If you are searching for guidance in the field, working with a Social work clinical supervisor can provide essential support. Clinical supervisor support toward licensure is often a critical part of professional development. Also, they offer expertise.

About Me

After earning my Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, I entered the field both eager and uncertain. While I was excited to begin supporting vulnerable populations, I also grappled with self-doubt. I was aware of the limited representation of men of color in mental health. Early in my career, this led me to question whether I belonged in the field. Over time, with the support of a supervisor who shared a similar identity, I came to see this not as a limitation but as a strength. Moreover, representation matters—it can challenge stereotypes and foster deeper engagement with clients. This shift continues to shape my work and commitment as a therapist.

My supervision style is relaxed, collaborative, and flexible. I tend to follow the clinician’s lead, while also offering structure and skill-building when needed. My goal is to support clinicians in preventing burnout, expanding their clinical toolkit, and normalizing the challenges and rewards of this work. Frequently, I ground my approach in one guiding question: What did I need when I was in your position?

Supervision Approach

My approach to supervision is very similar to how I treat clients – focusing on having a safe and trusting space to discuss any challenges. In addition, I aim to avoid any fear of judgement. Working collaboratively is also very important in order to provide constructive feedback to help therapists grow and be challenged. Ethics are another central component to ensure social workers are holding integrity and respecting the dignity of the client population.

Therapists are able to grow by having a safe space to discuss any ethical dilemmas, identify blind spots in treatment, practice setting boundaries with clients, and identifying strategies to prevent burnout. Case conceptualization is a critical component to discuss complex cases and explore alternative treatment approaches. This is often completed by sharing cases that I’ve encountered or supported other supervisees through. Another way a therapist can grow during time in supervision is working to identify which treatment style and/or population a therapist prefers working with. I believe having a confident therapist that believes in their treatment can foster a genuine change in behavior for their clients.

Clinical support is an ongoing process which does require a therapist to be challenged in order to grow and continue learning. If a therapist is seeking to be challenged and requests constructive feedback then supervision can be spent identifying any blind spots in treatment, errors in documentation, and alternative treatment options. I believe it is important to be honest about treatment and care for our clients. Thus, we must hold ourselves accountable for offering ethical care and treating the population we served with dignity and respect. As therapists, we are humans too so making a mistake does happen. However, how we respond to the mistake and the actions to correct the mistake is very critical. This helps avoid repeated errors.

What Supervision Looks Like in Practice

I like to structure supervision very similar to how I structure a client session. Ideally, we begin with a brief check-in to assess for any significant events and/or cases to staff. If there is a safety risk or concern then we will prioritize that case first. If there are not any specific questions/concerns at the time then reviewing previous topics, discussions, and learning about updates with cases is another way to utilize time during supervision. If an individual has a specific topic they’d like to discuss then I’m also happy to prepare content in advance. This may include treatment planning, preparation for LICSW exam, or topics such as imposter syndrome or transference/countertransference.

The modalities I primarily utilize include Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapist, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mobilizational Interviewing, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. There are aspects of psychodynamic therapy integrated into the therapy I provide to clients. However, spending time learning and using skill is essential too.

The options for supervision primarily include individual supervision though I do have some experience facilitating group supervision. In my experience, group supervision is best utilized if there are a confident number of active attendees in group.

Who I Work With

I work with associate-level counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists who are in the early stages of their clinical careers. I support clinicians across a range of areas, including developing core clinical skills, navigating complex client situations, building confidence, and identifying a meaningful clinical niche. My goal is to help you grow both professionally and personally as you refine your approach and establish a strong foundation for your work.

Outcomes and Growth

My goal during clinical supervision is to help therapists gain clinical confidence and identify a niche specialty for each therapist by offering feedback and clinical reasoning for use of interventions and therapist. This process can take time. However, I strongly believe it aids in reducing burnout if a therapist is able to provide therapy using a modality they stand behind.

Therapists will also learn how to prepare for the licensing exam by discussing exam expectations, identifying study habits, and practicing recycled exam questions. In order to reduce burnout – monitoring caseloads and encouraging a healthy work-life balance is important. Also, it is helpful to normalize stress and understand the impact of vicarious trauma.

Lastly, addressing imposter syndrome, especially at the early stages of being a therapist, in order to maintain longevity and sustain in the mental health field – this can be completed by fostering open dialogue and emphasizing the importance of growth over perfection.