I came to The Refuge Center to complete my practicum experience from Trevecca Nazarene University. I knew in my heart this was the site I wanted before all others. I favored their vision, goals and the services they not only provided to their clients but to the interns as well. I wanted a place that would allow me to grow as a therapist through extensive continuing education outside of my university education, personal growth work, mentoring, and exposure to a diverse population that would allow me to experience and choose what is best for me as a therapist. At the start of my journey with them, I was given a population to work with that I vowed I would never work with due to my past personal experiences, but with the immense support from my supervisors at The Refuge Center, I was able to realize that I enjoyed working with the population and learned more than I ever thought I would learn about therapy and myself. I am so very thankful for my year at The Refuge Center and the continuous support I still maintain from them. I am truly thankful for all that they gave me professionally and personally. The Refuge Center has made me the therapist I am today and taught me to continually work at being better.

My practicum and internship experience with The Refuge Center was just that: a refuge. I was welcomed with open arms by both the talented staff and outstanding interns in a way that I believe is unique to Refuge. I was encouraged to challenge myself professionally and personally; learning more and more each day. The Refuge Center is a gift both to the community it serves and to those who serve it.

My experience as an intern was excellent. The Refuge Center was very professional, and the training was above and beyond. The Refuge Center afforded me the opportunity to get as much training as I put into it. The Refuge Center set into place so many tools I use on a daily basis such as EMDR. If I did it all over again, I would go straight back to The Refuge Center.

I have been a Master’s of Marriage and Family Therapy Intern since January 2013 and could not imagine completing my internship elsewhere. In my time at Refuge, I have experienced learning, support and both personal and professional growth as I could never have imagined. The Refuge Center has and continues to provide me with an environment of support, understanding and encouragement as I walk my journey as a therapist in training. The opportunities such as working with a diverse cliental, specialized trainings, supervision and an open door policy for question asking have enabled me to acquire understanding and knowledge far beyond what I could have imagined having before even beginning my career. No matter where the road of life takes me in my journey as a Marriage and Family Therapist, The Refuge Center for Counseling has played a vital role in enabling me to feel prepared to step out on my own and has nurtured my desire to provide the highest quality services, with empathy, hope and respect to all those I come in contact with.

My experience as a Master’s-level Intern at The Refuge Center was the most valuable part of my Master’s degree training. The staff was professional, resourceful, and created an environment of open exchange that truly benefited the intern population. The office is highly organized with excellent training programs, additional educational resources, and easy to use forms and documentation necessary to build effective client files.

I had the opportunity to work with clients suffering from a wide range of issues including; anxiety and depression, personality disorders, relationship issues, trauma recovery, and attachment disorders. Given the high volume of clients who receive services from The Refuge Center, I was able to complete over 700 hours of practicum and internship time in only 2 semesters. In addition to a case load of 10-12 clients, I was also given the opportunity to co-lead multiple psycho-educational and process groups—an invaluable experience.

The supervision I received encouraged and supported me while opening my eyes to new treatment modalities and theoretical approaches. My experience at The Refuge Center was both professionally and personally edifying and I highly recommend them as a practicum/internship site.