Congratulations to our NEW Associates!

Oak Creek Relational Counseling Center (OCRCC) in Pleasant Hill, CA is thrilled to congratulate Stacey, Maddy, Tasal, and David, who in 2025 moved from being trainees to being full Associates in our clinical training program. This is more than a title—it represents hours of learning, growing, reflection, and real client work. Well done!

Why Oak Creek is a Top Therapy Practicum Site in Pleasant Hill / Contra Costa County

If you’re a graduate student, especially in Marriage & Family Therapy, Counseling, or Social Work, looking for a practicum site, there are few places that combine all the essential ingredients like OCRCC:

• Strong, consistent supervision
• Real client experience (individuals, couples, families)
• A relational, community-focused approach
• Experienced leadership and teaching​

​At OCRCC, the community receives affordable counseling while trainees grow into confident, relational therapists.

Meet Stephen Polin: Supervision Director & Mentor

​A big part of what makes Oak Creek such a strong practicum site is Stephen (“Steve”) Polin.

Some highlights:

• He is the Supervising Clinical Director at Oak Creek.
• Has over 30 years of experience as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
• Before OCRCC, he worked in crisis settings: he was supervisor at the Marin County Crisis Unit, providing psychiatric evaluations for the Marin County Jail, and was also a clinical supervisor at Options Recovery Services.
• He has taught at graduate level: adjunct faculty at John F. Kennedy University (courses in MFT practice, psychopathology, clinical interviewing, etc.).

These credentials make him someone who not only has deep clinical and supervisory experience, but also understands both the academic side (theories, ethics) and the real-world side (clients, crises, relational work).

What Supervision Looks Like: More than Once a Week

A standout feature at Oak Creek is how frequent and engaged supervision is. Trainees and Associates are offered supervision from Stephen Polin at four different times a week. This high level of supervision ensures:

• Regular feedback on client sessions
• Opportunities for case consultation and exploring clinical challenges in close detail
• Chances to reflect on personal style, relational presence, interventions, ethics, relational dynamics

This intensity helps make the jump from trainee to Associate more solid, more confident. You’re never “left hanging” or operating in isolation.

The Trainee Journey: What It’s Really LikeBecoming a trainee at OCRCC means:
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1. Learning by doing. Trainees work with clients under supervision, gradually increasing responsibility.
2. Ongoing skill development. With Stephen Polin’s supervision flexibility times/week, you get constant input—what’s working, what could be refined, how to relate more deeply.
3. Integration of theory & practice. Whether it’s family systems theory, attachment, trauma, relational practice—you get to test out what you learn in class and get real feedback.
4. Peer support & collegiality. You’re in cohort with other trainees and Associates; you share challenges, successes, and learn from each other.
5. Focus on relational, ethical, culturally responsive practice. Oak Creek emphasizes relational counseling, relational presence, ethical work, and serving diverse communities in East Bay & Contra Costa County.

What Rising Graduates Should Know: Tips for Getting a Practicum Site Like OCRCC

If you're in a graduate program and seeking a practicum, these tips helped Stacey, Maddy, Tasal, David—and might help you:
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• Look for programs with frequent supervision. Weekly is minimal; four times a week is exceptional.
• Check the supervisor’s credentials. Someone like Stephen Polin—licensed, experienced in both practice & crisis, and a teacher—can make a big difference.
• Prioritize relational fit. Working well with your supervisor and peers, being able to get honest feedback, feeling seen relationally, matter a lot.
• Be ready for real client work. Practicum is not just observation—it’s doing the work under guidance. Be brave.
• Reflect often. Use supervision time well. Bring cases, bring questions, bring self-awareness.

Final Words & Congratulations

Stacey, Maddy, Tasal, and David—you embody what OCRCC aims for: compassionate, skilled, relational therapists, grounded in supervision, growing through practice. Congratulations on becoming Associates in 2025! You’re an inspiration for trainees across Pleasant Hill, all of Contra Costa County, and the East Bay.

And to all of you graduate students out there: a practicum site like Oak Creek, under supervision of someone like Stephen Polin, can be transformative. If you aspire to become your best clinical self, to serve with integrity and relational presence, OCRCC is one of the places to seriously consider.

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If you are experiencing an emergency or are in crisis: please call 988, 911 or call Crisis Support Support Services at 1-800-309-2131.

To speak to one of our therapists about our counseling services and to schedule an appointment, please choose one of the following options. A therapist will contact you within two business days.
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• Call our Intake Line at 1-408-320-5740​
• Contact a therapist directly. Contact information for each therapist is provided on his/her profile page.
• Email us at i[email protected]

Business inquiries: call 408-320-5740 or email i[email protected].
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Associate and traineeship inquiries, please visit the Clinical Internship page.