Train with CPLA

CPLA is a mental health provider for children and adolescents.
CPLA clinicians support students at partner schools throughout Los Angeles County. Our counselors become a part of their school community, identifying students in need & providing them high-quality, compassionate counseling services.

We look forward to meeting with each and every one of you. We are honored to have the chance to
meet people who share our passion for supporting at-risk children in a clinical setting.

***9/21/26 update from Therese Funk, Executive Director***
We are now accepting applications and holding interviews for a limited number of
January 2027 -December 2027 positions.

To be considered you MUST include all requested information
(we cannot reply to a general query) INCLUDING the exact date your university permits you to work with clients, the zip code for where you live and,
for best chance of consideration, ALL the days you can work at your site from 7:30am to 3:00pm.
Please scroll down for information on all items to apply.

Please send in the requested materials (see list and information below)
and we will contact you to set up a Zoom interview.
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IMPORTANT:
If your university/degree requirements include individual/triadic clinical supervision,
we have limited positions. Please be sure to tell us you have that requirement in your email/application.

Regarding relational hours, if this is a requirement of your program....we would happily consider you at this time...
IF CPLA can be a secondary site and you can earn relational hours at a different site.

Please scroll down to find information on how to apply
and to read FAQ's!

INTERESTED IN TRAINING WITH CPLA?
A COMMITMENT WITH COUNSELING PARTNERS OF LOS ANGELES (CPLA)
CPLA clinicians (we use the school-friendly title “counselor”) provide mental health therapy
2 or 3 days a week (based on number of direct hours needed) from 7:30 to about 3:00
at one of our partner school sites for the full school year,
from August thru June (there are a limited number of positions from January thru December)
and receive ongoing supportive, empowering clinical supervision.

While we serve students in Catholic schools, we are not faith-based.
We provide services in Catholic schools because they provide us with strong partnerships.

TRAINING CPLA PROVIDES CLINICIANS
August 2026 starts: We will provide a 3-day training the via Zoom on August 6th, 7th, and 8th (tentative). You must be available for all three of these days.
Five follow-up trainings on Zoom are scheduled throughout the year on Sunday mornings.
Topics covered in addition to CPLA protocols and procedures are:
ACES Screening & Intervention, Sand tray Therapy Training, Fostering Cultural Sensitivity & Humility,
Healing with Art, Helping Families Struggling with Domestic Violence, and Suicide Prevention and Intervention.

THE WORK OF CPLA CLINICIANS
Counselors can expect to accrue 225-275 direct client hours for 2 days and 300-350 direct client hours over 3 days, providing one-on-one therapy, supporting students experiencing difficulties, which include: depression, anxiety, trauma recovery, grief and loss, family relationship struggles, peer relationships as well as crisis intervention under the direction and support of CPLA Senior Staff.
Our most important core value:
We believe that our volunteer counselors are our greatest assets and act as the
driving force for positive change in our organization & in supporting
our students, families, & school communities.
We hope that you will consider joining the CPLA team this coming school year for your practicum experience.

What our counselors say about their experience with CPLA

"CPLA gave me the platform and confidence I needed as a clinician to know in my gut that
this was what I was put on this earth to do."
    -Ashley Richter, CPLA counselor 2018-2019
"CPLA provided me with outstanding supervision, support, and feedback at every moment. CPLA has a tremendous work culture that challenged me to rise to a better version of myself while also promoting self-care.
The feedback and supervision I received were delivered with warmth, compassion, and care for their counselors."
-Lauren Kazarian, CPLA counselor 2020-2022
"CPLA prioritizes the wellness of its counselors and clients over everything else.
Their mission to provide empowerment touches the lives of everyone they come in contact with."
-Katie Holland, CPLA counselor 2021-2022
"My time working with CPLA has been some of the most rewarding of my career. The intersection of my passions for setting up adolescents for a lifetime of holistic success and mental healthcare aligned perfectly with CPLA’s mission and values. Being able to watch my clients heal, grow, and succeed has been an invaluable experience."
- Linneen Warren, CPLA Counselor 2022-2023
"CPLA is a wonderful organization filled with passionate individuals who really care about the wellbeing of the children we serve. It is an amazing opportunity to sit with your clients and hold them in reverence, particularly when many of the children have never experienced that type of care... I learned so much during my tenure at CPLA about simply being present with clients, not rushing in to speak, and trusting in the client’s own wisdom and capacity for growth. The training opportunities at CPLA have also been tremendous to learn from many of the foremost experts on the treatment of children and adolescents."
- Patty Tenenbaum, CPLA Counselor 2023-2025
"CPLA is a true gem. Their website boasts a commitment to providing support and hope to underserved students and their families, and every step of the way they proved that to be just the beginning of the good they do for our community. From the micro, to the meso, and even macro levels, the CPLA organization actively and diligently works hard to make a palpable positive impact on our students and their families, our schools, and our community of emerging clinicians. As an MFT trainee, I can think of no better training for systems-level understanding, work, and impact. We should all be so lucky to begin our careers with a place like CPLA."
- Mary Carp, CPLA Counselor 2025-2026

