"My Experience at Sunderlin"

I first heard of Sunderlin Behavioral Interventions through the Boise State WorkU Internship Program. I decided to apply on a whim and ended up hearing back a few weeks later that I had gotten the position; I was so excited to have even been considered. Working with children is something that has always been of great importance throughout my career exploration journey. As a Psychology major in my last semester of college, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity for me to gain some real world experience in a field that could be a potential career option in the future.

Despite how nervous I was arriving at the facility for the first time, I immediately felt beyond welcomed and comfortable. Anyone who enters the clinic can easily tell how the staff at Sunderlin truly cares about their clients and the work that they are doing. They are gentle, patient, intelligent and dedicated to the children and I am really grateful of how much of their time they are willing to share as I shadow them. The other intern, Sarah, and I have taken on a few different responsibilities thus far. We plan weekly activities and crafts for the children, shadow the therapists, and are currently working towards receiving our Registered Behavioral Technician Certification by the end of the internship. Each therapist takes on different approaches based around the specific needs of their client to ensure they are receiving the best possible care. I have loved to see how the material we are learning about in our RBT program translates in the actual therapy setting. Sarah and I also attended the Kids Expo at the Ford Idaho Center with Founder/CEO Yrenka Sunderlin and her son, Gavin. This was a great way to learn more about the needs of the local Boise community while also spreading the word about Sunderlin and the importance of the work that they do.

As I enter into my sixth week here, I am very grateful for the staff at Sunderlin and how helpful they have been throughout my time here so far, and I am looking forward to seeing what these upcoming months will bring as well!