Helping Children Engage in Positive and Pro-Social Behaviors
By Molly Richardson '25The Child Mind Institute is a non-profit in New York City dedicated to transforming the lives of children living with mental illness and learning disorders. Their Summer Treatment Program helps kids with social, behavioral, and learning challenges including oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder.
As a behavioral counselor for this program, I was trained to use empirically supported behavior management techniques to work with the children, encouraging them to engage in positive and pro-social behavior as they interacted with other children and adults. Additionally, I recorded behavioral data, reviewed daily treatment records, and helped prepare for the program in the weeks leading up to it.
Through this experience, I learned that I truly enjoy working with children with psychiatric challenges, and this confirmed that I want to continue a career in child psychology after my time at Bowdoin. I learned numerous techniques to help children succeed in school environments, being able to communicate their feelings effectively while still being their true selves. I wasn’t sure whether the 6- to 7-year-old boys I worked with would respond well to me, but they did, and I created such special bonds with my kids that I will cherish forever.
Internship funded by the Preston Public Interest Career Fund.