Meet Faith, YSS Mental Health Intern

Faith Wilson says the best part of working for YSS is the atmosphere. “The best days are days that I get to see my coworkers,” she says. “I know I have people who care about me and want me to succeed.”

Faith began her mental health internship with YSS in May of 2022. With a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, she is continuing her education at Grandview University to become a counselor. The internship at YSS is a requirement of her program.

“When I reached out to YSS, they were receptive and replied quickly to me,” Faith explains. “I was on vacation at the time, and they were very kind about my schedule. That was big for me.”

When Wilson first started, she shadowed current YSS counselors as they met with clients. “I was only school smart with counseling,” she says. “But I had no experience.”

As a silent observer, Faith learned the therapists’ techniques and noticed how they interacted with clients. She slowly built a caseload under supervision—and now, she has sessions with clients on her own. Recently, she started doing school-based therapy to build more experience with youth.

Faith says she’s extremely thankful for the opportunity YSS gave her.

“When YSS gave me an interview, it was—quite frankly—the best day of my life,” she explains. “The supportive environment is something everyone talks about. I know if I ever have a difficult session or a difficult client, my team will be there to help me process it.”

With her schooling, her job, and this internship, Faith appreciates the flexibility YSS offers. Later this year, she plans to take the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination to become officially certified as a counselor.

Thanks to YSS, she feels ready to take the next step in her career.

“I am proud of the counselor I have become,” Faith says. “I had such a great opportunity watching everyone else, and I took bits and pieces from all the amazing providers at YSS. I was able to take that feedback and forge myself into a better counselor.”