A few things to consider when selecting a Supervisor in Texas…
You’ve gotten your degree and are probably excited to move forward with getting your LCSW…Congratulations!!! This is an exciting time in your professional journey. Finding the right supervisor is important and careful consideration of what to look for in finding the right person is a worthwhile investment in your professional future. Here are some important points to consider when looking for a Supervisor.
Number 1:
Seek out someone you connect with and can see a comfortable yet professional rapport with. This process will take a few years and you want someone you feel you can confidently approach. Perhaps someone with the background and experience you are looking to acquire for yourself someday. Discussions of their past job experience should be expected and considered. Someone with experience from diverse settings brings a richness and offers a variety of professional growth opportunities. They should be able to detail a structure with which they manage documentation, hours for record keeping, and they should identify how they can meet your scheduling needs. Be prepared to ask if they have weekend/ after work sessions/ offer group or individual or opportunities for both. Discussing these in advance insures supervision requirements set by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council are met.
Number 2:
Look for someone who has experience in settings or populations similar to where you currently work or where you hope to practice in the future. A supervisor who has familiarity with real-world challenges in those settings can help you anticipate and manage ethical dilemmas, administrative requirements, and professional collaboration more effectively. That being said, there are advantages to having supervision outside of your specific workplace as this allows the freedom to process all of the work issues that may come up openly. It also allows for a seamless continuation of your clinical plan even if you change jobs.
Number 3:
Make sure the supervisor is well versed in current changes and updates in the field. Being up to date in ethics, expected CEU hours, and knowledge of regulatory standards is a must. A strong supervision experience often includes guidance beyond case consultation. Discussions about long-term career development, continuing education, and emerging practice areas within the field of Social Work are helpful in this ever-changing field. Supervision is much more than clocking hours. Make sure your getting the ‘most’ out of your experience.
Number 4:
Try to view this relationship as a ‘mentorship’ and not just an obligation. Take advantage of the support a true mentor can offer. They are there for you to expand your professional competence, help you build confidence and help you find answers to complex questions for best practice so that you can practice independently and minimize the ‘imposter syndrome’ we’ve all felt before. Discussions about leadership skills, program development, or policy awareness can open the thinking process about future aspirations and movement within our field keeps your professional journey fresh and challenging as your career evolves. This broader perspective can help you think strategically about your future career path while completing the required supervision hours.
Number 5:
A field such as ours calls on us to be caretakers, professionally speaking. The biggest risk to that is ‘Compassion Fatigue’ and ultimately ‘Burnout’. You’ve invested a lot to get to this point, you can maintain your aspirations along the way to avoid the exhaustion that sometimes come from holding the trauma of others and human suffering we are witness to. Self-Care is a requirement to managing the risks of giving too much to others and not having enough left for ourselves. Without this awareness, we can struggle with our own secondary trauma. We have to carefully navigate our own boundaries with clients in order to protect our professionalism and ourselves. Having connections with other professionals to lean on helps to balance our needs and the needs of our clients.
This is a very rewarding field and supervision is a terrific opportunity to solidly prepare Clinical Social Workers for the field ahead.