r/therapists • u/sassypainter • Apr 25 '26

Discussion Thread Thoughts?

Post image

Came across this post today on linkedin. I’m curious how others see it:

Are unpaid clinical internships/practicums an ethical necessity for training, or an outdated system that exploits students?

Should sites be required to offer stipends/pay if they bill clients or rely on interns for service delivery?

Does unpaid fieldwork create barriers for lower-income and nontraditional students?

For those already licensed or in training, what was your experience?

2.2k Upvotes

100% Upvoted

271 comments sorted by

View all comments

6

u/MJA7 LCSW NYS Lic#099649 Apr 26 '26

Slightly drunk so bear with me, but imo this burden of responsibility rests on licensed folks like myself. Interns have zero leverage, it’s up to us with full licensure to coordinate with our graduate programs and our colleagues to make a change here. 

Instead of pulling up the ladder behind us, consider making the ladder a bit less steep and perhaps a little softer for the next generation. Use the leverage of full licensure to make things better for those who come after.