Training has long been an important part of the mission at Mental Health Systems (MHS). Each year, we welcome a multidisciplinary group of developing clinicians at different stages of their education and professional development.
Our training positions have included master’s-level practica for students pursuing LPCC licensure, dual LPCC/LADC and MSW/LADC tracks, MSW practica, doctoral practica, doctoral internships, and postdoctoral positions. We currently have 10 clinicians in training positions across MHS.
The most obvious purpose of a training program is to help prepare the next generation of mental health professionals. We take that responsibility seriously. At the same time, we have found that being a training organization makes MHS stronger as well.
Learning goes both ways
Good clinical training requires more than teaching techniques. It requires supervisors and clinicians to explain their clinical reasoning, connect practice to evidence, remain current with developments in the field, and be open to questions about why we do what we do.
Our trainees bring current academic perspectives, new research, thoughtful questions, and their own professional experiences into our clinical community. In turn, they learn from experienced clinicians who have spent years applying DBT and other evidence-based approaches with clients who often have complex needs.
That exchange creates an environment where learning is expected at every level of the organization.
A multidisciplinary approach to training
One of the strengths of the MHS training program is the range of disciplines represented within each training cohort.
Psychology, counseling, social work, and substance use treatment each contribute valuable perspectives to understanding clients and providing effective care. While DBT provides an important shared clinical foundation at MHS, we also value the different training, experiences, and perspectives that each discipline brings to the work.
This multidisciplinary approach reflects clinical practice itself. Clients rarely fit neatly within one professional lens, and learning to collaborate across disciplines is an important part of becoming an effective clinician.
Connections with programs across the country
MHS has trained students from 19 different academic programs, including programs throughout the Twin Cities and across the United States. Our training partnerships have extended as far as Albizu University in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Learning also extends beyond our clinics. MHS trainees have presented at professional conferences and attended continuing education events including Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MAARCH) and Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH) conferences. They have also participated in community outreach and advocacy through events such as the Twin Cities Pride Festival, NAMIWalks, and Mental Health Day on the Hill.
These experiences give trainees opportunities to develop not only as clinicians, but also as members of the larger behavioral health community.
Training in DBT and complex clinical care
As a specialty DBT practice, MHS offers trainees opportunities to learn DBT in an environment where it is part of everyday clinical care.
Students are exposed to DBT across populations, programs, and levels of care, including adaptations developed to meet different clinical needs. Training also includes opportunities for additional education and professional development, with a growing emphasis on trauma-informed research and treatment.
Our goal is not simply for trainees to learn a collection of interventions. We want them to develop strong clinical judgment: to understand the models they are using, recognize individual differences among clients, and make thoughtful decisions about how and when to apply what they have learned.
A strong commitment to supervision
High-quality supervision is central to the MHS training program.
Our program is led by Morgan Schwartz, PsyD, LP, Director of Training and Supervision, who oversees training across disciplines and levels of professional development. Dr. Schwartz also serves nationally as a chair for site visits of psychology internship programs seeking accreditation through the American Psychological Association, bringing additional knowledge of training standards and best practices to her leadership at MHS.
Our own doctoral psychology internship was most recently accredited by the American Psychological Association in 2023 and was granted a 10-year accreditation period, with the next site visit scheduled for 2033.
We are proud of that recognition because it reflects the substantial work that goes into maintaining a high-quality training environment, including strong supervision, clear standards, accountability, and ongoing evaluation.
From trainees to colleagues
Perhaps one of the best reflections of our training culture is that many MHS trainees have chosen to stay with the organization after completing their training.
These clinicians enter employment already familiar with our programs, clinical approach, values, and culture. Just as importantly, we already know them and have had the opportunity to watch them develop as clinicians.
Over time, this has made the training program an important part of how we develop and strengthen our clinical team.
Training makes MHS better
Providing high-quality clinical training requires a significant commitment of time and resources. We believe that investment is worthwhile.
Training allows MHS to contribute to the development of future mental health professionals while maintaining a culture in which our own clinicians continue to learn, teach, ask questions, and stay engaged with developments in the field.
Ultimately, those goals come together in the same place: better clinicians providing better care to the people we serve.
That’s what makes training such an important part of MHS.
