Counselling Practicum

About the Counselling Practicum

Student Counselling, Health & Well-being’s (SCHW) Counselling Practicum Program plays an integral part in our educational mission to provide York students with professional counselling services that support students with achieving their educational goals. SCHW offers an eight-month (September – April) personalized training experience in a safe, positive, and collegial space.

This practicum takes place at a university Counselling Centre that services a diverse, emerging adult population. Practicum students at our placement site will have the opportunity to work with students that are racially and culturally diverse, domestic and international students, transfer students, mature students, students with disabilities, varsity athletes, students living in residence, part-time students, first generation students, and more. Types of clinical issues commonly addressed include anxiety, interpersonal/relationships, trauma, academic, family conflict, depression, stress, grief/bereavement, self-esteem, and sexual abuse/violence.

Areas of Focus: 

  • Triage (walk-in single session)
  • Ongoing counselling 
  • Service provided for most presenting issues (court involved cases excluded) 

Primary Models of Care: 

  • Brief, solution focused 
  • Integrative approaches used (CBT, third-wave models, interpersonal, client centred) 
  • Anti-oppressive, multicultural, trauma-informed

Goals of the Practicum

  • To provide opportunities for supervisees to increase their knowledge of the requirements of professional counselling practice such as developing a professional identity through reflective practice, understanding one’s scope of practice and limitations, and approaches to ethical dilemmas
  • To provide supervisees with information and skill development opportunities related to current relevant counselling trends
  • Providing opportunities to increase the supervisee’s understanding of what it means to provide counseling in a university context with an emerging adult population
  • To provide opportunities for supervisees to increase competence in case conceptualization, the delivery of single-session solution focused therapy and brief therapy under the framework of a walk-in service delivery model

Important Things to Know

  • In order to be eligible for the SCHW Counselling Practicum, applicants are encouraged to have completed a previous practicum/ placement and/or previous supervised counselling experience. Relevant/equivalent experience is welcome.
  • SCHW clinicians are registered in the province of Ontario and conduct their practice in accordance with professional regulatory bodies and standards in the Ontario jurisdiction.
  • SCHW primarily provides practicum supervision for the purpose of fulfilling a student's learning contract (e.g. as outlined in the requirements for obtaining an educational degree)
  • Applicants must have a commitment to the value of learning
  • Applicants must have a commitment to upholding the ethical and professional standards of the professional college corresponding with their scope of practice
  • All selected candidates must be on-site for a minimum of 3 days per week and one of these days MUST include Wednesday.
  • All selected candidates must be available to attend the mandatory orientation from Monday, August 28 to Friday, September 1, 2023
  • Placement students are expected to be on-site from September 2023 to May 2024. Students are also expected to participate in practicum according to the York University academic calendar/SCHW hours i.e. we are closed for a period of time over the December Holidays and this may differ slightly from the closures at your school.
  • SCHW can offer approximately 150 direct client hours to counselling practicum students

How to Apply

The application process to SCHW Counselling Practicum consists of four phases:

1. Online Application

  • Applications are received through an online form.
  • Submissions are open until Wednesday, February 1, 2023. All applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the posted deadline date. Late submissions will not be considered.
  • To apply online, please fill out this form.

2. Reference checks

  • On the online application form, applicants will be asked to provide the contact information of at least two individuals who can be contacted as references. At least one of these individuals should have supervised you in a clinical/counselling capacity (e.g. supervisor at a prior placement).
  • Reference checks will take place mid February.

3. Interview

  • Selected applicants will be notified via email of an invitation to interview mid-February.
  • Interviews will take place late-February to early-March.
  • Only selected applicants will be notified.

4. Other

  • Offer letters will be sent out to successful candidates by late-March.
  • If selected as the successful candidate, all applicants will be required to submit a Vulnerable Sector Screening prior to commencing their placement in September.

Diversity and Inclusion

The University community consists of a highly diverse population, with diversity found on almost all dimensions such as: presenting issue; socio-economic status; sexual orientation; race and/or ethnic or cultural affiliation; religion; age. Our awareness of, and sensitivity to, these differences, and our efforts toward inclusivity, are reflected in all aspects of our services. SCHW recognizes that the diversity of the university community is a source of excellence, enrichment and strength.

SCHW affirms its commitment to human rights, and in particular to the principle that every member of the York community has the right to equitable treatment without harassment or discrimination on the grounds prohibited by the Ontario Human Rights Code, including race, ancestry, place of origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability. SCHW is committed to creating an inclusive environment in which students, staff, and faculty feel respected, valued and celebrated for their unique identity and experience.

We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals within the equity categories of women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and Aboriginal persons, individuals of diverse gender and sexual orientation and all groups protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code. Student Counselling, Health & Well-being is committed to equity and diversity, and a positive and supportive environment.

York University offers accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes. If you are contacted by York University regarding a practicum placement opportunity, please advise if you require accommodation.

Contact

For additional information, please contact Marcie Campbell, Counsellor/Counselling Supervisor & Present Chair of the SCHW Practicum Committee at marciec@yorku.ca.