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Clinical Internship
Fully remote, full-time internship for aspiring clinical psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors.
Our Clinical Psychology Internship equips aspiring mental health professionals worldwide with essential skills and practical client-facing experience, preparing them for careers in clinical psychology, coaching, psychotherapy, or counselling.
Interns complete a free intensive one-month crash course covering a toolkit of evidence-based techniques from Motivational Interviewing, Coaching, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). They then provide free online, one-to-one coaching to global clients who otherwise lack access to mental health care, initially promoting behaviour change (e.g., diet, sleep, reducing procrastination) and later progressing to clients experiencing depression or anxiety.
About Overcome
Overcome is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number: 1191308) providing online mental health coaching worldwide, particularly to underserved communities in developing countries. We are a trusted placement provider for leading universities such as UCL, Bath, and Loughborough.
Internship Overview
This internship is a fully remote, unpaid, full-time (~30 hours/week) role. Approximately 80% of our alumni secure paid mental health positions (e.g., Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Assistant Psychologists, Support Workers), or pursue further relevant studies shortly after completion.
We take applications on a rolling basis with monthly cohorts!
You can ask us questions via recruitment@overcome.org.uk - note that this role is fully remote and our recruitment team responds to inquiries from Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm UK time.
What Our Coaches Say
Alice Carli
Trainee Child Counsellor at Place2Be
“In a few months, Overcome provided me with more useful clinical experience than 3 years studying Psychology at university.”
David Boudville
Provisional Psychologist at IPAR
“Four months at Overcome taught me more about CBT than an entire university course did, and way more about professional work than my last, formally 'clinical' internship.”
Isabelle Harden
Trainee PWP at NHS London
“I am almost certain that I wouldn't have been offered my PWP position without my experience at Overcome. I would 100% recommend this internship to anyone wanting a real-world bridge into clinical work.”
Aanya Lalchandani
Assistant Psychologist at Healios
“Overcome transformed my confidence and gave me the hands-on experience I'd been searching for to truly see myself as a developing clinician.”
Maheen Asim
Counselling Psychology Doctorate Trainee at Glasgow Caledonian
“Overcome gave me the confidence, experience and support to turn my goal of becoming a counselling psychologist into a reality.”
Laura Koivula
Recovery Navigator at Access Community Trust
“Overcome has not only changed our clients' lives positively, but my life completely. I have gained confidence, made close friends, helped so many people and felt supported every step of the way.”
Magalie Eid
Assistant Psychologist at NHS London
“At Overcome, it's like a safe space. The team was very supportive, always willing to help. I will always carry the skills I learnt here with me.”
Iwona Zak
Occupational Therapy Assistant at NHS
“Overcome was exactly the push I needed. I gained invaluable clinical experience, confidence and motivation to pursue my career in mental health.”
Anonymous Former Coach
Trainee Clinical Psychologist at NHS
“My time at Overcome was incredibly rewarding. Seeing clients make positive changes and knowing that my support played a role in their progress was the most fulfilling part.”
Anastasiia Lialichkina
MSc Clinical Psychology at Erasmus
“In just a few months, Overcome gave me the confidence, training, and support I needed to step into real client work, and feel like I belong in this field.”
Ria Shoker
Wellness Practitioner at Changes Health
“My confidence and self-esteem as a coach has grown massively. I have developed so many new skills and now feel this field is absolutely right for me.”
Nandinee Rajkhowa
Eating Disorders Associate at Orri
“In these 3 months, Overcome helped me gain confidence in myself and shown me my unique strengths as a future practitioner.”
Milly Mak
Honorary Assistant Psychologist at NHS London
“Overcome gave me the practical experience and boosted my confidence in therapeutic skills. I would recommend this internship to anyone interested in experiencing client work firsthand.”
Alice Carli
Trainee Child Counsellor at Place2Be
“In a few months, Overcome provided me with more useful clinical experience than 3 years studying Psychology at university.”
David Boudville
Provisional Psychologist at IPAR
“Four months at Overcome taught me more about CBT than an entire university course did, and way more about professional work than my last, formally 'clinical' internship.”
Isabelle Harden
Trainee PWP at NHS London
“I am almost certain that I wouldn't have been offered my PWP position without my experience at Overcome. I would 100% recommend this internship to anyone wanting a real-world bridge into clinical work.”
Aanya Lalchandani
Assistant Psychologist at Healios
“Overcome transformed my confidence and gave me the hands-on experience I'd been searching for to truly see myself as a developing clinician.”