CPLA MFT & LPCC graduate student clinicians commit to working a full school day for a
minimum of 2 days per week at their assigned school for a minimum of one school year (August-June).

For our counselors whose university hours requirements are larger than 280 DIRECT hours, we would encourage
working 3 days or to plan for an 18-month commitment.

Our 56 partner schools for the 2026-2027 school year are located throughout Los Angeles,
from Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley and Lancaster/Palmdale.

In one school year, counselors can expect to receive approximately
700-800 hours (225-275 face-to-face child/family hours).
Individual and/or group supervision is provided, per the requirements of counselors' universities.
60+ hours of scheduled training workshops cover topics such as bullying, self-injury, play therapy, and grief and loss.

An important component of our counselors' ongoing training will include skill-building and self-exploration in expressive art psychotherapies. These are the use of the creative arts as a form of therapy, including art therapy,
drama therapy, music therapy, poetry therapy, and psychodrama.
Unlike traditional art expression, the process of creation is emphasized rather than the final product.

Expressive therapies are based on the assumption that people can heal through the various forms of creative expression. CPLA shares the belief that through creative expression and the tapping of the imagination, people can examine their
body, feelings, emotions, and thought process.
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CPLA’s well-earned reputation for support and supervision makes us a highly sought provider of practicum placement opportunities by both students and universities. This enables us to place only the truly dedicated and reliable counselors who want to work with children and who will work as partners within the collaborative school environment.
We hope that you will consider joining us.

   "Being able to help children at the moment their struggles begin is truly transformative. I have been able to help children understand their feelings and how to cope with them. It is this that will last them a lifetime."
  -Vanessa Haygood, CPLA counselor 2019-2020

"CPLA is all about love and support. Just as the children feel loved and supported by the CPLA counselors,
we feel loved and supported by CPLA staff. It is both comforting and empowering to know our field supervisors
are available any time we need guidance, to oversee paperwork, and even just to share our successes."
  -Robin Ward, CPLA counselor 2019-2021

"During my time with CPLA I saw growth in myself that I did not know was possible. This opportunity to play a vital part in children's healing process has touched my heart in more ways than I can describe."
- Micaela Meile, CPLA counselor 2022-2023

“CPLA has fostered a place that has opened my eyes and mind to new ideas, cultures, and religions. They
have fostered a place for me to grow not only as a clinician, but also as a person.”
- Evan Snyder, CPLA Counselor 2022-2024

Want to hear more about working at CPLA and get to know some of our current counselors?
Visit the "Latest News" tab!

How CPLA counselors feel about their experience at CPLA

93% of our counselors surveyed in the 2024-2025 school year strongly agreed or agreed that their Clinical Supervisor:

prepared them for client/family engagement
provided timely feedback and suggestions
supported them in learning caseload management and termination
was well informed/provided accurate information with legal and ethical issues
was able to address cultural/diversity issues
created a safe and consistent supervision environment

85% of our counselors surveyed in the 2024-2025 school year agreed or strongly agreed that their Field Support Person

provided guidance in building their caseload at the start of their practicum/academic year.
supported their understanding on administrative responsibilities including online case management, documentation, and data/info collection
provided relevant and timely feedback for ongoing professional improvement
provided strength based, positive, and uplifting feedback to inspire them when dealing with a difficult case/situation
provided reliable and timely support in Crisis Management

