Mental Health Association of Northwestern PA

Interning at the Mental Health Association

After completing my undergraduate degree in psychology, I decided to switch gears and continue my education in social work. One of the main reasons persuading me to enter the Master of Social Work program at Edinboro University was due to the ability to complete my internship hours during the school year rather than having to wait until afterwards. This would result in my being able to sit for licensure sooner but it also gave me the opportunity to learn the educational component of my degree while gaining the practical experience. When discussing with my field instructor at school that my plans include getting involved in the mental health field, she immediately suggested that I come to the Mental Health Association (MHA) for my internship. The interview process went well and the next thing 1 knew by October 2006, 1 was interning at the MHA.

Since this time, I have had the opportunity to learn about a broad range of information relating to the mental health system. The staff has all been very helpful in explaining their roles to me within an organization such as the MHA. Consumers as well as staff have also allowed me to sit in on support groups, discussed individual circumstances in dealing with the mental health system, and welcoming me as part of the community within the MHA. I have been fortunate to be a part of the organization of two employment fairs, National Alcohol Screening Day, to become a facilitator for a Workbook Recovery group, to educate potential consumers of the services and activities at the MHA and so much more. The Mental Health Association was a great choice to do my internship. The MHA is an agency that takes the extra step and becomes involved in many avenues of the community. I feel that the meetings I was also able to sit-in with, thanks to the MHA, are also preparing me for the field that I will enter here soon enough. The wide range of knowledge of community services that I obtained here at the MHA and through its networking, will be beneficial in my career to be able to inform others, both mental health workers and consumers.

Now it is May 2007, and I cannot believe that my experience here at the MHA has ended. I will now take with me the knowledge I have obtained during this internship and put it into use while in practice. I would like to thank everyone at the MHA, staff and consumers, for providing me with an internship experience that is helpful in my current and future workings with the mental health system.

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