Post-Degree Institute

 
 
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Heal others.
Hone your skills.


Gain full licensure.

Our Post-Degree Institute is an immersive supervised fellowship experience for aspiring Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC).

Our Post-Degree Institute (PDI) is designed for individuals who hold a master’s or doctoral degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, or a closely related field, and are seeking further training to obtain full licensure in South Carolina as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist or Licensed Professional Counselor.*

Supervised clinical training occurs with a diverse client population, presenting a wide range of family, couple, and individual challenges. Our program emphasizes evidence-based and culturally-sensitive approaches to therapy.

The PDI operates within our Spartanburg clinic. Scroll down to learn about our program’s benefits, supervisors, requirements, and application process!

*We do not provide training for other mental health specialties, such as school counseling or social work.

Why choose EMERGE’s Post-Degree Institute?

  • All new fellows are provided with a full caseload - no need to worry about building your own!

  • You may begin seeing clients prior to taking the licensure exam, since we are a non-profit.

  • We have exceptional supervisors with a variety of credentials including LMFT-S, LPC-S, and RPT-S.

  • Your schedule is highly flexible - we let you establish your own schedule with your clients.

  • Free and low cost access to professional development opportunities, including attending - and providing - CEUs.

  • Free grant-writing assistance for those interested in pursuing niche interests.

  • Specialization in play therapy - EMERGE has RPT Supervisors on staff, play therapy courses and workshops, and even a dedicated sand tray room!

  • View our PDI overview for more benefits.

 
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PDI Testimonials

“EMERGE’s PDI program shaped me into the clinician I am today. Instead of spending my intern years juggling a huge caseload at an agency, I was able to continue doing the work that I wanted to do, under the supervision of remarkable teachers like Julie Dillon, who knew me and had guided me on the path to becoming a therapist. Because of my two years in the PDI, I was able to seamlessly transition into my own private practice with a nearly-full caseload, as many of my EMERGE clients were able to follow me to my private practice. I will be forever grateful for the ways in which the PDI prepared me for my career. “

-Sara Katherine Wade, 2020 PDI graduate

“The PDI has been a great scaffold to my growing career as a family therapist with a specialization in the use of hypnotherapeutic skills. It continues to be a supportive atmosphere where I can still get CEUs for workshops that are of interest and relevance to me.”

-Hitha Srivatsan, 2020 PDI graduate

Our PDI Administrative Team:

  • Heather Witt, Executive Director

  • Sarah Gervais, LMFT-S, RPT

  • Ross Hill, LMFT-S

  • Sabrina Richardson, LMFT-S

  • Hitha Srivatsan, LMFT-S

  • Head over to our supervisors page to learn more!

Interested? Here are your next steps:

 For a brief overview of the PDI’s timeline, requirements, and benefits:

To apply:

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We also offer:

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