Choosing a supervisor is one of the most important decisions you will make as a new LPC Associate. Your supervisor shapes how you think about cases, how you handle ethical dilemmas, and how confident you feel as a professional. Here are eight questions worth asking before you commit.
1. What is your approach to supervision?
Ask about the models and values that guide their supervision. A developmental approach, for example, meets you where you are and adjusts as you grow. You want a supervisor who can describe their approach clearly.
2. How do you give feedback?
Good supervision includes both encouragement and honest correction. Ask how they handle growth areas and what happens if they have concerns about your work.
3. How available are you between sessions?
Hard cases don't wait for your scheduled meeting. Clarify how to reach your supervisor for urgent consultation, especially for safety concerns.
4. What experience do you have with my clients and setting?
Consider whether their clinical background fits the populations and settings you work in, such as trauma, couples, adolescents, or community mental health.
5. How do you address culture and identity in supervision?
Culturally responsive supervision helps you explore your own identity, assumptions, and blind spots, and prepares you to serve diverse clients well.
6. If faith matters to me, how do you approach it?
For associates who want to integrate faith into their work, it helps to have a supervisor who can discuss faith integration ethically and thoughtfully.
7. What are the logistics?
Ask about fees, scheduling, virtual options, documentation, and how they track your hours. Confirm the current licensure requirements directly with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, since rules can change.
8. How do you handle concerns or disagreements?
A strong supervisory relationship can handle conflict. Ask how they approach disagreement, remediation, and repair. Their answer will tell you a lot about the relationship you would have.
Trust the relationship
Research on supervision consistently points to the supervisory relationship as central to growth. Choose someone you can be honest with, who challenges you and is clearly on your side.
If you are an LPC Associate in Texas looking for virtual, trauma-informed, culturally responsive supervision, learn more about supervision with Dr. Thomas or send an inquiry.
Dr. Nancy Thomas, PhD, LPC-S is a counselor educator, Texas Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, and national speaker on faith and mental health, trauma, multicultural counseling, and supervision. Read more about Dr. Thomas.