It's Okay Not to Know: What to Expect from Clinical Supervision as an Oregon CSWA

Starting your career as a clinician after grad school can feel exciting, overwhelming, and bring on all kinds of imposter’s syndrome. I know this was my experience after I graduated with my MSW in 2019. I really enjoyed the program I went through, and so much of what I learned about actually providing therapy came from post-grad experience working in the field and through many hours of clinical supervision.

If you are starting out in your first job after graduation and with many questions that your grad program didn’t answer, you are not alone.

This is where clinical supervision with a supportive and knowledgeable supervisor comes in to provide guidance, answer questions, and support you in developing new skills and growing your confidence.

The Transition from Graduate School to Clinical Practice

Graduate school provides an important foundation for becoming a therapist or social worker, but the transition into clinical practice often feels clunky.

Even if you had experience in internship seeing clients, taking the leap to provide therapy as an associate clinician is much more independent and comes with new challenges. There isn’t always a clear “right answer,” and many situations require you to think on your feet, tolerate uncertainty, and make clinical decisions in real time.

This shift can bring up self-doubt for many new clinicians. It’s common to wonder if you’re doing things correctly, feel like an imposter, or question if you should already have more confidence. In reality, confidence in clinical work develops gradually through experience and support.

Clinical supervision is important because it provides a consistent space to slow down, process your experiences, and consult about challenges that show up in the therapy room with clients.

What Clinical Supervision Actually Looks Like

Clinical supervision may look little different depending on each supervisor, but at its core it is a collaborative space to support your growth as a developing clinician.

In supervision, you might talk through client cases that feel complex or uncertain. This can include thinking about diagnosis, treatment planning, and therapeutic interventions. Other topics may include boundaries, ethics, documentation, cultural humility, and burnout prevention as a therapist. Supervision is also a great place to process thoughts and feelings around being in the profession as a whole and how it is impacting you.

With clinical supervision, you don’t have to have everything figured out before you walk in. That would defeat the point of supervision! It is meant to be a space to bring your questions and uncertainty, especially in the beginning stages of your development as a therapist.

What are the requirements to become an LCSW in Oregon?

Requirements to become an independently licensed social worker vary by state. In Oregon, here are the current requirements to become an LCSW:

• 3,500 total work hours

• 2,000 direct client contact hours

• 100 hours of clinical supervision

  • Up to 50 of these hours can include group supervision

• A minimum of 24 months of supervised experience

• Passing the ASWB Clinical Exam

In Oregon, CSWAs may request approval to take the exam early after completing 75 hours of supervision and 24 months (or two years) of supervised experience. At least two years of supervised work may seem like a long process, but it is so valuable for clinicians to have this time period for extra support and feedback as they navigate challenges in the field. Per the ASWB, supervision must occur a minimum of twice per month for at least one hour.

Finding the Right Clinical Supervisor

The relationship with your supervisor is an important part of the experience. Just like therapists, supervisors have different styles and approaches. Some supervisors may be more structured and directive while others are more reflective and and collaborative.

I draw from the Integrated Developmental Model (IDM) of supervision which recognizes that clinicians grow and develop their skills over time, and effective supervision adapts to meet supervisees where they are. If you are a brand new clinician, you may benefit from more guidance, structure, and direct feedback. With more experience, supervision may shift toward more consultation, reflection, and support in developing your own clinical voice.

When looking for a supervisor, it can be helpful to consider what type of approach you are looking for at your current stage as a CSWA. Do they create space for you to bring questions, uncertainty, and challenges without fear of judgment? Do they provide feedback that helps you better understand your clinical decisions and continue developing your skills? Do they encourage you to build confidence in your own clinical judgment while offering guidance and support when you feel stuck?

Additionally, it is important for social workers to make sure their supervisor has experience in their particular area of work as LCSWs can provide clinical work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, schools, community mental health, and outpatient practices. You will also want to seek supervision with someone who has experience with your age range and demographic of clients.

My Approach to Clinical Supervision

As an LCSW and Oregon Board-Approved Clinical Supervisor, I approach supervision as a collaborative and supportive space where clinicians can continue developing both confidence and clinical skill.

As previously mentioned, I utilize the Integrated Developmental Model of supervision, which recognizes that clinicians grow and develop over time. I practice from a biopsychosocial-spiritual framework with an intersectional lens, which recognizes that clients’ experiences (as well as our experiences as clinicians) are shaped by many intersecting factors, including culture, identity, socioeconomic status, race, religion, family of origin, and systems of privilege and oppression.

I use my experience providing therapy in both community mental health and private practice settings to support supervisees in their work toward becoming indepentently licensed.

I also offer a discounted supervision rate for those working in community mental health settings.

Closing Thoughts

If you are transitioning into the field as a new clinician, I hope you can find compassion for yourself as you navigate new experiences and moments of uncertainty. It’s also good to remember that you are not alone in the process and finding a clinical supervisor you can trust and connect with makes a big difference.

If you are a CSWA in Oregon looking for clinical supervision, I offer virtual supervision and would be happy to connect for a consultation to discuss your goals and see if we would be a good fit. You can take a look at my clinical supervision page to learn more.