Don’t Leave Empty-Handed

Intern: Brenna Gillis

Major and Year: Psychology, Senior

Hometown: Waukesha, WI

Status: Online

Internship details: Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac, WI

Dates: May 7, 2012 - June 29, 2012

Spanning the nation and representing multiple academic disciplines, we are likely engaging in a wide variety of internship experiences. However, there is one thing that all of us have in common: We are in this to gain something. Of course, that is not the only reason we applied for internships through Regent University – and I am certainly not suggesting that our motivations for serving in an internship capacity are self-centered. But I think each of us could agree that we applied for our internships with the expectation that we would, in some way, benefit. So as Session E 2012 comes to an end, I must ask you – what have you gained?

To be perfectly honest, I had an incredibly difficult time securing an internship placement. My field of study is Psychology, and in the state of Wisconsin, there is very little I can do in the mental health field without credentials following my name. I was told by site after site, “Oh, I’m sorry…we only select interns from graduate programs. Be sure to call us when you’re in grad school!” Then finally, two weeks before the start of Session E, I found the internship opportunity that I had dreamed of: Serving in an inpatient behavioral health unit at a large, local hospital. I was thrilled. Pulling my “professional attire” to the front of my closet, and pondering whether or not to pack my lunches in a cute, patterned lunch bag, I thought about what the next eight weeks of my life would bring. Would this experience propel me toward a fulfilling career? Would I find that I love serving in the mental health field? Would I receive direction regarding graduate education? As it turns out, I gained all of this – but not necessarily in the ways that I had expected.

You see, when we receive something, it does not always come in a neat and pretty package. There are times when a learning opportunity appears by mere chance, or when a personal mistake lands us in a situation that we later consider one of our “defining moments”. Don’t overlook the subtle ways in which your internship site is preparing you for a career in your chosen field; even if you realize that the work you are currently doing is not what you’d like to do long-term, you have still gained valuable insight! For instance, my service in an inpatient behavioral health unit has shown me that I would much prefer outpatient work. I am grateful for being trained to work in an inpatient setting, and I will likely serve in this capacity at some point in my future training; but I value the long-term therapist-client relationships that an outpatient psychologist position affords. With this realization, my education and career goals have become a bit more focused.

Now, I certainly do not want to downplay the importance of Christ-like service and a humble attitude during our internship experiences. As God’s regents on this earth, we are called to bring relief to the oppressed and over-worked (Luke 4:18-19); to offer our bodies and talents as sacrifices to the Lord (Rom. 12:1); to use our diverse physical, intellectual, and spiritual gifts for the glory of God (Rom. 12:4-8); and most importantly, to serve wholeheartedly – as if for the Lord, and not for our earthly supervisors (Eph. 6:7). Indeed, with this sort of attitude, we reap the greatest reward of all: the blessing and favor of our Heavenly Father (Eph. 6:8). I believe that God may also reward our faithful service by planting goals and desires in our hearts that we may have never before realized – or even filling our minds with questions we must ask ourselves before engaging in the next phase of our education or careers. Watch for these tiny (or not so tiny) blessings, and claim them as God-given pieces of insight. (Even a head full of questions is better than a complete lack of direction!)

So I challenge you, regardless of whether this internship experience was everything you had hoped it would be, don’t leave your internship site next week empty-handed. Leave the site knowing that you served it well, but take with you the lessons that your internship experience has surely taught. No doubt, there are manly blessings to claim!