Maheen Asim
Counselling Psychology Doctorate Trainee at Glasgow Caledonian
“Overcome gave me the confidence, experience and support to turn my goal of becoming a counselling psychologist into a reality.”
Laura Koivula
Recovery Navigator at Access Community Trust
“Overcome has not only changed our clients' lives positively, but my life completely. I have gained confidence, made close friends, helped so many people and felt supported every step of the way.”
Magalie Eid
Assistant Psychologist at NHS London
“At Overcome, it's like a safe space. The team was very supportive, always willing to help. I will always carry the skills I learnt here with me.”
Iwona Zak
Occupational Therapy Assistant at NHS
“Overcome was exactly the push I needed. I gained invaluable clinical experience, confidence and motivation to pursue my career in mental health.”
Anonymous Former Coach
Trainee Clinical Psychologist at NHS
“My time at Overcome was incredibly rewarding. Seeing clients make positive changes and knowing that my support played a role in their progress was the most fulfilling part.”
Anastasiia Lialichkina
MSc Clinical Psychology at Erasmus
“In just a few months, Overcome gave me the confidence, training, and support I needed to step into real client work, and feel like I belong in this field.”
Ria Shoker
Wellness Practitioner at Changes Health
“My confidence and self-esteem as a coach has grown massively. I have developed so many new skills and now feel this field is absolutely right for me.”
Nandinee Rajkhowa
Eating Disorders Associate at Orri
“In these 3 months, Overcome helped me gain confidence in myself and shown me my unique strengths as a future practitioner.”
Milly Mak
Honorary Assistant Psychologist at NHS London
“Overcome gave me the practical experience and boosted my confidence in therapeutic skills. I would recommend this internship to anyone interested in experiencing client work firsthand.”
Accreditation
Real clinical experience, to the NHS standard
Your internship training is accredited by the Personalised Care Institute (PCI), the body NHS England convenes to set the standard for personalised care training. Completing PCI accredited training is also required to work as an NHS Health and Wellbeing Coach in the UK.
- Recognised by
- NHS-commissioned clinicians
- Reviewed by
- BABCP-accredited psychotherapist & PCI Clinical Director
- Aligned with
- Clinical best practice for aspiring psychologists and therapists
“The Personalised Care Institute has a bold ambition to change lives by empowering people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to feel more in control of their mental and physical health.”
Responsibilities
1st Month
Full-time Intensive Training
Engage in full-time intensive training covering techniques from motivational interviewing, and important techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy and acceptance commitment therapy.
Diverse Learning Activities
Learning activities include live workshops, self-study, quizzes, one-to-one/group roleplays, and assessments.
2nd and 3rd Month
Client Work
~90% of interns pass training to support real clients. They keep track of client sessions and update their supervisor. They also attend weekly internal clinical supervision and ~monthly external clinical supervision.
Opportunities
Other opportunities include training future cohorts, completing recruitment role-plays to recruit future interns, managing your own project in mental health, etc.
Post-Internship Opportunities
- •70% of our alumni continue volunteering with us to see clients at flexible hours.
- •2% chance of full-time employment at a competitive salary.
- •Some clients may pay for extended coaching sessions, mutually agreed between you and the client. You keep all the money and get paid by them directly.
What do I get at the end of this?
A reference letterfor your future applications, on request
An Overcome certificateof completion
A PCI certificateshowing training accredited by the Personalised Care Institute
100 CPD points / hoursContinuing Professional Development (the training hours regulators like the HCPC & BPS require to stay registered)
Supervised client hourscontingent on performance, you will receive real caseload experience under supervision
Additional experiencecontingent on performance, you may help train new coaches, help recruit new coaches, or triage clients
Tania James
Trainee Counselling Psychologist
“Angel will help you focus on the key areas where you want/need to work, increasing both skills and confidence.”
Overcome's alumni community
What We're Looking For
Required
Passion
Strong interest in psychotherapy, counselling, and/or clinical psychology.
Strong Language Skills
Fluent in English. Good at explaining things simply.
Commitment
Ability to commit full-time (~30 hours per week) for the full duration of the three month internship.
Financial Independence
Can fund your own living expenses. We provide no salary or stipend.
Soft Skills
Good under pressure. Fast learner. Organised.
Likability
Great at building relationships, in one to one settings, very quickly.