HOW TO APPLY
Your application must contain ALL of the items listed to be considered

CPLA Application Flyer
File Size:	12548 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Please send us an email to [email protected] with ALL the following information:

In your subject line, please write [last name, first name] Application to Train at CPLA"
Attach (as a file) your updated resume (or CV). Please include your current graduate program.
The time commitment you agree to work with us...We require a minimum commitment of the equivalent of one school year. You need to commit to a period of one of the following (this also depends on your university practicum period: August-June, January-December, January-June, May-following June.) PLEASE NOTE: Those on our January to December team will have a 7-week break in between semesters during summer as we follow the calendar of the schools we support.
Attach (as a file) a letter stating your current professional goals and how some of the important experiences in your life have influenced you and make our organization a good fit for your goals (please be specific). These experiences may be people, events, and/or cultural influences that have brought you to this moment/graduate school. This will help us to get to know you and your dreams for your future.
Provide us the best phone number and email address to reach you, and your complete current address.
Provide the days (Monday-Friday) between 9:00 and 3:00 you usually would be available to interview.
Where you plan to be living next January as sometimes the address on your application/resumes is a mailing address and/or you may plan to move. Please also note how far you would be willing to travel/commute. (Please note that we do our best to assign a placement within 15 miles of your home, but sometimes, it may be farther). Please also note which means of transportation you will take to your site if hired.
ALL days each week you would be available to work for us from 7:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Feel free to also indicate which days would be better for you. *Please note we are looking for two non-consecutive days of availability.*
The name and campus name/location of your graduate school (if applicable), and the degree you are pursuing.
Tell us if your graduate program is in-person, online, or hybrid.
The month and year you began your graduate studies (ex. 8/25) and the month and year you are scheduled to graduate (if applying as a trainee) (ex. 12/27).
The name and contact info (email AND direct line) of the person at your university who oversees clinical placements (titles may include Clinical Training Coordinator, Clinical Placement Director, Clinical Placement Coordinator)
Please indicate if you speak additional languages besides English. *If Spanish, please state whether you can speak to a parent in an informal conversation about their child (no clinical psychology verbiage needed).
Provide the names of 3 references, two of which must be professional, with phone and email contact information, how long they have known you, and in what capacity.
Please include a small photo (so we can remember you!) in your email.
Indicate the exact date (if graduate student) when you are permitted to begin working with us: Immediately, or as available, January, or August. *Please note that we are hiring for August 2026 at this time*
Please provide information on hours as required by your university (if applicable) for: Face to face hours, Total hours, Relational hours, and Group hours.
Please provide specific supervision requirements for your degree or status as an MFT including weekly individual and group.
Please state whether you are currently in personal counseling. If you are not currently in personal counseling at this time, would you be open to do so when you begin practicum?

We will contact you to set up an interview once all required items have been received.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I hear back about my application?

Is there anything I can do to make my application stand out?

When will I hear back about being hired or not?

How long of a commitment do I need to make to CPLA?

Will I get paid while I am at CPLA?

Where can I send my application materials?

Will I be at a high school or elementary school?

How many days will I work a week?

Do I get to choose my school site?

Can I change my school site mid-way through the year?

How many clinical hours will I get per day?

How many clinical supervisions will I receive?

Will the work be in-person? Is supervision in-person?

When does supervision take place?

Will I be at more than one school?

How do you determine which school to place me at?

When will I find out which school I will be placed at?

Do I need a vehicle for this traineeship?

Am I allowed to leave my school site during the day?

What training does CPLA provide to prepare counselors for work in the schools?

We do our best to get back to you ASAP; we hope to get back to you in 1-2 weeks. Please be sure to include your email and cell# in the application email.

The most important thing to do is look at all the information we provide on our website. This shows us that you took the time to learn about us. understand if we can meet your university requirements, read through the application instructions and understand the commitment we need from you.

