06.15.2021

Cole Talbot is just about finished with his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Naropa University in Boulder, CO.  Since January, he’s been completing his required internship hours with the Child & Family team at Alaska Behavioral Health.

friendly bald man with beard smiling at camera
Cole Talbot, clinical mental health counseling intern

Back Home to Alaska

Cole grew up in Alaska, and his passion is working with Alaska children, teens and families.  He started his internship in Boulder but was happy to get back home to provide clinical mental health counseling with kids who have more diversity of experiences and backgrounds. He likes seeing the pride kids have in their connection to the natural world, and it helps him feel connected to his childhood growing up here.

Internship

As for his internship, the best part was working as part of a truly collaborative team  – and knowing that services were addressing the whole “ecosystem” around kids.  Multiple providers might be working with a family – and frequently checking in with each other to share perspectives and experiences. That kind of collaboration helped him grow as a clinician.  [Learn more about internships at Alaska Behavioral Health.]

Community

Cole says it was great to be part of a community of therapists, and to have so many mentors.  Not just his official supervisors – but everyone on staff was happy to answer questions and share their experiences.  At the same time, he was given lots of opportunities and autonomy to work with children and families in ways that feel nourishing for both him and his clients.

Fun Facts

Cole is a former cross-country ski racer and coach. (Skiing is a family passion! )  He’s an avid birder and used to lead bird walks for the Anchorage Audubon Society.  He loves being outside and knowing about the plants and animals and what’s going on in the environment around him.

Next steps

Cole plans to take a little time off to enjoy Alaska summer when his internship ends in July. After that, he knows he’ll stay in Alaska – providing services in a place where he sees a lot of need and feels a lot of community connection.