Toxic mental health internships are quietly breaking down early career therapists before their careers even begin.

In this episode, I’m talking with my brilliant friend and colleague Dr. Ambra Born about one of the hardest, least-discussed realities in our profession: what happens when training programs don’t protect their students.

We’re opening up about what it’s like to feel overworked, underpaid, unsupported — and then told to be grateful for it. If you’ve ever felt undervalued in your early career… if you worked in a system that took more than it gave… if you’re still carrying the weight of being dismissed or diminished during training — I want you to know, you are not alone.

Ambra and I get into the systemic issues that allow this to happen, the risks across different settings (yes, even private practice), and what a truly supportive training environment should look like. We also talk about what healing can look like if that wasn’t your story — and how becoming a mentor or advocate can be one of the most powerful ways to take your worth back.

So let me ask you this: Have you ever looked back at your training and thought, “That wasn’t okay”? Do you catch yourself overgiving or saying yes when you should say no — because of how you were shaped early on? What kind of support do you wish you’d had?

If that hits home, this conversation is for you. You deserved better. And it’s not too late.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 The Hidden Dangers of Mental Health Internships

01:35 Dr. Ambra Born on Supporting Early Career Therapists

03:36 Exploitation and Structural Issues in Training Programs

07:18 Why Medical Models Don’t Work for Therapists

13:31 Creating Human-Centered Training Environments

17:10 Financial Struggles and Systemic Barriers for Trainees

26:37 Red Flags of Toxic Training Sites

43:08 Healing and Advocacy: Building a Better Future

If this episode struck a chord, I’d love to invite you to join my newsletter for therapists. It’s a community created just for us — with weekly podcast updates, free resources, thoughtful tools for your work, and support for you as a clinician and as a human.

And if we’re not already connected, come say hi on LinkedIn! It’s where I share new episodes, behind-the-scenes reflections, and hear what’s on your mind.

I also want to shout out the incredible work Dr. Ambra Born is doing. She’s the co-founder and executive director of Reaching Hope, a trauma-informed mental health nonprofit in Colorado. You can also follow them on Instagram at @reaching_hope_colorado.

Lastly, I’d love to hear from you. What topics would you like to explore in future episodes? What support are you craving right now? Let’s talk! And if this episode meant something to you, share it with a friend or colleague. We make this profession stronger when we lift each other up.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self