Diary of an ACS Intern
Written By: Rebecca Good, PhD, Intake Coordinator, ACS’ Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program
Working as a post-doc at ACS,
has been one of the most valuable experiences I have had in my professional and clinical career. Something that has struck me the most about ACS is how much everyone truly cares about the work they are doing. Being surrounded by clinicians and staff who are passionate about working with teens and family is an incredible experience, because it fosters a sense of not only teamwork and collaboration, but also the feeling of family. We all genuinely care about one another, because, for one, everyone who works here is awesome, but also because we all want what’s best for the youth and families.
Something that makes ACS so unique is how much we recognize the importance of family involvement. This year I am working in the ASAT (Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment) program, and we emphasize – and see first hand – how kids are more likely to get better faster if they can see and feel the support and love from their family. We work hard to bring that into our treatment modality. I find that very few doctoral-level sites offer training in family therapy, but ACS encourages its clinicians to take on these cases and build expertise in this area.
One of the reasons I chose the ACS Institute of Psychotherapy and Training and why I’m excited about working at ACS is because I wanted to have the privilege to be trained by ACS’ amazing clinical staff. My clinical supervisor is rigorous in her commitment for all of us interns to provide exceptional quality work, yet leads with guiding and supportive hands. Recently, due to some challenges in my personal life, I found myself feeling overwhelmed and had fallen behind on my work. Rather than chastise me for poor time management skills, or for not doing a better job compartmentalizing my personal and professional life, my supervisor asked me how she could best support me. I was so grateful for her guidance and support, and thanks to her help, I was able to catch up with my work. In addition to their depth of knowledge and expertise in the field of adolescent psychology and substance abuse treatment, the kindness, encouragement, guidance, and support I receive from my supervisors is unlike anything I have experienced in other placements. I feel challenged here, and I can watch myself grow professionally and clinically, but I also feel supported, welcome, and safe to bring challenges to my supervisors and trust in their clinical and professional guidance. I am truly honored to be given the opportunity to work and grow here at ACS, and I can’t wait to continue to grow throughout this year.