The Touchstone Foundation Mental Health Clinical Fellowship provides essential support for aspiring mental health counselors in Lancaster County. Christina Del Vecchio recently completed her fellowship and shared some of her experiences.
“The fellowship was so important to me,” says Christina. “The Touchstone Foundation Mental Health Clinical Fellowship offers a combination of financial aid, mentorship, and access to continuing education opportunities.”
Christina emphasizes that Touchstone’s commitment to the local community was especially beneficial. “The fellowship’s training focused not just on general mental health topics but also on the specific needs of Lancaster County.”
Christina’s Professional Journey
Christina first became interested in a career in mental health during her time at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. “I played soccer, studied psychology, and did research there, ” Christina remembers. “Goucher was wonderful for me. It was small, and I had great relationships with my professors. In fact, I’m still in touch with a lot of them.”
She adds, “I landed in a clinical research team while I was an undergrad, and that solidified my interest in mental health, coping skills, and providing support to others. I was also an athlete, so mental health within athletes was especially interesting to me. I found a passion for helping people going through life transitions.”
Christina earned a master’s degree at Penn State Harrisburg. “I was at a community mental health agency in Lancaster for a few years before starting work with Redemption Wellness Services.” She explains, “The staff at Redemption Wellness Services told me about the Touchstone Foundation and explained how the fellowship worked. It was a perfect fit for me. This fellowship has been such a wonderful experience.”
More Than Financial Assistance
While the financial assistance was invaluable, Christina says she also valued the environment, the mentoring, and the career support. “During this process, I learned a lot more about the Touchstone Foundation. I learned that it is committed to cultural diversity and promoting local access to treatment.” She notes, “I didn’t grow up in Lancaster County, so I wasn’t aware of the rich diversity here. But Touchstone has been working for 25 years to meet the unique mental health challenges faced by this county’s young people.”
The fellowship also offers support for counselors. Christina says, “This support is something I greatly appreciated after moving from a large agency to a smaller practice. The regular access to training and up-to-date industry practices filled a gap that was often harder to address in smaller work environments. By ensuring that fellows have the resources they need, Touchstone Foundation’s fellowship is helping professionals enter the field faster, which plays a critical role in fostering access to mental health services in the area.”
Christina appreciates Touchstone Foundation’s commitment to supporting mental health professionals. “More than just financial assistance, the fellowship works to prevent career burnout—a common issue in the mental health field,” Christina explains. “Mental health professionals often bear the emotional weight of their clients’ challenges, so having a network of support can be life-changing.”
Christina Urges Others to Apply
For those considering the fellowship, Christina emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the support provided. “Beyond financial relief, the program offers a network of mentors and peers, access to relevant training, and a focus on giving back to the Lancaster County community,” she adds. “The fellowship not only helps emerging professionals grow but also strengthens the local mental health ecosystem, making it an invaluable resource for both providers and clients.”
The Touchstone Foundation Mental Health Clinical Fellowship is a crucial initiative offering financial and educational resources to aspiring counselors. Through this fellowship, the Foundation is fostering the next generation of mental health professionals like Christina Del Vecchio, helping them navigate the challenges of licensure while making a lasting impact on the community they serve.