It varies depending on time of year and the amount of openings we have. Early in our hiring for the next class of counselors we can give you a decision within a week. Again, it is beneficial to apply as early as possible for either the August or January positions. If you are offered a position during the interview, we do expect a written decision within a month of the interview date. *However, in June and July, we require a response regarding acceptance of the position within a week as we start in August*

Most positions start in August with a commitment through June. A January commitment lasts until December. We require that you work for us for one academic year. After the year is over, you are free to seek other employment or you can stay on with us!

No. This is a traineeship to help graduate students gain training hours and experience for their MFT or LPCC.

See the list above for all required materials. Please send these materials to [email protected] prior to interview.

80% of our school positions are elementary, so most likely elementary but we do take into account your preferred age group and your experience/skills. Most high school positions are filled by candidates who have worked with us before or candidates who have significant experience with adolescents.

Most counselors work two days a week. The days vary based on school placement and your school schedule. If your university practicum hours requirement is greater than 500 we recommend you work three days per week, or plan to work with us for one and a half academic years.

We do not allow counselors to choose their school site. However, we do take geography and commute time in mind. We ask that those who apply to us be prepared to commit to a placement of up to 20 miles from their home location, or the equivalent of a 45 minute drive. Our school sites are located in underserved communities.

No, to provide the best support and consistency to your students, you will be expected to remain at your original school site(s) for the duration of the year. It is extremely difficult for us to facilitate site changes mid-year due to logistical reasons.

Once the school year has started, you should be able to get five direct clinical hours each day you are on campus. We expect counselors to maintain a typical caseload of 15-20 students, seeing 6-8 students each day they are on campus, with an average session length of 30-40 minutes.

You attend a clinical supervision for each day you work with CPLA. These supervisions are scheduled outside of your regularly scheduled site hours and you must attend all assigned supervisions each week.

CPLA counselors provide in-person counseling at our partner schools. CPLA does not provide any telehealth opportunities All clinical supervisions are virtual.

Many of our supervisions are after school from about 3:30 to 5:30 pm (after your scheduled day at the school). We do not allow supervisions during your scheduled work hours. We also have a limited number of weekday and Saturday morning clinical supervision groups.

For most CPLA counselors, working two days a week, you will be at one school both days and have a co-counselor that works there the other two days. If you work with CPLA 3 days (due to university requirements) you will work at one elementary school 2 days and at a high school 1 day.

We assign a school according to 1) location that would work for you and your schedule, 2) which school site we think would be the best fit for your goals and the needs of the school, and 3) the CPLA school sites which have openings.

If hired, you may not be confirmed a specific school site until late July, once schools have confirmed with CPLA. We can let you know the days and general vicinity/location of where you would be placed thereby enabling you to accept the offer based on possible site locations. Our schools are placed all over Los Angeles, specifically in underserved communities.

While a vehicle is not exactly necessary to commit to a practicum with us, we ask that you have access to reliable transportation, whether that is a ride-share service, bus, train, etc. Please let us know which mode of transportation you plan on using for the traineeship when you apply. Please note that we do our best to place you within a 15-mile radius of your home location, but sometimes, the commute may be longer.

In order to provide provide the best quality of care to our students in the case of crises and mental health emergencies, we ask that you remain on site for the duration of your work day (7:30am to 3:00pm).

CPLA provides an initial and mandatory training at the beginning of August and January for its new hires. There will also be 5 Sunday morning trainings on pertinent mental health topics throughout the year.

CPLA Application Flyer
File Size:	12548 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

A Day In the Life of a CPLA Counselor

CPLA Counselor Julia Melvin

CPLA Counselors Jessie Latin and Emma Feitshans

See below for our school locations:

“I came to work for CPLA because of Monica’s and Therese’s compassionate hearts for the children they work with. They have inspired several counselors including myself to work in schools and provide in-school counseling for kids that might not receive it elsewhere or who need the extra support during hardships they face day in and day out. They believe the success of every student every day is important as I do.”

Caroline Iscovitz, CPLA Counselor 2012-2013

Consider donating to our cause so we can continue providing high quality mental health services to underserved children across Los Angeles.

Click HERE to Donate!

Want to hear more about working at CPLA and get to know some of our current counselors?​Visit the "Latest News" tab!