Meet Our Graduate Level Interns
We are excited to have Master level interns available and providing clinical services for our community! These interns are in a graduate level program and placed with us to obtain clinical experience. They receive weekly supervision with Niki Grimes, LPCC. They are often placed with us for 6-12 months of experience, after which clients are transferred to another provider for continued care if needed.
Our clinical interns will provide individual, relational and group therapy for our community. In addition to working individually, our clinical interns will offer co-therapy sessions with our licensed therapists.
Co-therapy appointments allow individuals, couples, and families to obtain the benefit and experience of two perspectives as the clinical process unfolds. They consist of a Master’s level clinician and a clinical intern, who closely collaborate in assessing and treating patient concerns. The objective is to provide effective therapy, help our patients reach their treatment goals, and provide our interns with ongoing training opportunities.
Our interns offer limited discounted self-pay rate of $40 for 55-minute sessions for those without insurance or who may not want to utilize their insurance. We also have a limited number of time slots for pro bono services. If you are interested in these services, please contact the office at 575-556-9585 to discuss options and availability.
Intern
Caitlyn Whitfield, MA
she/her
Caitlyn Whitfield is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program at New Mexico State University. She is currently completing her clinical counseling practicum as a part of her final year of doctoral training before beginning an APPIC internship.
Caitlyn earned her master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance through her current program and has experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families in educational and community settings. Throughout her training, Caitlyn has provided counseling, conducted psychological and educational assessments, developed interventions, and collaborated with families and educators to support individual’s academic, emotional, and personal well-being.
Prior to her graduate training, Caitlyn worked as a middle school teacher, where she
developed a deep understanding of the importance of support, understanding, and
connection during times of transition and uncertainty. Working alongside students during these formative years taught her that there is always more to a person than what you see at first, and that taking the time to understand the whole person matters. This perspective shapes Caitlyn’s approach to counseling, with an emphasis on
understanding each individual within the broader context of their life experiences.
Outside of her professional and academic work, Caitlyn enjoys immersing herself in
fantasy worlds, whether through a good book, a game of Magic: The Gathering, or a
long gaming session in Palworld or World of Warcraft. She is also an avid anime fan
and enjoys creative activities such as baking and art. Caitlyn values authenticity and
believes that the interests and passions that make each person unique are worth
embracing. She looks forward to creating a welcoming space where clients feel
comfortable being themselves.
Counseling Intern
Marion Lyding
she/her/hers
Marion is a counseling intern at A New Hope and is working toward her master’s degree in counseling and art therapy at Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her graduate work includes school counseling and ecotherapy.
Marion comes to this work with experience in hospice, mediation, education, and
community service. Through her volunteer work with Mesilla Valley Hospice, she has
spent time alongside patients and families facing serious illness, active dying, and grief. She has served as a mediator in New Mexico magistrate courts and worked with older adults in assisted living.
Marion’s approach is grounded in careful listening, genuine curiosity, and respect for the experiences each person brings with them. She values a collaborative approach to
counseling. She is interested in grief, change, identity, and the ways art, creativity, and the natural world may be part of a person’s process.
Marion has made her home in Las Cruces and is shaped by the quiet, openness, and
resilience of the desert and its culture and landscape. She looks forward to meeting
clients and offering a thoughtful, supportive space for their work. Marion provides
counseling services under clinical supervision.
