Obtaining an LCSW is a life changing/career changing event. The “C” in LCSW signifies competence in the area of clinical work and adherence to the highest standards of client care. According to Bodenheimer (n.d.), “supervision is actually the underlying life force that keeps our field ethical, evolving, and intentional. Supervision ought to be where wisdom is shared, clinical voices are cultivated, and cases are conceptualized.” Good supervision is invigorating! It is a forum for the free flow of information and tools that enhance the social work – person in environment approach.
As a PhD (marriage and family therapy) and LCSW-S, I have considerable firsthand supervision experience, which has enabled me to identify the qualities that comprise exceptional supervision. I know what it feels like to have a supervisor who cares about your goals and who is up-to-date on issues like technology, alternative practices, and diversity – who works collaboratively with you, taking the time to flesh out your cases and help you resolve problems. Yet, I also know what it’s like to have a supervisor who is stuck in the past, unable to adapt to the present, and who only takes the minimum amount of CEU’s and training required, resulting in services that have very little to offer.
I take supervision very seriously, because I know that it is more than a board requirement; it is an opportunity to enhance and refine the same skills that are utilized in clinical practice. It would be imprudent to approach a supervision opportunity with hopes of only obtaining a certification. My goal for you is growth and experience. I meet with each of my supervisees to learn about their career goals, interests, and areas in which they can improve their competence/understanding. In addition to their own specific goals, we explore topics such as: