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Field Instructor: Danielle Berner
Students: Maeve Swakhammer, Zoie Meyers
Zoie and Maeve are two Advanced year Clinical MSW interns wrapping up their placements at CODA Inc, at the Hillsboro Recovery Outpatient Program, supervised by Danielle Berner, Senior Program Manager. Zoie, Maeve and Danielle were generous enough with their time to let me join one of their last group supervision sessions to reflect on the year.
Zoie Meyers came to her placement at CODA with experience in community mental health and was unfamiliar with the work of substance abuse treatment programs. Zoie was put at ease from the beginning, with incredibly structured onboarding that assisted her in feeling prepared for her internship. Zoie commented that Danielle’s style was the “perfect combination” of encouraging the interns to take on clients when they feel ready, while also providing them with orientation, training and supervision to get there. Danielle shared that interns are included in required training cohorts for all new employees. Not only is this a structured way to help prepare them for practice, but integrates them with full time employees and instills a sense of belonging. Zoie reflected that the interns' work was “really valued and integrated into the whole team”.
Maeve is a graduate of the BSW program at PSU, and was working at CODA as an intake specialist when she got into the Advanced Standing option of the MSW program. Maeve knew she needed to take a year off of work to focus on graduate school, but one of her first thoughts was “I love my job, I do not want to leave CODA!” Danielle was a wonderful support for her envisioning what an internship at CODA could look like so that Maeve could continue to learn and grow there. Danielle was very intentional on centering Maeve’s experience as a student intern in this new role, and how that would be distinct from her previous employee role at CODA. Maeve credits Danielle’s commitment to supervision and supporting student learners as one of the reasons she is such an effective supervisor. “Danielle is such an amazing supervisor – the way she poses questions in supervision will often lead to a revelation later or a deeper understanding.”
Danielle has been involved with the PSU School of Social Work since around 2007, when she was living in Northern California and a host site for MSW interns in the Southern Oregon Distance Option program. When she came to CODA in 2012 she noticed that there were not currently MSW interns at her site, and she helped establish that relationship. As a supervisor and program manager she is passionate about training, supervision and coaching. Danielle shares that a huge joy for her is getting to watch the interns develop over the academic year into strong clinicians. The learning curve is big: “the students are leaving with all of the skill sets that my full time employees have” and Danielle is very gifted at supporting students through the learning process.
As Field was suspended in person for Spring term due to COVID19, Zoie and Maeve have been able to continue to work with clients via telehealth which they are both very grateful for. Zoie shared that, “It made me feel integrated and like my personal and professional growth were prioritized by the agency,” so she could continue her learning and connecting with clients. Throughout the developing COVID pandemic, Danielle continued to create space and prioritize the experience of her interns which helped them feel connected during a time of chaos and uncertainty.
Zoie loved being in her field placement with Maeve, it deepened her growth and learning throughout the year. Maeve agrees that having a co-intern assisted her in “feeling connected to the practice,” and that having someone to process feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, joy, and the overall experience of being interns was a huge benefit of the placement at CODA.
Both Zoie and Maeve shared a commitment and passion to continuing work in substance abuse treatment beyond their time at CODA and credit the excellent support they received from Danielle as key to their success. Thank you Danielle for supporting the next generation of social workers with your insight, time, wisdom and expertise.
Congratulations to Zoie and Maeve on graduation!