Congrats Grad! So Now You’re A Therapist
You’ve worked so hard for two to three years (or more) studying, taking out loans, juggling personal responsibilities, working for free in an internship that most likely either ended abruptly or drastically changed because of the coranavirus. You imagined the day when the culmination of this process would complete with a final thesis or exam and a walk across that stage in a cap and gown or sash in front of your loved ones. This did not end any way you imagined. There’s no pomp, and a lot of unexpected circumstance.
I hope you’re out there finding creative ways to celebrate your amazing accomplishment. I’m sorry you have to. You’ve, hopefully, entered an ilk of people who have had stellar training and supervision to support you to become a mental health professional who can support other people’s mental health. And, there’s a huge need for that support right now. Mental health has been rocked by this pandemic and the response our country has had to it. Or, perhaps you realize that the training was lacking a certain je ne sais quoi and you’re looking for the next supervisor to fill in the gaps. So, you’re starting out fresh and new and you may not know how to move forward or what support can hold you along the way. Here’s a guidepost for how to look for supervision.
Pause Before Beginning
Before you start the next steps, pause to respect the ones you just took to get here. Acknowledge your hard work, the sacrifices made by you and your loved ones. Take stock of the emotional, spiritual and financial costs and benefits you received from this training. Who were you before and who are you now? How have you changed for the better, and what have you perhaps lost? Does anything need reconciling or reclaiming? Do you need to restore your health before jumping into another long-term commitment? Do you need to repair a relationship that got damaged along the way? Do you even still want to be a therapist or do you want to apply those skills in a different professional format like entrepreneurship, teaching, parenting, or rocket science?
Before you start reacting to the need to pay bills and debts (which is very real and needs tending, but) realign with why you got this degree or certificate in the first place. When you decided to go to grad school or take that 2-year training program, what was your big vision for your professional life? How much time are you working per week? Are you in an agency or private practice or group practice? Who are your colleagues and how do you interact with them? Do they align with your values, not just on paper, but in action? How are you dressed? Where are you living? These visions will guide your steps. Before taking that job at that agency you aren’t too excited about ask yourself, “Is this job or opportunity helping me get there—that vision?”
What difference do you imagine making in the world? Who are you spending your time serving? What keeps them up at night? What do they need help with that you can provide? How do you want to feel and what does it look like when you are doing the work you’re meant to? Where is your intention and attention? What are you NOT thinking about, feeling or doing? Does this job or opportunity allow you that?
If you could start a business that wouldn’t fail, what would it be? Dream big! What are some things you could do now to take action toward that vision? What gets in the way of this happening now? What are you willing to do now to meet your needs and what are you unwilling to compromise on no matter the money or experience? Where are your lines in the sand if you find yourself mistreated in a work situation?
What do you need to make per hour or client to pay for your lifestyle? If that conflicts with your beliefs about client access, how can you get creative about offering multiple tiered sources of help while also generating the income you need? Do you need a part-time job to support your private practice building the right way so you’re not operating in fear? If so, what’s something you would want to do that supports other aspects of you like creativity, or the need for something mindless?
Finding the Right Support
Who is your personal and professional support team? Which friends, family members and colleagues see your talent, gifts and vision and support your best self? Who will hold you accountable when you fall off track and be the first few folks to market you?
How do you interview a potential supervisor to know if they’re right for you? I know firsthand what bad supervision feels like—how isolating and confusing and scary it can be. And I know what amazing support looks like—how integrating, empowering and inspiring it can be. It motivated me to receive specific training in how to be a supervisor, the Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential. I have had the incredible honor of supervising around 10 interns per year for the past four years as the wellness director in a non-profit college access and success program. Here are some things to keep in mind in your search for the right supervisor or consultant as you’re earning your license or building your practice:
What does this supervisor believe about counseling, ethics, and training? What’s this person’s philosophy on what helps people heal? Does this align with or complement your own? I care less about where someone got their degree or training than on what wisdom they’ve gleaned. However, you do want to make sure that their degree aligns with yours and that their license is in the state you’re in so that they can sign off on the license you want to obtain.
Always look up a supervisor’s license in your state’s database to make sure it’s current, active and, if there are complaints, that you can discuss that with this person. Ask if they have malpractice insurance. Are they demonstrating ethical behavior in their disclosures and paperwork? Ask them to explain boundaries they set with clients or supervisees so that you know how they operate. Does this all make sense or are you getting red flags about dual relationships or other ethical misalignments?
What is the supervisor’s work experience in the mental health field? Do they have a niche and is this niche or are their skillsets aligned with populations you want to serve? What’s their philosophy about client access to mental health? How do they work with and understand diverse populations? Have they received trainings or certificates in treatment modalities that interest you? Or do they know enough about your training that they can speak your language and understand what you’re doing with clients?
What characteristics are important for your supervisor to have? How do you feel when you speak with this person? Do you need someone who is going to build up your confidence, keep you humble, or both? Do you need someone very organized with high expectations or someone who is flexible and unflappable? Be honest with yourself. Don’t pick the person who will let you get away with bad habits or keep you small. Pick the person that puts you at ease but also scares you a little with how good they are. The person who sees you but isn’t going to judge you; they’re going to help you grow into the clinician you always imagined or can’t quite imagine yet becoming. You want to admire them at least a little.
What’s their model of supervision or consultation? Self-report is only one aspect of supervision. Does this supervisor incorporate observations, allow you to see them in action, want to review recorded sessions to help you grow? Do they have release forms for clients so that they can be observed? Do they build in time to discuss you as a person in a way that still focuses on the supervisory relationship rather than turn it into your own therapy session? Do they make time for your professional identity development, career growth and administrative effectiveness in addition to helping you grow your clinical skills? These are important aspects of your development as well.
Congrats Grad! You’re well on your way. Take time to celebrate and realign with your purpose. The extra time will set you up well for your next steps. Stay safe out there and don’t play small. The world needs you and all your gifts!
