Here at Core Values Counseling, we invest deeply in our student interns who come alongside us and receive comprehensive training, support from seasoned therapists, and mentorship throughout their time with us.
When a new student intern joins the Core Values Counseling team, I have them sit in with me (Sabrina), the seasoned therapist, in a wide variety of sessions with both individuals and couples.
And here’s the part I especially love: When a new couple joins our practice, I take the opportunity to bring a student intern alongside that couple from the very beginning. That way, the student intern has the benefit of working alongside me for the duration of that couple’s therapy, for a period of several months. The student intern is able to observe me working with them firsthand and can also participate in sessions (it’s like getting two therapists for the price of one!).
At Core Values Counseling, we place a special emphasis on mentorship and believe that the one-to-one support of a mentor is essential to developing and training the most successful therapist possible. In addition to training with me, we match each student intern with a more experienced therapist on our team with whom they can also practice some co-therapy.
New student interns meet with their mentor weekly for the first six months and bi-weekly for several months beyond that. This helps to ensure they really feel supported and confident that they always have someone to turn to for feedback, advice, and guidance.
This sort of holistic, wrap-around support for our student interns ensures that when they begin seeing new clients of their own, they have the utmost confidence in what they’re doing — again, knowing that they have the support system of their mentor and the entire Core Values Counseling team to back them up.
This mentorship-driven, holistic philosophy to bringing up new student interns is a strength of the Core Values Counseling approach and something that makes us unique as a practice. And it’s why we think our therapists are some of the best in the area of couples counseling.
I’m excited to introduce our two newest Student Interns, Laura Huerta and Angela Alipio. You can read more about the Core Values team here on our website.
Laura Huerta, Counselor, Student Intern
Individuals, couples and youth
Laura is a candidate for the M.A. in counseling from Multnomah University. She completed a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Multnomah University. She is in grief following trauma and in crisis work through ICISF for assisting individuals and groups in crisis. She has lived overseas for many years doing humanitarian work. Laura has recently served as a chaplain for the Hillsboro Fire and Police Departments.
Laura is passionate about finding avenues of hope and direction for those who experience loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Her personal knowledge of what it takes to thrive in marriage gives her passion to help others thrive as well.
Laura has been married since 1994 and has three adult children. In her free time she enjoys time with friends and family; watching Formula 1 race cars, and taking long walks on the beach.
Angela Alipio, Marriage, Family Therapy, Student Intern
Individuals, couples and family therapy
Angela is a marriage and family therapist in training. She is currently attending Colorado Christian University in the Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University.
Angela treats every client with respect, kindness, and compassion. She believes in taking a collaborative therapeutic approach; one that fosters a safe environment for clients to develop and achieve their personal goals. She is committed to reinforcing clients’ positive feelings and behaviors. Angela is passionate about couples therapy and is especially influenced by the Gottman Couples Method of therapy.
In her free time, Angela enjoys spending time with her husband, which usually involves playing volleyball, running, clamming, mushroom hunting, tandem bike riding, traveling, or trying new restaurants. Angela also runs a small hobby farm with her husband, raising chickens, turkeys, and rabbits.
Photo by Michael Morales
