The internship, a core component of SVA student training, is integrated into all academic coursework so that theory is consistently connected to practice. Recently, MPS Art Therapy work-study student, Courtney Handsman, interviewed classmate, Juli Tietler, about their second-year internship experience.

CH: Where is your internship site, and what population do you work with?

JT: The Bridge PROS (Personalized Recovery Oriented Services) program. I work with adults who live with serious mental illnesses.

CH: What led you to do your internship here?

JT: In my first year at SVA, I interned on a wellness team in a college prep program. While my time there was significant and helped me begin practicing art therapy as a first-year student, I realized I would like to work with an adult population. The Bridge seemed like a good opportunity to try something new that I was ready for.

CH: What skills have you been able to build upon during your time interning?

JT: I believe the skill I got to practice most this year was listening. It became clear each week that the group's needs should inform my interventions, so I practiced observing and listening. It also required me to practice flexibility and adaptability. I often found myself on the train on my way to start a day, asking myself, "What does X might need today?" As a result, I found that my relationships with my clients deepened and that signups to my groups increased. I also observed that by modeling attentiveness, my clients became more engaged with one another, and discussions during processing were richer.

CH: Could you share an example of an art therapy directive you have facilitated with this population?

JT: Using model magic, I like to ask clients to represent a certain feeling or state and its opposite. For example, I had a client who felt a lot of chaos in her life, and I asked her to represent this chaos using model magic and the opposite of chaos. She then created two opposing pieces, which led to an interesting discussion about tolerating these feelings or the interaction between the two. In the end, we also found a way to integrate both symbols into one, which I think was very powerful and therapeutic for her.

CH: How has your internship experience mirrored or intertwined with your SVA coursework?

JT: The Physiology of Addiction and Trauma for Art Therapists was one of my favorite courses this past semester. I learned much about how trauma affects the body, polyvagal theory, and dissociation. It felt like by just having this knowledge, I was improving my practice every week. I could understand and better relate to what my client was expressing, but also provide more meaningful and intentional interventions because I had a better understanding of my client's condition and how it affects their lived experience. Overall our programs' emphasis on art making, identity as an artist, and art therapist has been helpful. All the knowledge I accumulated and the focus on response art helped me better myself and, therefore, become more attuned to my feelings and intuitions.

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Interview with Graduating Student Juli Teitler