Bringing Counseling Services for Victims/Survivors of Sexual and Relationship Violence

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The Campus Sexual and Relationship Violence Center and School of Social Work have teamed to bring counseling and support group services for sexual and/or relationship violence victims/survivors through a newly created graduate internship. A weekly support group and individual counseling are being made available at no cost for students through this exciting new venture.

This inaugural year, Bee Rainey, social work graduate clinician, will serve 25 hours a week on site at the SRVC. She will provide one-on-one counseling, serve as the lead facilitator of a peer-based support group known as the Survivors Group and engage in outreach. All services are available to students at no cost and are strictly confidential. 

"Bee is a welcome addition to the SRVC and already has been hard at work. She immediately blended well with the SRVC, and we couldn't be more pleased to have her as part of our trauma-informed team," commented Mary A. Wyandt-Hiebert, director of the Campus Sexual and Relationship Violence Center. "We are excited for this addition to the SRVC services as we continuingly strive to meet our students' needs. This is the beginning of a great collaboration, and we look forward to this enhancement of the services available for our students." 

Counseling services for victims/survivors of sexual and relationship violence has been increasingly becoming harder to access. This creative approach not only helps to fill the existing gap, but also provides an excellent opportunity for mentoring and professional development through a graduate student internship experience. 

"The formation of a partnership between the School of Social Work and the Campus Sexual and Relationship Violence Center creates an excellent opportunity for a graduate student to be an important part of the campus community and to help provide specialized and accessible services to students who may have experienced relationship violence," said Ananda Rosa, field education director and clinical associate professor. "This internship also provides a chance for the student to be part of an interprofessional team and to gain valuable practice experience. It's a win-win!"

University students interested in participating with this new collaborative program's services are encouraged to contact the SRVC at 479-575-4000 or survivor@uark.edu for more information.