Desirable
Recruitment Process
Three rounds of selection to accept the Top 5% of applicants who engage all the way through:
CV Screening
To check that you'll be available for the internship and are aware of what you're applying for.
Theory Quiz
We'll share materials for you to study, then you'll complete a short quiz before the deadline.
Roleplay
You'll put the theory into action by completing a mock client session.
Please note that:
- • Successful applicants will be onboarded around one week before the start date.
- • If you reached the roleplay stage but are unsuccessful, we aim to provide tailored feedback by the latest one week after the start date of the cohort you applied for.
- • On average, applicants complete the roleplay assessment twice before getting accepted.
Key Dates
| Cohort | Application Deadline | Start Date |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 37 | 8th July 2026 | 27th July 2026 |
| Cohort 38 | 5th August 2026 | 24th August 2026 |
| Cohort 39 | 2nd September 2026 | 28th September 2026 |
| Cohort 40 | 7th October 2026 | 26th October 2026 |
| Cohort 41 | 4th November 2026 | 23rd November 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overcome is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number: 1191308), providing online mental health coaching worldwide, particularly to underserved communities in developing countries.
Our Clinical Psychology Internship is a remote, unpaid full-time role for three months. Interns first receive one month of intensive training, then support clients for two months. They'll start with easier clients and work their way up, initially helping clients build healthy habits (e.g., diet, sleep, reducing procrastination) and later progressing to clients experiencing depression or anxiety."
Overcome is a trusted placement provider with dozens of universities. If you're looking for a formal placement as part of your university degree, please visit our Uni Placement page.
If you're unable to complete a full-time internship at this time, you can consider our self-paced course that gives you the exact same training and clearance to see clients (minimum of four hours per week on average, breaks permitted). Learn more about the self-paced course here.
For the first four weeks, interns undergo full-time training covering techniques from Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (including graded exposure and CBT for insomnia), and Acceptance Commitment Therapy. The training is accredited by the Personalised Care Institute (PCI), and PCI accreditation is required to work as an NHS Health and Wellbeing Coach in the UK.
The programme incorporates a mix of live workshops (usually in the morning and often recorded), role-plays in the afternoon, self-directed study (recordings, readings, quizzes), and assessments.
On top of the live workshops, each day requires around four hours of availability for role-plays, which are scheduled flexibly around the intern's schedule. Assessments occur at the end of Week 1 and Week 3 to prepare interns for real client sessions.
A typical day might include a one-hour workshop, a short cohort meeting, and two role-play sessions spread through the afternoon.
If an intern needs to be away for one to two days, they should inform the training team and catch up upon return; assessments can be shifted accordingly. However, those missing the entire Week 1 training are strongly encouraged to defer, as historical data shows 80% of interns who start from Week 2 struggle to catch up with Week 1's material.
After completing training, interns at Overcome work with clients from around the globe, tailoring their caseloads based on their comfort and availability. Interns receive robust support through supervision, including:
- Internal Clinical Supervision: Weekly group sessions led by an Overcome staff member who is a licensed counselling psychologist in Kenya. Interns are expected to attend, share cases for broader discussions, or contribute to the group's learning.
- External Clinical Supervision: Irregular group sessions with a qualified psychotherapist, counsellor, or supervisor. These sessions occur approximately every month, depending on the supervisor's availability, and spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
When requesting leave, Overcome is highly flexible and transparent. Interns are expected to inform clients and the team well in advance. If necessary, clients can be reassigned to another coach to ensure consistent support during the intern's absence.
At Overcome, interns have the chance to tailor their experience and explore various opportunities beyond client work, including:
- Recruitment: Serve as an assessor for role-play assessments to help recruit future interns.
- Training: Take on a senior coach role, providing feedback to new interns during their training.
- Triaging: Shadow screening meetings for higher-risk clients to gain insight into clinical decision-making.
- Outreach: Assist with recruiting clients or participants for studies.
Running Your Own Mental Health Projects
Interns with a passion for supporting specific communities can propose their own mental health projects. Overcome provides guidance, helps recruit participants, and connects interns with relevant resources. For example, past interns have successfully organised peer support groups for targeted communities.
At the end of the internship, a 30-minute post-internship meeting will be held with each intern to discuss:
- Feedback on the training and internship experience
- Updates on their current clients
- Whether they wish to continue volunteering with Overcome
Around 70% of alumni choose to continue volunteering with Overcome, enjoying the flexibility of setting their own hours. For those who continue, there may be opportunities to work with clients who pay for extended coaching sessions. These arrangements are mutually agreed upon between the intern and the client, with interns keeping 100% of the payment, as clients pay them directly.
