills by providing therapeutic services. Counseling students carry a learner’s caseload of therapy clients with diversity of needs and backgrounds, co-facilitate group sessions, and have unique opportunities for supporting our other Shalom Austin programs.

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Psychology

The psychology practicum offers opportunities to deliver evidence-based, culturally responsive therapeutic services to individuals, couples, groups, and families. Opportunities may be available to serve clients across the lifespan, but the practicum has a focus on serving children, adolescents, teens, young adults, and their families. Practicum students may have the opportunity to provide school consultation for students from age 0 through 8th grade, teach social skills or social-emotional lessons to students in Shalom Austin educational settings, lead trainings, and more.

Youth & Family Postdoc Psychology Fellowship

Shalom Austin JFS plans to offer a full-time postdoctoral fellowship position with an emphasis in child and family psychology in the near future. Our program does not participate in the APPIC Selection process, but we do follow many of their guidelines and recommendations. The postdoctoral fellowship will offer opportunities for fellows to function independently within a supportive, supervised structure. Fellows will have the opportunity to provide individual, group, and family therapy, as well as a multitude of opportunities to work with the community from a behavioral health lens. The postdoctoral fellowship includes the following:

Direct client work, including individuals, couples, groups, and families.
School consultation and support of the Shalom Austin Early Childhood Program (ECP), a play-based early childhood program serving children ages 0-6;
Provision of social-emotional lessons, consultation, and other support of the Austin Jewish Academy, a K-8 private school;
Behavioral health consultation and support for other youth-serving programs, including an on-site after care program, summer day camp, college student programming, and more;
Opportunities to provide and receive professional development related to serving youth and family.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Application

Candidates should submit a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, an unofficial copy of your graduate school transcript(s), and three reference letters, at least two of whom must be from someone who has supervised your clinical work.

To inquire about fellowship opportunities or with any questions, please email jfstrainees@shalomaustin.org

Inquire About Fellowship Opportunities