What to Look for in a Clinical Supervisor: Finding the Right Fit for Your Growth
Clinical supervision is about much more than completing the hours required for licensure. The right supervision relationship can become an important part of developing your confidence, strengthening your clinical skills, and discovering who you want to be as a therapist.
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Registered Play Therapist (RPT), and Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) in Denver, Colorado, I view supervision as a collaborative space where clinicians can slow down, think more deeply about their work, and continue developing their own clinical identity.
If you're looking for clinical supervision in Colorado, here are some things to consider when choosing a supervisor.
Clinical Supervision Should Be More Than Case Consultation
It's easy for supervision to become a weekly rundown of clients: What happened? What should I do next? What intervention should I try?
Case consultation is certainly an important part of supervision, but strong clinical supervision goes deeper.
Supervision should help you become increasingly able to understand why you're making certain clinical decisions. That means exploring case conceptualization, therapeutic relationships, ethical considerations, boundaries, use of self, countertransference, cultural factors, and the theories informing your work.
Rather than simply giving supervisees answers, I want to help clinicians strengthen their ability to think critically and trust their developing clinical judgment.
A Developmental Approach to Clinical Supervision
Clinicians need different things at different stages of their careers.
Someone who recently graduated may need more structure, guidance, reassurance, and support navigating ethical or clinical decisions. As clinicians gain experience, supervision can become increasingly collaborative and reflective.
My approach to clinical supervision is informed by a developmental model, meaning I adapt supervision based on a clinician's current level of experience, confidence, and professional development.
The goal isn't for you to practice exactly the way I do. It's to help you develop into the therapist you want to become.
Supervision Should Make Room for the Therapist, Too
Therapists bring themselves into the therapy room. Our histories, nervous systems, values, sensitivities, strengths, and life experiences all influence how we show up with clients.
That's why I believe good supervision should include space to reflect on questions such as:
Why does this particular client leave me feeling stuck?
What happens inside me when a client becomes angry, withdrawn, or dysregulated?
Am I working harder than my client?
Why do I feel pressure to "fix" this?
Is something about this case activating one of my own patterns?
What belongs to me, and what belongs to the client?
This isn't therapy for the therapist. Instead, it's an opportunity to develop greater self-awareness so that our own reactions can become useful clinical information rather than something that unconsciously drives the therapeutic process.
Finding Your Own Clinical Voice
Early in your career, it can feel like there is a "right" way to be a therapist.
You may find yourself wondering what your supervisor would say, what intervention you're supposed to use, or whether you're doing therapy correctly.
Over time, I want supervision to help clinicians move away from constantly looking outside themselves for the "right answer" and toward developing thoughtful, ethical, and grounded clinical judgment.
That includes integrating theory with who you naturally are as a person and clinician.
My own clinical work is influenced by trauma-informed care, EMDR, parts work, somatic approaches, mindfulness, attachment, nervous-system regulation, and play therapy. While these perspectives naturally influence the way I conceptualize cases, supervision isn't about creating clinicians who practice exactly like me.
It's about helping you understand different perspectives, think critically about your work, and develop an approach that feels authentic to you.
What Does an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) Mean?
When searching for a clinical supervisor, you may notice that some clinicians have the Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential.
The ACS is a professional credential specifically focused on clinical supervision. It reflects additional education and training in areas such as supervision theory, ethical and legal considerations, supervisee development, evaluation, and the supervision process.
Choosing a supervisor with formal training in clinical supervision can be especially valuable because being an experienced therapist and being an effective supervisor are not necessarily the same skill.
As an Approved Clinical Supervisor, I aim to provide supervision that is intentional, developmentally appropriate, ethical, supportive, and focused on helping clinicians continue growing throughout their careers.
What My Clinical Supervision Style Looks Like
My supervision style is warm, collaborative, reflective, and experiential.
Depending on what you need, our supervision sessions may include case conceptualization, ethical decision-making, exploring challenging therapeutic dynamics, discussing interventions, practicing clinical skills, reviewing documentation, identifying countertransference, or reflecting on your own responses to clients.
There may also be times when I challenge you to look at a case differently or sit with uncertainty rather than immediately giving you an answer.
My goal is to create a supervision relationship where you feel supported enough to say:
"I don't know what to do here."
"I think I made a mistake."
"This client is really getting under my skin."
"I'm questioning my clinical judgment."
Those conversations are often where some of the most meaningful professional growth happens.
Clinical Supervision in Denver and Colorado
I provide clinical supervision for therapists who are looking for a supportive and reflective space to strengthen their clinical skills and professional identity.
Supervision may be a good fit if you're looking for support with trauma-informed therapy, child and family work, play therapy, EMDR-informed case conceptualization, anxiety, attachment, nervous-system regulation, or simply developing greater confidence in yourself as a clinician.
Whether you're working toward independent licensure or are already licensed and looking for ongoing clinical consultation, supervision can provide a dedicated space to step outside of the demands of your caseload and intentionally reflect on your work.
Looking for a Clinical Supervisor?
Finding the right supervisor is a personal decision. Training and experience matter, but so does the relationship.
You should feel that your supervisor is someone you can be honest with, ask questions of, disagree with, and learn alongside.
If you're looking for clinical supervision in Denver or Colorado and think my approach may be a good fit, I invite you to reach out to learn more about clinical supervision and whether working together makes sense.