I remember being so excited when I finally found out that my full license had been processed and published! This was before the State was doing anything online, so I had to call every Friday (that was the only day they processed LPCs) and see if mine was done. I had been working so long for that day to come. Each milestone felt like such a feat of accomplishment: finishing grad school, getting my temporary license, getting all my hours, passing the exam (that was how it used to be done!) and NOW, FINALLY getting my full license.
Then I suddenly had this immense feeling of “now what?” I quickly realized, my next goal was to become an LPC-Supervisor. Part of this was probably because I had at least one that was not so good and I had to “fire” so to speak. The other reason was definitely because I wanted to pay it forward. I wanted others to be able to learn from my mistakes. I wanted there to be good options out there for Supervisors, because I had been really blessed with a couple of mine. In January, I will have been a Supervisor for 12 years. Here are some of the things I look for when deciding if I want to take on an intern.
What does a Supervisor look for?
- First and foremost, I treat the initial meeting like an interview. I expect them to dress like a professional and I always give one simple task so ensure they can follow directions. This is usually as simple as “bring a copy of your resume.”
- I am also looking for someone who is punctual. If they are going to be late, I need a phone call. This shows ability to plan and respect for time.
- What are their goals? Both professionally and personally? What is their plan to meet these goals? This will show you motivation.
- Even though they have limited experience at this point, what population do they want to work with? Is it something I am comfortable with as a supervisor? Do I know enough to be helpful?
- Do they ask me questions? They should be interviewing me as well! Not every supervisor is a good fit for every intern.
- Are they willing to learn? And what do they want to learn? If they think they know it all already, they cannot and will not learn.
In summary, I am looking for someone that I am willing to put my license on the line for on a daily basis. I need someone who is reliable and will keep me in the loop with difficult or tricky cases. I don’t want any surprise subpoenas to show up in court about a case I am not aware of the details! Each Supervisor/Intern relationship is different. Make sure you find the one that is the right fit for you. If you are in the process of finding a supervisor, I am currently taking on new interns. I’d be happy to set up an initial visit to see if we are a good match! Call us at 832-421-8714 or email us.
