Art Therapy Internship

Applications for our 2026 Internship Program will be accepted January 1-March 1, 2026.

Interviews will be conducted February-March for the placement of an internship June-December 2026.

Beyond Words is excited to offer a University-Affiliated Internship site for art therapy students in the final stage of obtaining clinical hours, prior to graduation of Masters Degree. We currently have a relationship with Ursuline College. We are open to building relationships with other colleges and universities to expand access to private practice placements. We believe in celebrating a balance of building clinical skills with building self-care to promote longevity of a career in art therapy. Our interns are full members of our clinical team and we celebrate their growth and contributions to the field of art therapy along their journey.

Are you a art therapy student looking to build your resume but still have coursework to complete? Click here for a practicum program.

The Details

An internship with Beyond Words offers an in depth look to the world of private practice. During this comprehensive internship, our interns build strong clinical, artistic and professional skills to increase their marketability in the art therapy profession. We are comprised of a team of board certified music therapists, art therapists and adapted dance instructors that work collaboratively as a team to ensure that our students receive high-quality services, according to their individualized needs, strengths and abilities.

Populations

Our interns are exposed to a diverse clientele comprised of children and adults, group and individual sessions, and a variety of diagnoses and needs. The intern's caseload is determined closer to the start date and based on the students currently being services in the practice, agencies servicing in the community and intern's responsibilities outside the internship program. Due to the nature of a private practice, an intern's assigned students and community programs may change throughout the internship. Beyond Words has a growing reputation with expertise in working with autistic individuals, however we also provide services for other neurodiverse and disabled children and adults.

Settings

Our main clinic is located in North Royalton, OH. The intern will report to our North Royalton location throughout the week to conduct sessions, meet with supervisors, and check in and out materials. The intern will also provide sessions in the field. Beyond Words currently provides services in homes, schools, hospitals, group homes, day programs, preschools and day schools, and various other sites throughout the greater Cleveland/Akron areas. The intern’s exact site placements will be determined closer to the start date. This internship does require travel and the intern is responsible for having access to, and maintaining, reliable transportation throughout the internship.

Supervision

The intern will report directly to Courtney Carnes, LPAT, ATR-BC and art therapist at Beyond Words. One individualized supervision meeting will be conducted weekly. The intern will have opportunities to engage in individual supervision with their other site supervisors, as needed. The intern will have opportunities to observe our clinicians, co-treat alongside them, and receive direct supervision during art therapy sessions.

The intern will assume a small caseload of private clients that they will work with independently starting in September. These cases will be reviewed during supervision. Written and verbal feedback on written work, clinical work, and professional skills will be provided. In addition, the intern will complete self-critique forms to assist in developing self-awareness and problem-solving skills.

Experience

In addition to developing clinical skills in various art therapy sessions, the intern will also learn how to conduct assessments, write treatment plans, track data, and terminate cases. The intern will participate in public speaking events, will learn how to market art therapy, schedule appointments, coordinate with a treatment team and more. We believe in treating our interns as a full member of the team from day one of the internship.

Benefits

Although this internship is unpaid, interns at Beyond Words receive the following benefits:

Leave to attend National, State or Regional Conferences
40 hours of excused absences
Several holidays off during the internship
High levels of supervision
Professional liability insurance covered
Background check covered
Access to art material and office supplies

Schedule

This internship can begin in in May or June, but will end in December if the intern is available to work full-time. Part-time internships will also be considered. The studio is closed for selected holidays and may close due to inclement weather. This full-time internship is approximately 40 hours per week with hours split among sessions, office hours, traveling, administration responsibilities, and other tasks. A full-time internship is Monday through Friday with the exact daily hours of the internship to be determined closer to the start date, based upon our clients’ needs but can include morning, afternoon, and evening hours. This internship does require some flexibility, as sessions may be canceled and rescheduled based upon the needs of our clients.

Application Requirements

We accept one intern per year in order to provide individualized attention to that individual. Applicants must be committed to improving their clinical, musical, and professional skills, be able to work independently, and be excited and willing to engage in supervision if applying for this internship. We are seeking applicants who are confident in their skill set, quick to return emails and phone calls, and are ready to transition into a well-rounded professional.

Applications must be received in full by March 1st of each year for a late May/June start date. Interviews will be conducted in April for selected candidates.

Please submit the following as a PDF via email to courtney.carnes@beyondwordscenter.org.

Resume including clinical experience or relevant job/ volunteering experience
Cover letter explaining why you would like to be an intern at Beyond Words
Paragraph of what you expect from your internship supervisor
Written sample session plan for a 45-minute session for a group of adults with developmental disabilities with a focus on community building and social interaction - include at least one goal with two objectives
Written 30-minute sample session plan for an 8 year old child diagnosed with Autism, with a focus on expressive communication skills - include at least one goal with two objectives
Two professional letters of recommendations (can be from a clinical site supervisor, professor, private art teacher, etc.)

Once your application is reviewed, we will contact you for a phone interview and possibly in-person interview (if possible) to tour our facilities, meet the therapists, observe some current sessions and demonstrate your clinical skills. All applicants will receive a confirmation email that their materials have been received. If you have not received a response within 48hrs, please contact Erin Jester. If you have any questions about this internship or application requirements, please contact Courtney Carnes at (440) 230-6100 x707 or courtney.carnes@beyondwordscenter.org. Please visit our programs and informational website pages to familiarize yourself with our services, therapeutic team, mission and vision.

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