What are the responsibilities and job description for the 2026 Family Place Internship position at St. David's Developmental & Therapeutic Services?
Agency And Program Description
St. David’s Developmental & Therapeutic Services is a regional leader in child and family development. We offer therapeutic, educational, and support services, including mental health and pediatric therapies, autism treatment, home visiting, an inclusive preschool, and disability services. Over 4,000 children and families access these services at our three early intervention centers in Minneapolis and Minnetonka, more than 30 partner sites, and hundreds of homes across the community.
We provide a continuum of relationship-based mental health services for nearly 2,000 children ages birth to adolescence and their families, including those impacted by trauma and early adversity, engaging them at home, in the community, and in center-based treatment programs.
Family Place is an intensive mental health day treatment program for young children (3-6) who have experienced trauma, an early loss of or lack of consistent caregivers, and/or abuse or neglect. These children struggle to manage their emotions and behavior at home, within their childcare/school setting, and/or in the larger community. We are trauma-informed in our clinical orientation and practice. We draw upon Psychodynamic Theory, Attachment Theory and the tenets of Developmental Repair within the day treatment classroom and in our treatment of individual clients and families.
We love to hire our successful interns! St. David’s has a long tradition of investing in the professional development of our mental health employees, starting with the interns we hire. All post-graduate clinical trainees receive free licensure supervision as part of our benefit package and evidence of our investment in professional development.
Learning Opportunities
In Family Place, internships are offered at our Minneapolis Campus and Minnetonka Center for the following placement cycles:
Interns are required to be present within the day treatment classroom a minimum of three days per week. Morning or Afternoon shifts are available (A.M 8:00-12:00 and P.M 12:00-4:00).
Foundation And Clinical Students Will
Students will receive individual reflective supervision every week and will participate in weekly clinical consultation meetings and therapeutic day treatment curriculum planning meetings with the team. In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in program and agency trainings on a wide variety of relevant topics. Students are encouraged to bring in and integrate readings and assignments from their academic courses.
Student Educational Requirement
Must be enrolled in a Master's Degree Program for Social Work, Clinical Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy.
Student Qualities Desired For Effective Work In This Program
Minneapolis: Melissa Williams, MSW, LICSW (mwilliams@stdavidscenter.org)
Minnetonka: Dawn Gunter, MA, LMFT (dgunter@stdavidscenter.org)
FOR GENERAL QUESTIONS REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH INTERNSHIPS AT ST. DAVID’S, PLEASE CONTACT:
Sarah Ahlfs-Dunn, PhD, LP (sahlfs-dunn@stdavidscenter.org)
- This posting is for Spring of 2026
St. David’s Developmental & Therapeutic Services is a regional leader in child and family development. We offer therapeutic, educational, and support services, including mental health and pediatric therapies, autism treatment, home visiting, an inclusive preschool, and disability services. Over 4,000 children and families access these services at our three early intervention centers in Minneapolis and Minnetonka, more than 30 partner sites, and hundreds of homes across the community.
We provide a continuum of relationship-based mental health services for nearly 2,000 children ages birth to adolescence and their families, including those impacted by trauma and early adversity, engaging them at home, in the community, and in center-based treatment programs.
Family Place is an intensive mental health day treatment program for young children (3-6) who have experienced trauma, an early loss of or lack of consistent caregivers, and/or abuse or neglect. These children struggle to manage their emotions and behavior at home, within their childcare/school setting, and/or in the larger community. We are trauma-informed in our clinical orientation and practice. We draw upon Psychodynamic Theory, Attachment Theory and the tenets of Developmental Repair within the day treatment classroom and in our treatment of individual clients and families.
We love to hire our successful interns! St. David’s has a long tradition of investing in the professional development of our mental health employees, starting with the interns we hire. All post-graduate clinical trainees receive free licensure supervision as part of our benefit package and evidence of our investment in professional development.
Learning Opportunities
In Family Place, internships are offered at our Minneapolis Campus and Minnetonka Center for the following placement cycles:
- Spring-Summer (approx. January-August)
- Summer Block (approx. May-August)
- Summer-Fall (approx. May-December)
- Fall-Spring/Academic Year (approx. September-May)
Interns are required to be present within the day treatment classroom a minimum of three days per week. Morning or Afternoon shifts are available (A.M 8:00-12:00 and P.M 12:00-4:00).
Foundation And Clinical Students Will
- Learn therapeutic intervention and developmental repair techniques based on fundamental tenets of early childhood mental health.
- Learn and participate in play therapy with individuals, dyads, and groups.
- Co-facilitate mental health group skills and mental health group psychotherapy within the day treatment milieu.
- Learn foundational aspects of group therapy.
- Participate in extended DC: 0-5 diagnostic assessments with the program supervisor.
- Collaborate on the development and implementation of individualized treatment plans.
- Attend and co-facilitate in-home family therapy sessions and in-home family skills sessions.
- Learn standard documentation practice.
- Learn standard outcome measurement tools (e.g. ECSII, CBCL).
- Observing occupational and speech therapy sessions.
- Observing outpatient mental health diagnostic assessments.
- Observing typical child development in our Early Childhood Education Program.
- Observing other mental health services in the agency (school-based mental health treatment, Autism Day Treatment, etc).
- Opportunity for DEI focused work, such as BIPOC reflective practice group participation, DEI panels and meetings, etc.
Students will receive individual reflective supervision every week and will participate in weekly clinical consultation meetings and therapeutic day treatment curriculum planning meetings with the team. In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in program and agency trainings on a wide variety of relevant topics. Students are encouraged to bring in and integrate readings and assignments from their academic courses.
Student Educational Requirement
Must be enrolled in a Master's Degree Program for Social Work, Clinical Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy.
Student Qualities Desired For Effective Work In This Program
- Work or life experience with children.
- Ability to take direction and work as a team member.
- Strong communication and written skills.
- Ability to establish positive, respectful working relationships with a diverse population of adults and children.
- Flexibility, creativity, and the ability to think on your feet and problem solve.
- Must be able to participate in a fast-paced, physically active classroom setting.
- Placement requirements: In Person
- Field hours availability: Daytime hours: Monday – Friday
- Specific hours or days: Interns are required to be present within the day treatment classroom a minimum of three days per week. Morning or Afternoon shifts available (A.M 8:00-12:00 and P.M 12:00-4:00).
- Car required? No
- Required orientation? All interns are required to attend a New Employee Orientation before beginning their internship. They are held 2x/month on Monday mornings from 8:45am-12:15pm on our Minneapolis Campus with free parking available; exact date will be determined based on student start date.
- Background check required? Yes. Agency will cover the cost.
- If you are participating in the Minnesota MSW Metro Collaborative Interview and Match Process:
- Please send your cover letter and resume to: Melissa Williams, MSW, LICSW (mwilliams@stdavidscenter.org). Do not apply online until you have been matched with our agency.
- If you are NOT participating in the Minnesota MSW Metro Collaborative Interview and Match Process: o Please apply online for this internship opportunity: Career Opportunities - St. Davids Center for Child & Family Development careers
- Use the “APPLY” link in the posting.
Minneapolis: Melissa Williams, MSW, LICSW (mwilliams@stdavidscenter.org)
Minnetonka: Dawn Gunter, MA, LMFT (dgunter@stdavidscenter.org)
FOR GENERAL QUESTIONS REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH INTERNSHIPS AT ST. DAVID’S, PLEASE CONTACT:
Sarah Ahlfs-Dunn, PhD, LP (sahlfs-dunn@stdavidscenter.org)
