Intern Lorianne looks back

Intern Lorianne looks back

In recent months, intern Lorianne has strengthened our team. Now that her internship at Adoption Support Center is behind her, she looks back on the past period and cautiously looks ahead to the future.

Hi there! I am Lorianne Deketelaere, an enthusiastic student of Applied Psychology at Howest in Bruges. With my teaching diploma already in hand, I decided last academic year to start the Applied Psychology course. Towards the end of my teacher training I did not feel completely satiated. It was during an elective course that focused on psychological well-being that my interest in psychology really started to grow. That subject stirred something in me that made me know that I wanted to continue with this.

For my second-year internship in Applied Psychology, I was given the opportunity to do an internship at Adoption Support Center. As an adoptee, this organization immediately captured my imagination and I was extremely curious about what I could learn there.

During my internship I gained a broad insight into what exactly adoption in Belgium entails. I had the opportunity to interview fascinating people and write articles about their experiences, operations and organizations. Furthermore, I was able to participate in numerous informative sessions, preparation meetings and training that enriched my knowledge about the adoption landscape and related themes (such as attachment and trauma).

The combination of my background as an adoptee and this internship has given me a new and valuable perspective that allows me to help others who are in a similar situation. The unique combination of my teacher training, Applied Psychology and my internship at Adoption Support Center ensures that I can bridge the academic world of education and psychology and the practical reality of adoption.

This internship was a very positive experience for me. The eight weeks at Adoption Support Center contributed to my personal growth and development. I have become more aware of my own adoption process, something I had not often thought about before. This internship showed me why it is important to be confronted with the different aspects of adoption. Some aspects touched closer to my own story than others, but I am grateful for the experience and growth it has brought me.

In addition, I am also very pleased that I ended up in such a fantastic team during my internship at Steunpunt Adoption. It was great to experience how this team welcomed and encouraged me during my internship period.

After completing my internship, I am looking forward to my well-deserved holiday, where I will take the time to relax. In September I will start my second internship in special youth care, after which I will graduate in January 2024 with my diploma in Applied Psychology. Although I always had education as my end goal, my recent internship has ensured that I keep my options open and continue to explore the possibilities the field has to offer. I am excited about the future and ready to take on new challenges and use my knowledge and skills to help others.

Thank you for interning with us, Lorianne! We wish you the best of luck with everything you do next.