Char Brower, a psychology major with a sociology minor from Erie, Pennsylvania, has found their academic and personal paths converging during a meaningful internship at Refuge Therapeutic Services. For Brower, the experience has been more than a learning opportunity; it has been a space to thrive authentically while helping others do the same.

The internship has not only affirmed Brower’s academic pursuits but has also provided a profound understanding of what it truly means to serve others.

“Counseling is inseparable from advocacy,” Brower said. “As counselors, therapists, and other professional helpers in training, it is our duty to uplift the voices of the vulnerable, expect the unexpected, and keep an open mind that yearns to gain new knowledge rather than rely on what knowledge we already possess.”

At Refuge, Brower has observed individual therapy sessions, co-facilitated support groups, and contributed to community outreach through Pride events, food drives, and other service efforts. These hands-on experiences have been powerful, but it’s the clinic’s values that left the greatest impact.

“Refuge Therapeutic Services not only helped me through this journey…but the genuinely trauma-informed and anti-oppressive approach taken by the site made me feel proud to be a neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ intern,” Brower said.