Reflections on Wellness Series
Self-Care Tips from the South Region Prelicensed Support Group

The South Region Prelicensed Support Group has been discussing how interns and trainees can take care of themselves while facing the multitude of entrance barriers to becoming a licensed MFT.

The barriers the group discussed include working on their master's program, dealing with insights and issues from their own lives, getting a good work placement, being a volunteer while working a second job or borrowing to pay for it all, dealing with clients' crises, supervisor's expectation, family and friends' "feedback" about becoming a shrink, and finally studying for the licensing exams. On top of this comes self-doubt: "Can I really do all of this?" and "How can I be financially viable when I am finished?"

The primary areas that we decided need self-care were maintaining physical health, emotional well-being, meaningful connection with others, professional and personal growth, and creating financial stability.

How Do We Take Care of Ourselves Now?

These were what the members listed as their activities, intentions, and attitudes (when they remember) for self-care. Many of these overlap and help to create a more satisfying life experience.

"Being physical and having fun!"

• Yoga and walking
• Salsa dancing, line dancing, and ballroom dancing
• Running, biking, and gardening
• Drumming and playing music
• Going to spas or getting massages
• Snuggling with others: partners, kids, friends, and pets

"Spending time with others!"

• Cooking and eating with friends and family
• Talking with friends and colleagues
• Going to therapy or support groups
• Joining book clubs, bridge groups, dance troupes, and hiking clubs
• Making time to truly be with your significant others

"Spending quality time with ourselves!"

• Delighting in the freedom of following our own path
• Sun therapy or meditation
• "Fear-proofing my life" with faith
• Journaling and reflective writing
• Reading for fun or personal growth

The list above is not only for interns, as all MFTs need to remember to keep a healthy, balanced lifestyle. But these activities are easy to forget or "not have time for," especially during the traineeship and intern years. Many interns talk about running from their paid job to their classes, then to their practicum, and then home to study and prepare for the next day.

Professional Self-Care

A very important issue for many of the members is how to get an appropriate placement for their field experience and internships. Some interns have found it very hard to find placements because their colleges didn't provide any support, while other schools have practicum fairs or have a placement coordinator who keeps lists of sites. There is also a listing of internship sites available on the SCV-CAMFT website.

We discussed that most internship placements interview between January and March. Other times that can be good to look are during the early fall to find sites that may have had some last minute openings. Openings can occur at any time, so keep calling places and be willing to be waitlisted. We also discussed networking with other interns to learn about openings at different sites and to get feedback on their experiences.

Other issues are whether to pick your area of specialty or your preferred therapeutic model during your internships and how difficult it is to find exactly what you want. Some interns are accomplished at networking and found placements in their areas of interest. Many found that they discovered new areas of interest and new types of therapy by broadening the scope of their searches.

Financial Self-Care

The most difficult type of intern self-care is often financial, since most placements do not pay their interns. One solution is to volunteer for the county, for a hospital, or for another entity that pays healthcare workers. When the placement is successful and the trainee is known as a good worker, they are frequently hired. One problem is finding a setting where there are supervisors to train interns and sign off on client hours. Some interns were able to pay for a group like PTI (Process Therapy Institute) to provide supervision once they found a placement that fit their needs, even though that placement doesn't normally staff interns.

Some of the members talked about creative ways they have found to address their financial needs while continuing to grow. One member reported having problems finding a placement that suited her love of journaling as a creative method of personal growth. She tried several places during her time as an intern without the level of support she would have liked, so she decided to create her own. She was able to find a local recreation department that hired her to teach journaling. This fulfilled her dream of working with people who want to learn to journal. She called CAMFT's legal department to get guidance on how to ethically and legally get paid as a trainer as long as she wasn't doing therapy. She won't get hours for this, but she can see ways to use this experience for networking and getting exposure. This is only one example of the creative things that can be done to support yourself while finding your path.

Enjoy the Journey

Becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist can be a great impetus to growth and self-actualization. The barriers that we have discussed are analogous to all of the life challenges both we and our clients are face all the time. The key to success is in your hands, stay mindful and connected to your support network and enjoy the journey!

Verna Nelson graduated from Santa Clara University in 2002 and became licensed in 2005. She joined the SCV-CAMFT Board of Directors in 2006 and is currently serving as the Director of Programs & Evaluation. She leads the South Region Prelicensed Support Group and has a private practice in Los Gatos, www.vernanelson.com.

Author: Verna Nelson