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SOC-OFE Doctoral Students: Identifying Potential Field Sites

Locating Counseling Field Experience Sites

Transcript Presentation Slides

Updates to the webinar:

Search Walden University Affiliation Agreements

In your Meditrek account, you have access to a list of all of the current affiliation agreements that Walden University has with various field sites around the country and around the world.

To access the list:

  1. Log into Meditrek (https://edu.meditrek.com)
  2. Select "Search Affiliation Agreements"
  3. Select "Counseling" in the School dropdown. Also consider selecting other programs (Psychology, Social Work) in this dropdown to see additional potentially viable sites. We don't recommend using the "Program" dropdown in most cases, as this may limit the options displayed more than necessary. Do keep in mind, though, that some sites are appropriate for some counseling programs and not others (i.e. schools).
  4. Enter your city and/or state to see the active agreements that Walden University has with potential field sites in your area.
  5. Before you contact the site, do an internet search to determine what type of organization it is and if they might have opportunities that would be appropriate for your counseling program.

Email socassessment@mail.waldenu.edu to request your Meditrek login credentials, or for other assistance with Meditrek.

Disclaimer - Please Read:
This database includes all the active agreements that Walden University has with various field sites for programs throughout the university. Walden actively pursues affiliation agreements with new field sites whenever possible, so please contact the appropriate field experience representative for your program to discuss options if your desired field site is not listed here. Some field sites may not be appropriate for some programs/specializations and an active agreement between Walden and the field site will not require a site to take on any particular Walden student, as space and programs may be limited. You will need to work directly with the field site to ensure their willingness and ability to take you on as a student during the time period that aligns with your course. You will also need to complete the application process as required for your program. The presence of an active agreement with a field site does not imply an automatic approval of your field experience plans.

Internet Resources

To generate some additional networking opportunities—these individuals may not be bringing on interns, but they may have leads for agencies or people in your area that are:

To generate lists of accredited sites* in your area:

To find behavioral health treatment providers in your area:

Networking

Similar to a job search, networking can be enormously helpful in securing a field experience site.

  • Network with people in your community.
  • Volunteer
  • Network with clergy (if member of faith community reach out to clergy to learn sites members are referred to for counseling services)
  • Go to community events and network (e.g. health fairs because they will have service providers onsite)
  • NAMI
    1. Get counseling service referral information 
  • Network with Walden University faculty members.
  • Communicate with students who reside in the same area to see where they have found success.
  • Join and become involved in state and national professional associations, such as the following:
    • American Counseling Association
    • American School Counseling Association
    • American Mental Health Counselors Association
    • State counseling associations
    • Divisions closely aligned with your specialty area
  • Walden Career Services Center Resources:

Other Ideas

Some potential sites that you may not have considered:

  • Salvation Army
  • YMCA/YWCA
  • Boys and Girls Clubs
  • Neighborhood Community Centers that offer counseling services
  • Prisons and juvenile detention centers
  • Domestic violence counseling (perpetrator and victim)
  • Hospice and palliative care
  • Community centers that provide counseling services to homeless populations/shelters
  • Churches that offer counseling services with a licensed professional (must meet supervisor requirements) 
  • Schools (non-School Counseling students)
    **Must meet program and site supervisor requirements (not scheduling or classroom observation for non-SC students). Non-SC students should seek schools that offer mental health counseling services and/or contract with organizations to come to the school to provide mental health counseling services.

  • Dual diagnostic counseling services (CMHC and MCFC students)
    **CMHC students are required to focus on mental health counseling for this clinical population and MCFC students are required to focus on marriage, couple or family counseling.