CFT Students Get Practical Experience in the Field

The sex therapy track has attracted more than half of the CFT students in the program’s first three years. It’s no surprise. Specializing in sex therapy is unique among master’s degree programs; training is usually done at a post-master’s degree or higher level.

“Other MFT programs have some human sexuality classes, but I really liked that Jefferson was very sex-therapy specific,” shares Angie Dion, MFT ’10.

Angie, who earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern New Hampshire University, was a case manager with homeless and runaway youth before pursuing her master’s degree. “I’ve always been very interested in people’s relationships and how they interact. Couple and family therapy seemed like a natural fit.”

She chose the sex therapy track because, she says, “Sex is not easy to talk about, but it is an important part of people's relationship and they need to know how to deal with each other about it. Learning to do sex therapy and couples therapy together gives me real skills in helping people in this area of their relationship.”

All sex therapy students see clients at the Council for Relationships’ Institute for Sex Therapy. Faculty members encourage them to find other placements to gain additional experience with diverse populations. Students have practica options such as Joseph J. Peters Institute, a non-profit mental health agency focused on sexual abuse; Sexual Trauma And Recovery (STAR), an organization that provides treatment for sexually related disorders; and the Mazzoni Center, Philadelphia's LGBT health center.

“Students often identify a setting where they want to intern and we work with them to make the connection,” shares Chris Fariello, PhD, director of the program. “We give them resources and help build the relationship.” Students are interviewed to ensure a good match with the supervisor and clients, and they are not always offered the placement.

Angie Dion is completing her clinical hours at a variety of settings. At the Council for Relationships’ center city office she sees individuals, couples and families, and at the Institute for Sex Therapy she sees individuals and couple for sex therapy. At her third site, Wayne Counseling Center, she is supervised by Michele Angello, PhD, who works with people who identify as transgender or gender variant. “I co-facilitate groups with her,” Angie says, “I sit in on some of her therapy sessions and I also do supervision with her once a week to review the clients that I see.”

Dr. Angello has had a number of students work with her, and Angie is her second from Jefferson. “Internships give students the real life experience of what it means to be a therapist,” she says. “They have a chance to watch someone who has been doing it a while. They learn from that and it gives them confidence for when they do it themselves.” She says that after Angie sits in on a session, they spend time reviewing what was said and how Dr. Angello responded or didn’t respond.

Some days Angie accompanies Carol Cobb-Nettleton, DSW, director and co-founder of the center, to monthly medical ethics committee meetings or visits to treatment programs. “I have had a wide range of experiences and I feel very prepared to go out into the professional world and be proficient in whatever I do,” shares Angie. In the fall she is starting a doctoral program in the field of human sexuality, and she plans to continue doing a variety of types of therapy as she decides what area she wants to focus on in the future.

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