A warning for interns
Hi! I am an LPC in the state of Pennsylvania and have been practicing for about 5 total years. I am writing this post to provide some advice and my own personal experience in my graduate internship, which was very rewarding but, turned out to be very emotionally painful.
Basically to make a long story short, when I was in my mid twenties I began my graduate internship and was paired with my mentor, a black male in his 50s (this will relevant later) who was also working toward his lpc.
We spent many hours together because I was accumulating hours to graduate. I was very shy at first but, overtime became very comfortable with him. He was such a wonderful mentor and really shaped how I viewed being a therapist. He also really pushed me out of my comfort zone with working with clients in a positive way.
Eventually, our mentor/mentee relationship became a friendship. He would invite me to get dinner, invite me to help with basketball games he hosted, and invited me to a "bridging the racial divide " conference that was designed to help white people understand the experience of black people. It was very educational and helpful to me.
As time went on, he began asking me questions and began divulging very personal information to me. Particularly, about how he would go to Los Vegas and pay for prostitutes. I, being who I am took a curious angle and asked questions about this vs. Expressing disgust or judgment.
Then, a turning point occurred where we went out for drinks. I got very drunk and at the bar he asked me how I would pleasure myself. Being drunk and uncomfortable I deflected without answering the question and without refusing to answer the question. The night ended without much else happening.
However, about a year later, he took me out to dinner and brought up that night at the bar. He propositioned me to have sex with him for money, stating I agreed to this as long as "my husband didn't know." Now, 1. I knew I was really drunk. But, even completely wasted, I couldn't fathom agreeing to such a thing. And 2. Why bring it up a year later?
I said no I would not be doing that and the conversation ended there. After that, I would avoid him at the office. Not look at him. I basically pretended like he didnt exist but, when I would see him in the hall my heart would race. I started getting sick before work. But, I told myself no one would ever believe me and I decided to never tell anyone. He had been in hot water at work before. I suspect, he was let off easy being a minority in my very predominantly white town.
It got to the point where I was so sick and anxious I had to tell my boss. He was subsequently "fired." Essentially, he was asked to quit or he would actually be fired. He did go on to get his LPC and he now works as a therapist at a religious residential facility (oh the irony).
I share this story for others in their internship. I didn't realize I was being groomed the whole time. If someone is making you uncomfortable and you are questioning things, listen to that feeling. It can truly happen anywhere. I thought I was safe because he was a therapist but, just because a person is a therapist does not mean they are a good person. Unfortunately, people in the profession can be very preditorial.
After he was fired, I actually took on supervision for an incoming intern that he was supposed to get. I absolutely told her exactly why he was fired.
Now in my 30's I work predominantly with young women and empower them to see the patterns, set boundaries, and not question their gut intuition.