Congratulations on graduating with your degree, whether in marriage and family therapy, counseling, social work, or psychology. Now that you have accomplished this very important step in your professional journey, the next step is state licensure. In order to work toward state licensure, you must have a clinical supervisor.

We at GAMFT are here to help guide you every step of the way. Although finding a supervisor can present some challenges, we are hopeful that the following guide will help you locate a supervisor who will be the best fit for you.

 

Important Information

 

All clinical supervisors must either be 1) an AAMFT Approved Supervisor or 2) meet the criteria that the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists outlines for Georgia supervisors. To read more about the Georgia Composite Board criteria, please read Board Rules 135-5-.05 (1) (a) and 135-5-.06 (1) (c).

 

Beginning Your Search

 

Begin searching for potential clinical supervisors. Clinical supervisors may be located by either asking for recommendations from a fellow colleague who has or is currently in supervision with a clinical supervisor. Or you can search on one or more of the following links. Both links include the option to search for clinical supervisors, more specific to filter preferences, such as location, distance, etc.

• AAMFT’s Approved Supervisor Directory
• Motivo is an online platform connecting new therapists with experienced clinical supervisors

Contacting and Interviewing Supervisors

 

Once you have developed a list of potential supervisors with whom you think may be the best fit, contact them directly by phone or email to schedule a convenient date/time for the two of you to meet. Before meeting with each potential supervisor, treat this time as you would a job interview. Preparation is key. Although not an exhaustive list, below are some possible questions that you may ask during your time together.

• What are the reasons you chose to become a supervisor?
• How long have you been a supervisor and how many people have you supervised?
• What are your areas of specialty?
• What theoretical approaches do you use when working with clients?
• How would you best describe your supervision style?
• How do you incorporate self-of-the-therapist work in supervision?
• What days/times are you available for supervision?
• How much do you charge for individual supervision? Dyad supervision? Group supervision?
• Do you conduct individual supervision? Group supervision?
• Do I need to sign a contract? If so, what are the terms of the contract?
• Whether emergent or non-emergent, how do you handle questions that come up between supervision sessions?
• Has your license ever been suspended or revoked by a state board?
• How many supervision hours will I be required to obtain each month?
• Do you conduct evaluations? If so, what types of evaluations will be conducted and how often?

Signing the Contract

 

After completing the interview process, it is time to make a final decision. When you make this determination and you and the supervisor both agree to sign a contract (see most important components that may be included in a supervision contract) to enter into a supervisory relationship, you may begin or complete the state licensure paperwork for submission.

Below are some important elements that you may see included in a supervision contract.

• Philosophy and supervision style
• Expectation to follow code of ethics and state laws
• Duration of the contract, criteria for termination, and payment structure
• Criteria and process for evaluation
• Responsibilities and expectations of both supervisor and supervise
• Agreement regarding keeping supervisor informed if/when needed in between scheduled supervision sessions
• Confidentiality and limits to confidentiality
• Contact information and emergency procedures
• Process by which issues/concerns will be addressed
• How other parties, such as agencies and other supervisors, may be involved
• Supervision goals
• Record keeping for supervision sessions
• Statement regarding how technology (phone, text, email) may or will be used

Congratulations! With a new supervisor, you’re well on your way to licensure. If there’s anything GAMFT can do to help you along the process, feel free to contact us.