Pre-Practicum Mental Health Experience Program
Participants will:
- Gain 150 documented hours of structured engagement
- Learn foundational mental health knowledge and clinical concepts
- Develop communication and reflective skills
- Participate in supervised peer interaction with practicum students
- Build a portfolio (content + reflections) they can use in applications
We provide a structured educational + experiential certificate program with a practicum-style component
Including:
- “Training hours”
- “Experiential learning hours”
- “Supervised engagement hours”
- “Pre-practicum certificate”
Program Structure (150 Hours)
1. Foundational Learning (40 hours)
Self-paced modules:
- Introduction to mental health systems
- Ethics & boundaries
- Trauma-informed care basics
- Addiction, anxiety, depression overview
- Communication skills (active listening, attunement)
Included:
- Short videos
- Readings
- Reflection prompts
- Quizzes
2. Content Creation Lab (40 hours)
Participants:
- Help script, edit, or research for Mind Body Relationship (YouTube)
- Create:
- Short-form psychoeducation videos
- Blog posts
- Social media content
This provides:
✔ Portfolio material
✔ Real-world application
✔ A sense of contribution
3. Supervised Peer Engagement (30 hours)
- Structured discussion groups
- Case-based conversations (non-clinical)
- Q&A sessions with practicum students
Important:
- No therapy provided
- No clinical responsibility
- Clear boundaries
4. Practicum Shadowing / Interaction (20 hours)
- Attend debrief-style sessions with interns
- Observe:
- Case conceptualization discussions
- Professional development conversations
5. Reflective Practice + Portfolio (20 hours)
- Journaling
- Guided reflection assignments
- Final submission:
- Personal statement
- Learning summary
- Sample content piece
Deliverable
Participants receive:
Certificate of Completion
- 150 hours documented
- Breakdown of competencies:
- Psychoeducation
- Communication
- Ethics awareness
- Reflective practice
- Letter of reference (for top participants)
Pricing Model
For education and supervision
Tiers:
Option 1: Self-Guided
- $299
- Modules + content creation
Option 2: Guided Program
- $599
- Includes:
- Group supervision
- Feedback on content
- Live sessions
Option 3: Premium Track
- $1200
- Includes:
- Individual mentorship sessions
- Letter of recommendation consideration
- Application coaching
Portside ART Institute and The Counselling House
Build Your Mental Health Experience Before Graduate School
Our 150-hour Pre-Practicum Mental Health Experience Program is designed for individuals preparing to apply to counselling, psychotherapy, or social work programs.
Through guided learning, content creation, and supervised peer engagement, participants gain meaningful exposure to the field while building a strong application portfolio.
This is not traditional volunteering-it is structured, supervised experiential learning designed to help you stand out.
- Not clinical training
- Not a substitute for practicum
- No client interaction
- Educational purposes only
The benefits of our program:
- Solves a real barrier of lack of experience
- Gives tangible outputs for portfolio + certificate
- Is legitimate and structured
- Benefits your ecosystem long-term
