
The Institute for Individual and Family Counseling reopened on Aug. 18 following its closure during COVID-19. The IIFC is a training clinic for graduate students in UM’s Department of Educational and Psychological Studies within the School of Education and Human Development.
Counseling sessions are available in English and Spanish, both in person and virtually. The students provide individual, group and couples counseling under the direct supervision of University of Miami faculty. This program provides hands-on learning experience for students, while simultaneously providing affordable mental health services to their local community.
Many of the graduate students working at the IIFC are second-year master’s students pursuing their license in mental health counseling. They must complete at least 700 hours in a year, 280 of these being direct hours working unpaid with clients.
George Welch is one of these interns working toward becoming a registered mental health counselor intern.
Welch says that all of the sessions are recorded for educational purposes, then deleted later. They are recorded for liability reasons, and for interns to learn from under the supervision of a psychologist or licensed clinician.
“We go over [the recordings] with our supervisor just to figure out if the right interventions are going to be utilized or [what are the] therapeutic goals,” Welch said. “And then after that, we delete the recordings because of confidentiality purposes.”
Gabriela Sanchez, an intern at the IIFC, says she found this opportunity through her classes at UM. She explained that the program’s inclusivity was one of her main reasons for joining.
“I like how [the IIFC] includes [counseling for] everyone, like people of different heritages and ethnicities,” said Sanchez. “It isn’t just for the elderly, it’s not just for young people. It’s anyone that needs therapy.”
The IIFC works hard to include anyone in the Miami area who is in need of counseling despite socioeconomic status. Morgan Reilly, who started working with the IIFC in August, emphasized the accessibility of the counseling service.
“It’s a community-based center, so we also offer services at a lower cost for people so that we make it accessible,” said Reilly. “Our starting [price] is $50, but we do have a sliding scale because we do want to work with families, individuals, and couples.”
A client may meet with the same counselor continuously from intake until termination. Sanchez says it is important to create a judgment-free place where individuals can receive the care they need. For example, many of her clients appreciate the chance to talk to someone who isn’t a close friend or family member and can listen without judgment.
Julian Maceira, another student working toward his hours at the IIFC, says part of what excited him about joining was the clinic’s strong community reputation before COVID-19.
“It’s nice that it’s on campus and [the IIFC] is integrated with a lot of professors that we already know and that we’ve worked with, but also it just has had a good reputation in the community,” said Maceira.
Although UM offers counseling services to students, Maceira says the IIFC can be a better long-term option.
“The Counseling Center does really good work, but from what we’ve seen they’re really swamped, and they can only do a few sessions,” said Maceira. “If you’re a student that’s looking for something a little more long term … then the IIFC is a good alternative.”
Now, the IIFC is working to rebuild its clientele by promoting around campus and in the community to spread awareness about the resources UM offers.