I can provide supervision to support your professional development if you are seeking licensure as a social worker or mental health counselor in the state of Washington. My goal is to be supportive of your professional development in a way that benefits both you and your clients. Our first appointment will be to learn about you, your skill level, and your goals. It will also allow us to see if we are going to be a good fit for supervision. I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). I am an approved supervisor for the state of Washington and meet the requirements specified in accordance with WAC Section 246-809-234, and Section 246-809-334. I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) committed to high ethical standards of professional practice.

approved supervisorMy professional experience as a mental health professional includes therapist and addiction counselor also providing program management and staff supervision in a county mental health setting working with individuals and groups addressing a diverse mental health, addiction, and social issues. I have provided crisis response as a Designated Mental Health Professional working with hospitals, medical personnel, and law enforcement. Additionally, I have provided counseling to youth in residential and detention settings addressing addiction issues. I have developed and facilitated co-occurring programs providing services to individuals and groups addressing diverse mental wellness and addiction issues.

I have served as a member of a drug court team comprised of counselors, prevention specialists, child advocates, legal representatives, and community support systems providing services to families and children affected by substance abuse in a county setting. My most recent work is offering counseling and coaching in private practice. I am a life-long learner remaining a perpetual student of life, exploring the human experience, and continually immersed in spiritual practice and creative expression.

I find mentoring the next generation of clinicians rewarding and my goal is to be supportive of your professional development. I can assist you in developing your expertise in a way that benefits you and your clients. I am happy to discuss any questions you might have. You can reach me @ 509-850-5991 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.me to learn more about my services or to schedule an appointment to initiate the process.

Philosophy of Supervision
approved supervisorSupervision is a learning alliance between the supervisor and the supervisee to develop therapeutic skills and develop self-awareness. It is a supportive and collaborative relationship giving the supervisee opportunities to develop professional skills, practices, and good client care. The role of a clinical supervisor is as teacher, sounding board, mentor, evaluator, consultant, and champion. It is important to develop a supervisory alliance to promote trust, self-efficacy, increased comfort, self-motivation, greater self-knowledge through recognizing internal changes. Professional development occurs through the experience of collaboration, compassion, and quality of attention. The goal is to empower the supervisee to self-supervise.

General Information for Licensure
Washington State has several types of licensing. You will need to know which credential to apply for as each licensure has its own requirements. It is important to keep in mind that licensure requires supervision from an approved supervisor. The requirements for an approved supervisor differ somewhat depending on the licensure (see additional links below).

If you are applying for an associate pre-licensure for social work or mental health counselor you will be required to complete the basic requirements. An associate is a pre-licensure candidate who has either a graduate or doctoral degree in the required field of study and is gaining the supervision experience necessary for full licensure. Associates may not provide independent social work or mental health counseling independently for a fee, monetary or otherwise. Typical practice settings are facilities, agencies, or private practice under the supervision of an approved supervisor. If an associate is working under the supervision of an approved supervisor, it's not considered independent practice.

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work (LICSW) - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker License Requirements practices the use diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders based on knowledge of human development, the causation and treatment of psychopathology, psychotherapeutic treatment practices, and social work practice as defied in advanced social work. Treatment methods include but are not limited to diagnosis and treatment of individuals, couples, families, groups, or organizations. LICSW will allow you to practice independently or in an agency setting. Postgraduate supervised experience for Independent Clinical Social Worker requires a minimum of 4,000 hours of experience, over a period of not less than three years, with supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least two years. The supervisor may be either a licensed independent clinical social worker who has had at least one year of experience in supervising the clinical social work of others or an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner.


Licensed Advanced Social Work (LASW) - Licensed Advanced Social Worker License Requirements practices the use of social work theory and methods including emotional and biopsychosocial assessment, psychotherapy under the supervision of a licensed independent clinical social worker, case management, consultation, advocacy, counseling, and community organization. LASW will only allow you to practice under supervision and is designed for people working in agencies, hospitals, schools, or other institutions. If you choose to become LASW, you will have to reapply to become a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work (LICSW) if you practice under the definition of an LICSW in the future. Postgraduate supervised experience for Advanced Social Worker requires completion of a minimum 3,200 hours with 90 hours of supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least three years.


Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) - Licensed Mental Health Counselor License Requirements practices the use diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders based on knowledge of human development, the causation and treatment of psychopathology, psychotherapeutic treatment practices. LMHC will allow you to practice independently or in an agency setting. Supervised postgraduate experience for Mental Health Counselor must have must have a minimum of thirty-six months of full time counseling or 3,000 hours of supervised postgraduate experience under the supervision of an approved licensed mental health practitioner or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. Treatment methods include but are not limited to diagnosis and treatment of individuals, couples, families, groups, or organizations.

Finding an Approved Supervisor or Consultant
It is important that the relationship between supervisee and supervisor is a good fit. Look for a supervisor who will be supportive of your professional development. They should be able to explain their philosophy of supervision. You also want a supervisor who is familiar with the code of ethics of your profession even if it differs from theirs. It is quite acceptable to ask these types of questions as well as what their clinical approach and areas of expertise or special interests are. You want a supervisor that takes responsibility for your training seriously and is available when needed. It is important that you choose a supervisor that you feel confident in and can learn from.

approved supervisorClinical supervisors share the responsibility for services provided to the client therefore can be held legally responsible for the actions of their supervisees. They have a fiduciary responsibility and are vicariously liable for the actions of their supervisees so a clinical supervisor can insist on a course of actions, review files, etc. They are also required to document their supervision.

Consultation is sometimes confused with supervision but there is a distinction. Consultation may involve some functions of a supervisor but it does not usually carry the administrative responsibility and accountability. The consultant can make recommendations but the consulted can choose to implement the suggestions or not. Documentation is not required but recommended.

I Can Provide Supervision to Support Your Professional Development
My goal is to be supportive of your professional development in a way that benefits both you and your clients. Our first appointment will be to learn about you, your skill level, and your goals. It will also allow us to see if we are going to be a good fit for supervision. If we decide to work together then we will develop a supervision
approved supervisoragreement that describes our mutual responsibilities. Upon completing that agreement, we will begin meeting on a regular basis at a mutually agreed time and conducted in a comfortable and private place to protect from interruptions. Depending on your experience, the recommended supervision time can vary from 1 hour for every 15 hours of face-to-face contact with clients to 1 hour for every 30 hours of face-to-face contact with clients. I may ask you to attend specific continuing education activities, read articles, books, or other format used for educational purposes for professional development. As a Washington State approved supervisor your supervision hours will count towards licensure. Supervision is available to individuals and groups.

I am listed in the following directories for Approved Supervisors:
www.counselingseattle.com/therapist-directory/supervision
https://nasw-wa.org/list-of-supervisors/

I would be happy to meet with you for consultation to discuss the requirements and logistics of supervision. I look forward to meeting you. I wish you well on your journey.

 

Other Forms

Approved Supervisor LICSW & LASW
Approved Supervisor LMHC

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) 
Licensed Advanced Social Worker (LASW)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) 


License Requirements -Associate-Advanced and Independent Clinical Social Worker
License Requirements - Associate Mental Health Counselor 
Social Work Post Graduate Supervision Hours 

 

You can reach me @ 509-850-5991 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. me.