For ASWs and MFT associates, choosing a clinical supervisor is an important choice. This is the person you will be depending on to help hone your skills, enhance your potential, and help you best prepare for the board exams and your next career step. Before you even begin your search, you want to take time and reflect:

What are my career goals?

By now, you likely have a general idea what your ideal career trajectory looks like. You’ll want to find an LCSW Supervisor who is where you want to be is a great way to access a mentor to show you the skills to be successful in achieving your goals.  When interviewing a prospective LCSW supervisor, you will want to ask if they are open to sharing their experiences with you during your sessions.

What would you like supervision to look like?

Will you prefer to have individual or a multidisciplinary group to consult on cases with? Would you like in-person or video conferencing? Which aspects of practice would be of benefit to focus on, such as clinical interventions and theory, risk assessment, countertransference? How would you prioritize each goal?

How do you define your personal ‘best practice’?

Of course, you don’t want a ‘yes’ person, but knowing you have someone that aligns with your larger values and beliefs can make you the clinician you want to be.

It can be a challenge for ASWs and MFT associates to navigate the waters of finding your MFT or LCSW supervisor, choose carefully so that you can reap the rewards and invest in yourself!