Samantha was a MSW Intern Therapist for Wasatch Behavioral Health during Spring 2025.
Briefly explain what you did and the result of your internship.
At my internship, we provided mental health treatment to people facing chronic homelessness. This treatment was life-changing for those who were actively engaged in attending their therapy and case management sessions, because many of them struggle with trauma, mental illness, and substance abuse. Throughout the intervention process, our clients learn the skills they need to heal from trauma, become self-reliant, and break cycles of abuse and poverty that are so common in their own histories.
What did you learn on your internship that you were not expecting to learn?
Just how prevalent trauma is among those who experience homelessness. The breakdown of a family has enormous consequences down the road, and many of the problems our society faces (homelessness included) would be radically diminished if we were to strengthen our families and family relationships.
How have your future plans changed because of what you learned from your internship experience?
I am even more solidified in wanting to work with those experiencing homelessness, or severe trauma.
Please share how your experience led to personal inspiration or insightful revelation.
Every person is truly a child of God, and we are all the same. It is easy to judge others who are different from us, but at the end of the day if we had been through the things that person had been through, we could easily end up in the same boat we see them in.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Yes. It was very insightful and eye-opening to deal with people who are on such a different side of life. It was very humbling.
Is there anything else you would like to say regarding your internship?
BYU is an incredible institution that really facilitated the coordination of my internship and made this experience possible for me, and I’m very grateful.
