How do you find the right supervisor for you?

If you’re working in an agency or organization that offers you supervision, fabulous! There may be occasions when you might still seek out specialized supervision, but hopefully you’re able to utilize the provided supervision for most of your hours. If this isn’t your situation, you’ll need to find — and likely pay for — independent supervision.

  • In order for your postgraduate hours and supervision hours to count toward your licensing requirements, you must make sure your supervisor is an approved supervisor and obtain an Approved Supervisor Attestation form from them. Here are the criteria:

    • Active and good standing license for the previous 2 years as an LMHC, LICSW, LMFT, licensed psychologist, licensed physician practicing as a psychiatrist, or licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner.

    • The approved supervisor must not be your blood or legal relative, cohabitant, peer, or therapist within the past two years.

    • A minimum of 15 hours of training in clinical supervision obtained through:

      • A supervision course; or

      • Continuing education credits on supervision;

      • Supervision of supervision;

    • 25 hours of experience in supervision of clinical practice; and

    • Has had 2 years of clinical experience post-licensure.

    You can always ask a potential supervisor how they met these criteria.

  • Once you’ve completed your postgraduate experience and supervision hours, your supervisor will sign off on those hours and attest that they have “thorough knowledge of” your:

    • specific practice setting;

    • recordkeeping;

    • financial management;

    • ethics of clinical practice; and

    • your backup plan for coverage when you’re not available to your clients.

    How supervisors gather this knowledge and document it is up to the individual supervisor, but it should be a process with which you’re comfortable!

  • You want to be sure the clinician you’re working with for supervision is a good fit — just like when you’re looking for a therapist! Things you might consider:

    • do you feel comfortable sharing challenges and questions;

    • have they worked in the same or similar settings;

    • is there overlap in how they practice with the ways you want to practice;

    • do they see the same or similar populations;

    • do they share any identities or lived experience with you or your clients;

    • does their model of therapy or practice align with how you (want to) practice;

    • how do they understand supervision and therapist development;

    • will they give you a contract or disclosure statement outlining the rights, expectations, and responsibilities of both of you;

    • what is their availability like between supervision meetings;

    • what are their expectations about urgent or emergency situations;

    • who do you contact if they are unavailable; and

    • how do they handle client safety risks or concerns related mandated reporting?

Resources

Approved Supervisor LMHC
Approved Supervisor LMFT

I’ve linked to the Approved Supervisor forms for LMHCAs, LMFTAs, and LSWAICs. You’ll likely get this directly from your supervisor. You’ll need one of these forms for each of the supervisors with whom you work. You should obtain the original signed document from your supervisor and be sure to store the original in a safe place! When you are ready to submit your documentation for licensure, you’ll want to either mail the original to DOH or have the supervisor email DOH directly with a PDF attachment; however, they won’t accept a PDF from you.

As of November 15, 2024

How to find a supervisor

Approved Supervisor LICSW

Beyond a good old google search, there are some databases of approved supervisors, including one from the state:

If you belong to a statewide listserve for your professional organization, you may be able to ask there or search the archives. Facebook therapist groups are other good options including the WA State Clinical Supervisors and Supervisees Support (LMHC, LMFT, LICSW).