About the role
Internship Opportunities
Join our team at Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and make a difference in the lives of children and families healing from abuse. Our internship program offers valuable, hands-on experience in child advocacy, nonprofit work, and trauma-informed care.
- Doctoral Psychology Internship Program
- Family Advocacy
- Therapy
Doctoral Psychology Internship Program
Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) offers a one-year, full-time psychology internship to doctoral students in clinical, counseling, or school psychology. The internship provides training in evidence-based practices that have been shown to be effective not only with children and families with child maltreatment histories but also those with other disruptive behavior, impulse-control, trauma-related, and mood disorders.
Learn More
Family Advocacy Internship
Family Advocate interns work alongside DCAC’s Family Advocate team to deliver wraparound services for clients and families. Interns gain foundational knowledge of multidisciplinary teamwork within the CAC model and learn about the impact of child abuse on families. This hands-on experience helps build skills in case management, crisis intervention, and time management while working directly with children and caregivers.
More Information
Internship requirements
- Complete the application, pass background checks, and participate in the interview process.
- Commit to one semester (or summer semester) at DCAC.
- Commit to 15 hours per week, including at least one evening shift (until 8 p.m.).
- Must be pursuing coursework in human development, family studies, social work, or similar fields.
- Attend bi-weekly group supervision.
Essential duties and responsibilities
- Conduct follow-up calls to caregivers after clients’ forensic interviews.
- Provide supportive case management, including Crime Victims’ Compensation, referrals, and resources.
- Create a safe, engaging environment for children in the Activity Center.
- Contact families in the Long Term Follow-up Program, assess needs, update them on pending criminal cases, and track cases in the DCAC database.
- Participate in DCAC special events—such as Champ Camp, Back to School, Holiday of Hope, and family Drive Thru events.
- Facilitate life skills groups for clients and their siblings during evening programs.
How to apply
To apply for a Family Advocate internship at DCAC, please email your résumé to FAinternship@dcac.org. In your email, specify the semester or date you wish to begin your internship, describe any experience you have working with children, and note if you are fluent in Spanish.
Therapy Internships
Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center offers enriching master’s-level internships for students seeking hands-on experience in trauma-focused therapy. Interns work alongside experienced clinicians to support children and families impacted by abuse while developing critical skills in assessment, treatment, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Spring 2026 applications is November 9, 2026.
More Information
Student Internship Selection Criteria
- Must be pursuing a master’s degree or higher in counseling, social work, psychology, or a related field at an accredited university.
- Preference given to students from universities with an existing DCAC partnership.
- Preferred to have completed a graduate-level practicum with direct counseling experience.
- Recommended coursework: counseling theories, ethics, multicultural counseling, diagnosis, group counseling, assessment, statistics, and/or research methods.
- Experience working with children/adolescents and comfort with directive therapy (TF-CBT, PCIT) preferred; TF-CBT training provided.
- Bilingual candidates preferred.
Student Internship Requirements
- Commit to two semesters at DCAC (minimum nine months).
- Pass criminal and CPS background checks, plus a drug screening.
- Be available one evening per week (until 8:00 PM) for client appointments.
- Attend Friday meetings/group supervision, 9:00 AM –11:00 AM.
- Master’s students: minimum 18 hours/week.
- Participate in one hour of weekly individual supervision.
- Provide therapy to adults and children of all ages in individual, family, and group settings; involve caregivers in all cases.
- Attend three full days of required training at a specified time during your first semester.
How to apply
To apply for a Therapy internship at DCAC, please email your résumé to clinicalinternship@dcac.org. In your email, specify the semester or date you wish to begin your internship, describe any experience you have working with children, and note if you are fluent in Spanish.
You Can Make a Difference
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive event and training updates.