Supervision

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 Welcome to my supervision page! Below I have written my view of supervision and how I supervise. If you have any questions, please email or call. Let’s talk. I believe in collaboration.  

• I am a AAMFT Approved Supervisor and an Approved Clinical Supervisor 
• I have been supervising people for 9 years
• I have received over 2 years of training and have had over 36 hours of classes in supervision
• I am on the LPC Board of Examiners - this means I have to keep up to date on requirements and issues 
• I know and keep up to date on the requirements to gain licensure in the state of Colorado
• I am available to discuss tough cases between supervision sessions
• I am a board certified tele-health therapist
• I bring compassion and humor to the learning process
• I want you to try different theories/modalities
• I believe that making mistakes is part of the process so you can learn
• I have worked in a variety of settings (cancer hospital, hospice, community mental health, non-profit, private practice, schools and business) so will be able to help you  apply for positions or know the pitfalls/benefits 
• I have worked with people from age 3 to 70 yrs of age, from all socio-economic groups, and veterans.

When conducting supervision, I cover 5 areas. These include: clinical skills, administration tasks, professional development, ethics, and person as a therapist. This is done on an on-going basis to be sure that when supervision hours are complete you feel like a well-rounded therapist. I view the main purpose of supervision is to aid in the growth of an intern or therapist going toward licensure. This growth means to be a more systemic thinking therapist with broad experience and to develop clinically as well as understand the importance of self-care. 

Enhancing clinical skills for the people I am supervising is broken down into three factors that are common no matter what specific modality you subscribe. These factors include: teaching, administration and clinical. The administration piece is to get comfortable with documentation. This means you will understand the importance and benefit of good notes and treatment plans, as well as to be sure you are aware of the requirements for licensure or graduation. I keep up to date with DORA’s laws and regulations so you will not be alone in this.

As a supervisor and therapist, I believe that there is a constant state of change, or morphogenesis. Every interaction makes some sort of change in the person’s thought process or in the relationship between people. When working with trainees on process versus content and helping them move through changes or developments, it is important for me to realize as well that I, too, am changing. Allowing for change in me and the trainees while still looking for patterns continues the process.

The supervisor-supervisee relationship mirrors the therapist-family relationship. I find that using the therapeutic models that I currently use with my clients and their families when I am working in the supervision role with trainees is very helpful in facilitating their process of feelings and communication about change and growth. Though I am not doing “therapy” with the people I supervise, I am helping them to progress in how they are viewing, communicating and shifting with their clients. We are constantly changing, and we cannot not be changed by being with clients, supervisors, and other trainees. 

Sensitivity and cultural awareness are a continuous journey to understand. Part of the supervision is to aid the supervisee to see any blind spots they might have with clients. These are important conversations to enhance supervisee’s ability to have assertive conversations about uncomfortable topics and to promote the idea that as clinicians we all must keep learning. 

In order to make the most of the supervisee process and to be sure that I, as the supervisor, hit on all the pieces of supervision it will be important to understand there are different stages of the process. I want to meet people where they are at in the process. 

Below is a general idea but if we move forward, a detailed plan will be agreed upon.

· Interns – I meet with interns once a week for a formal process and 2x per month in a supervision group. I am available during other times to be sure the intern feels supported. 

· Therapists going toward licensure – I offer different types of supervision or consultation. I highly recommend both individual and group supervision to get the most of the experience. 

· Evaluating is done by both supervisee and supervisor. This is ongoing feedback to make sure that the supervisee is getting the experience they need/want and to make sure all expectations by supervisor are being met. 

I provide supervision because I truly enjoy seeing people’s skills develop. It can be fun to figure out what modalities feel right and work best for you. I also keep learning from you! You are book fresh, meaning you remember easily the theories; combining that with my experience working with many of them helps us both.