From July 29, 2026, to July 31, 2026, rising third-year MACC students gathered for the first-ever “residency maiden voyage.” Together with Winebrenner staff, alumni, and other professional guests, we learned, practiced, and honed skills in clinical assessments, documentation systems, the holy ground of sexuality and intimacy, and career counseling.
This three-day intensive residency was designed to deliver a high-quality educational experience required by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP), and to prepare students to meet their states’ requirements to become licensed clinical mental health counselors.
The “residency maiden voyage” supported Winebrenner Theological Seminary’s mission of equipping individuals, using Christian principles and evidence-based modalities, to become effective clinical mental health counselor who integrates Christian values and worldview into their service to clients.
After completing residency and completing our second-year curriculum, we demonstrated counseling knowledge, skills, awareness and understanding of cultural influences on therapeutic outcomes, and were prepared to meet the requirements for our practicum and internships starting this fall. As residency students, we utilized ethical standards and respectfully integrated spirituality into counseling as we were prepared to help bring spiritual, emotional, and psychological wellness into people’s lives.
While what we learned was impactful, one of the most meaningful aspects of residency was the opportunity to finally gather in person with the members of our cohort. Over the past three years, we have built relationships, learned together, and supported one another almost entirely through online classes. While virtual learning allowed us to connect, there was something special about being in the same room and sharing the experience face-to-face.
Residency highlighted the strength of the community we have developed throughout the program. Whether we were learning together in class, sharing conversations during breaks, or connecting over meals, the time spent together deepened the relationships we had built online. It was encouraging to see how our cohort came together despite many of us having only interacted through a screen.
Winebrenner does a great job of cultivating community within its online programs. The strong sense of connection that already existed among our cohort made residency even more impactful. Gathering in person reinforced the relationships we have built over the years and reminded us that we are part of a supportive community of learners and future counselors, and it was in this community that something began to change within us.
It’s hard to fully explain what changed in us during residency. It wasn’t just what we learned, but how the Lord was at work in us during the process. Being in the room with our cohort members, engaging in conversations, and stepping into both vulnerability and growth created a kind of learning that doesn’t happen through textbooks alone. We were involved in ways that were both challenging and meaningful. We were invited to reflect not only on our counseling skills, but on who God is calling us to be.
This experience brought what we studied into real life. Concepts we had learned began to take on new meaning as we practiced, listened, and sat with one another’s stories. There was a new level of realization that being a good counselor is not just about skill, but about presence, humility, and a willingness to continue growing. In those moments of connection, reflection, and even discomfort, there was a sense that God was forming us. Many of us left with a clearer sense of purpose, not because we had everything figured out, but because we gained more insight into the kind of counselors we are becoming.
Perhaps most lasting is the way this residency will continue to impact us as we move into practicum and internship and beyond. The insight gained, the confidence built, and the connections formed will stay with us into the work we do with future clients and communities. The mission that began here at Winebrenner continues wherever God leads us to serve, reminding us that this work is ultimately His, and we are invited to be a part of it.
- Wendee Fisher, Christine Reasoner, & Adam Willford, Fall 2026 MACC Practicum Students