~80% of our alumni have got paid roles in mental health (e.g., Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Assistant Psychologists, Support Worker), or are pursuing further studies in relevant areas. Our training carries Personalised Care Institute (PCI) accreditation, which is required to work as an NHS Health and Wellbeing Coach in the UK.
2% chance of full-time employment at Overcome at a competitive salary. We’re a small start-up charity and can only hire the best interns. Please do not expect guaranteed full-time employment following the internship.
Our alumni found the internship particularly beneficial to their professional development:
“I learnt more during the three-week training at Overcome than my three-year psychology degree.”
Upon request, we can provide a professional reference for your future endeavours.
We can issue a certificate of completion after you have passed both low-risk and medium-risk assessments, and have seen at least 5 clients. The certificate reflects training accredited by the Personalised Care Institute (PCI), which is required to work as an NHS Health and Wellbeing Coach in the UK.
The internship also awards 100 points / hours of CPD (Continuing Professional Development). CPD is the UK system that healthcare professionals use to keep their skills current and evidence their ongoing learning to employers and regulators.
We’re also planning to issue certificates that highlight different levels of achievement, allowing alumni who continue volunteering with us to be issued a higher level certificate when the corresponding criteria are met.
UK psychology degrees are theory-heavy, with limited practical experience:
- Placements (if you get one) are usually admin, shadowing, or research, not client work
- Paid mental health roles are largely inaccessible until you already hold the qualification
- Most graduates leave with a few support worker/SEND TA shifts, some volunteering, and a degree, but no direct client experience
- The usual next step (a master's or doctorate) gatekeeps real experience further, and often still leaves you to source your own placements and clients
Overcome fills that gap:
- In-depth training in goal-focused coaching, plus evidence-based techniques (not therapist or counsellor training, more a grounded taster)
- Real clients sourced for you, including global clients in LMICs
- Supervision included at no extra cost
- You graduate with an actual caseload managed under supervision
This helps our trainees and interns move into paid roles such as:
- Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
- Trainee Clinical Associate in Applied Psychology
- Mental Health Support Worker / Recovery Worker
- Assistant Psychologist
And, with further experience, into:
- Doctorate in Counselling Psychology
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
CVs are reviewed to ensure that applicants are:
- Aged over 18
We cannot accept any applicants under 18 due to safeguarding reasons - Aware of the role they're applying for
We consider applicants from all walks of life, although the majority of our applicants have a relevant degree. Rejected CVs often indicate that the applicants are interested in another role instead, e.g., data analyst internship - NOT current full-time students
Since this internship is full-time for three months, we strongly encourage current full-time students to apply for the summer cohorts starting in June/July instead, or to take the self-paced course we offer
Shortlisted applicants are emailed a 1-hour quiz link alongside study materials. Applicants are encouraged to study the materials in great depth and learn from additional resources (e.g., readings, videos).
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a role-play assessment where they put the theory into action. Applicants who performed less competitively in the quiz will be encouraged to re-apply for future cohorts.
The role-play assessment involves the shortlisted applicants acting as the coach of a given mock client profile. The mock client will be portrayed by an assessor who completed the Clinical Intern training.
Applicants are expected to utilise knowledge learnt from the theory quiz in a natural conversation with the mock client. Assessors will jot notes on the applicants' performance and record the role-play assessments. These will be further reviewed by the HR team and staff members running the internship programme before final hiring decisions are made.
Applicants often complete the role-play assessment multiple times before they get accepted onto the programme. We can provide tailored feedback to applicants who completed the role-play assessment but were not accepted in the end.
Successful applicants will be emailed a list of onboarding tasks (e.g., signing volunteer agreement, setting up accounts on tech platforms that Overcome uses) around one week before start date.
We can only accept a fixed number of applicants but we often have an overwhelming number of exceptional applicants. Some exceptional applicants may be added to a waitlist, or invited to join the next available cohort instead.
Successful applicants will have two days to respond to the offer and complete the onboarding tasks. Our HR team will remind the applicants via email and/or telephone and/or LinkedIn. If our HR team does not receive a response before the deadline, the offer will be withdrawn and provided to the next applicant on the waitlist.
After completing the onboarding tasks, interns will be added to the relevant communication channels. The detailed training schedule, meeting invites, and resources for Day 1 will be shared on the weekend before.