CPLA is a mental health provider for children and adolescents.
CPLA clinicians support students at partner schools throughout Los Angeles County.  

We have just begun interviews for CPLA team members who will start with us in
​ ​August 2021 for the 2021-2022 school year.

We would love to consider you for our August 2021 team, and hope that you will send us your application materials.

​We wish you all the best. Take care and be well,
                                                                            Therese Funk, Co-Founder & Executive Director​​

 

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 days a week (7:30 to about 3:00) at one of our partner school sites for the full school year, from August thru June and receive ongoing supportive, empowering clinical supervision.
 
TRAINING CPLA PROVIDES CLINICIANS
CPLA provides a comprehensive initial 3-day training (this year scheduled on August 10th, 11th, and 12th) and 6 follow-up trainings throughout the year. Topics covered in addition to CPLA protocols and procedures are: Sand tray Therapy Training, Fostering Cultural Sensitivity & Humility, Healing with Art, Helping Families
who Struggle with Domestic Violence, and Suicide Prevention and Intervention.
 
THE WORK OF CPLA CLINICIANS
Counselors can expect to accrue 250-300 direct client hours, 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 and support under the direction of CPLA Senior Staff.
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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.

                             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 asks MFT trainees and associates to commit to work 2 days per week at an assigned school for one school year (August-June). Our 35 schools are located throughout Los Angeles from the South Bay to the San Fernando Valley.

In one school year, counselors can expect to receive approximately 700-900 hours ( 250-400 face-to-face child hours). Individual and/or group supervision is provided. Scheduled training workshops cover various topics such as bullying, self-injury, play therapy, and grief and loss.

​ 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 is YOU!

                        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-present
                                                                                                                               -

How to apply

Please send us an email to apply@counselingpartnersofla.org with the following information:

• In your header, please put "[last name, first name] Application to Train at CPLA"  
• Attach (as a file) your resume (or CV).
• 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. 
• 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 August as sometimes the address on your application/resumes is a mailing address and/or you may plan to move.
• 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 indicate if you speak additional languages besides English.
• Provide 3 references, ideally 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 when you can begin working with us:  Immediately, or as available, January, or August. 
• Please provide information on hours 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.
•   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? 

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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?

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Where can I send my application materials?

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Will I be at a high school or elementary school?

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How many days will I work a week?

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How many clinical hours will I get per day?
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​How many clinical supervisions will I get?
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Will I be in-person? Is supervision in-person?

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Will I be at more than one school?
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We do our best to get back to you ASAP, but you may hear back as late as 1 week. 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 require on our website. This shows us that you took the time to google us and read through the application instructions. 
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 It varies depending on time of year and the amount of opening 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. 

​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 with us! 
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No. This is an internship to help graduate students gain training hours and experience for their MFT or MSW, or it is a volunteership for associates to gain hours towards licensure.  
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See the list above for all required materials. Please send these materials to apply@counselingpartnersofla.org prior to interview. 
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Depends. 85% of our school positions are elementary, so most likely elementary but we do take into account your preferred age group and your experience/skills. 
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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. 
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Once the school year has started, you should be able to get five direct clinical hours per day. 
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You have a clinical supervision for each day you work with CPLA. These supervisions are scheduled outside of your regularly scheduled site hours.
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We are hopeful that we will be back in the schools the 2021-2022 academic year, but we hope we will be permitted to continue virtual clinical supervision. 
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No. You will be at one school both days and have a co-counselor that is there the other two days. 
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“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

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