Moving mental health ministry forward

We have prayed for more Christian counselors. God is providing.

Christian Family Solutions receives over 200 calls for appointments each week, and the need for more counselors is undeniable. This demand echoes a nationwide challenge. 47% of the U.S. population resides in areas with mental health workforce shortages.

Interns from counseling graduate school programs play a pivotal role in helping us meet the increasing demand for mental health support. CFS is seeing an influx of interns in recent years, meaning more workers are entering the field.

The interns that have started with CFS for the next academic year are from a mix of schools: Mount Mary University, Concordia University, the University of Wisconsin system, and other academic institutions. The majority come from Bethany Lutheran College (BLC), which launched its Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) graduate program two years ago.

The BLC program teaches biblical principles with evidence-based therapy methods. Many of the program’s students are interested in working at CFS, because we can provide practical experience under the supervision of experienced Christian therapists. CFS continues to expand field experience partnerships with BLC, Concordia University and Wisconsin Lutheran College to bring more competent Christian counselors to serve those in need of our healing and helping mission. Regardless of what school the interns come from, they share an interest in Christ-centered care.

Practical experiences and training are needed for each intern’s development, with a typical internship consisting of 700 educational hours in a calendar year. Once they complete their internship, they become counselors in training and continue their work under the supervision of a licensed counselor for about two years until they acquire the appropriate number of supervision hours.

Guidance from licensed clinicians is essential to interns’ growth. Jodie Martens is a CFS supervisor who is one of the licensed clinicians providing experiential instruction to the CFS interns. “Mentoring our interns is a privilege. Seeing them blossom into confident and capable counselors, and witnessing their growth and passion for helping others is truly gratifying. I am so thankful God has allowed me to be part of their journey.”

The support interns receive from their supervisors is invaluable. Bret Skaer, a recent graduate of BLC’s CMHC program, reflects on his journey: “The support and mentorship I received laid a strong foundation for my counseling career. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply the knowledge and values instilled in me during my counseling training to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives.”

The commitment CFS makes to training interns is significant. In the 2022-23 academic year, CFS supervisors spent over 10,500 hours of experiential instruction with interns plus over 3,700 hours with counselors in training (CITs). This is a labor of love, as the investment ensures excellence in care and cultivates a new generation of Christian counselors poised to offer healing and help.

The importance of the influx of new interns at CFS cannot be overstated. Mental health workers nationwide are experiencing burnout, as the work is difficult and the demand continues to escalate. The presence of more counselors lightens the load. God is providing the way for us to move our ministry forward.