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.