Supervisory Services I Provide

So you're looking for a supervisor, are you?

Finding one can feel like, "looking for a needle in a haystack", can't it? Right now, you don't know what to ask, you don't know if the supervisor-candidate(s) really have your best interests at heart, and you don't know what you don't know!

Sound familiar?

What you do know, is that you must find a Supervisor first, before you can get a job and begin acquiring the 3000 hours needed in order to become fully licensed. This is overwhelming for some, worrisome for most, and you are not alone.

A short while back I met Kathleen Mills and Phillip Crum of PracticeMentors.us and became associated with their counselor education efforts. They’ve recently added, "The Academy", to their list of offerings on that website. The Academy educates supervisors in all facets of running a private practice (in whatever form that might take!) so that we become better mentors for you! "Guiding the Next Generation".

I'm always interviewing potential associates so perhaps we should talk. But first I want you to carefully read every word on this page. Don't skim it, don't click off the page, read every single word because I wrote them all, just for you!

Before we go on you need to know this...

There are two groups of Supervisors that you'll encounter:

Those that are primarily in it to give back and mentor the next generations' professional aspirations, and...
Those that are in it for the money.

If your plans include finding the cheapest possible mentor (supervisor) that will let you skate by on minimums then you'll need to stop right now and look elsewhere. I belong firmly in that first group, as does anyone I might recommend to you.

Finding Supervisors to Interview

The bad news is that there is no public list of outstanding Supervisors to be had. The only list you can get from the State is an Excel spreadsheet of names and the county they live in, which puts you right back to making a hundred Google searches. The good news is that I am here to help you in ways that no one else in the Great State of Texas can. (See PracticeMentors.us after you finish reading this page!)

Your immediate job is to find a Supervisor who "gets" you, and a JOB that fits you! You need a handful of top supervisor candidates that are accepting new associates, in your area, OR will know other top-tier supervisor candidates that are. That's an almost impossible list to come by but in just a minute I'm going to give it to you as my gift to you and your future, whether you end up working with me or not. But first, I want you to really think about something...

Don't Settle for the First Supervisor You Talk To!!

You spent 4 or more years getting your under-grad degree and likely incurred some school debt (kudos to you if you finished debt-free!). Then you spent a few more years and another small fortune (more debt?) obtaining your graduate degree(s), and you did it because you have a heart to help other people; you want to help as many as possible with the gifts that God has blessed you with.

Do you really think this is a good time to look for a mentor that delivers
only minimums at the cheapest possible rates you can find?

My colleagues and I are here to tell you that your education has just begun.

Interview with several, recommended supervisor-candidates, pick the one that offers the best curriculum for your future, one that you can feel comfortable working with and pay him/her their fee. Now is not the time to pinch pennies; we're talking about your career and your financial earning power for the rest of your life! This is a huge decision.

If I may be a bit blunt, these supervisors don't need you and we're not obligated to do what we do. We could easily make more money seeing clients in the hours we spend working with our associates. We choose to do this for the next generation because we want to and we sacrifice a lot of things and put ourselves at risk to do so.

You're going to have to learn how to interview with these supervisors. If you think you can, "wing it", and you'll be ok, you're wrong. This is far more important than an interview at Starbucks.

How to Interview with These Supervisor-Candidates

You need to understand that these are two-way interviews. You're looking to see if they would make a good mentor for you on both professional and personal levels, and they're looking for "the consummate student". So let's set up some expectations for both parties. For example, if we choose to work together, here is some of what you would learn with me:

the_counseling_landscape_for_show 11-9-22

Interview Your Supervisor Candidates with This Checklist

Don't you think it might be a good idea to find out what your supervisor-mentor is planning to teach you during your time together rather than just, "hope it all works out"? Wouldn't it be smarter to work from a check-list of specifics that you're looking for in a "like-minded Supervisor"? I suggest that you hop on over to PracticeMentors.us, subscribe, then download and use the list we've put together for you as your personal interview check-list when interviewing your Supervisor-Candidates.

On Being Interviewed

This relationship has to be good for the Supervisor, too. They're looking for certain character traits that make a good student. Here are three things I look for and require in/from my interns:

Accountability-Able to make self-corrections along the way.
Ambition-Must be self-motivated & a go-getter.
Resourcefulness-Willing to learn about the real world of the counseling profession.

This relationship has to be a win-win for both parties. In addition to the character attributes listed above, when being interviewed it is always best to present yourself as having already thoughtfully considered the important questions about your interests and your future. After all, you have had 6+ years to do that! Download the list of questions below, craft your responses to them and vocalize them out loud several times so they sound natural to your ear. Do NOT try and memorize them.

It should go without saying that you need to display good appointment etiquette; clean up and look professional, show up a few minutes early, bring something to write with and something to write on, display a good, firm handshake and always make good eye contact. Decline food and drink if offered.

Things I Should Consider Prior to an Interview

What Will Separate You from the Other Interns?

Absolutely nothing, unless you know how to professionally tell your story to others. This is where you will begin to separate yourself from the rest of the pack. It’s called being vulnerable with your story so you can get a paying gig right away. Many associates struggle because they do not have the vision or guidance to begin to tell their story of why they do what they do.

We are going to begin the process of crafting your story as it pertains to why you have chosen to be a counselor. People don’t care what you do, rather, they want to know what makes you tick… your story. Every upcoming counselor has a story and it's time to share it with those employers and future clients of yours.

On Working With Me

Should we end up working together, our immediate task will be to prepare you to find a JOB, so you can succeed…now, not after you get fully credentialed. I am going to "hands-on" help you do that.

From there we will further prepare you for your career through the extensive list of training topics noted above that you are only likely to get from me or one of the supervisors I recommend.

What's Next?

Spend some time with these three thoughts before you begin your search for that perfect Supervisor.

What Do I Want to Accomplish? (Be Specific)
What Does it Look Like? (Be Specific)
What Am I Willing to Do to Get to Where I Say I Want to Go? (Be Honest)

Give me a call if you have any questions at: 817-968-1905. NO emails, please. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Alison Bailey, LMFT-S

Oh, scroll down just a little bit further for that supervisor list I promised you.

Here's the List of Supervisors I Recommend

If you'll click the logo to the left you'll be shown a list of supervisors that have completed various levels of education with us. There's more detail on that page but each supervisor represented has a link directly to a page on their website specifically addressed to you! If you encounter any issues or have any questions, please feel free to shoot Phillip an email at: pcrum@practicementors.us and he will respond. Good luck!