Tips for Supervising Interns
By Chris Campassi
I have found that being a clinical supervisor and supervising master’s level interns is one of the most gratifying roles I have had through my career in mental health. Interns tend to be highly motivated, self-motivated, eager to learn, and they bring an anxious enthusiasm for helping people.
I find this energy to be infectious, and I feel energized as I help them learn, navigate and develop their own styles. And, as an Approved Clinical Supervisor, I also feel a deep responsibility for their development and the safety and well-being of their clients.
I encourage anyone who would like to take on an intern to first consider why you want to supervise an intern, and whether you are able to provide for them an experience that will prepare them to enter the field.
Myth: Counseling Interns Are Not Free Labor
Whether you are a private practice owner trying to create a new revenue stream, or the supervisor at an agency that is overwhelmed and understaffed, be sure to consider not only the cost-benefit of bringing on an intern, but also whether your motivation to have an intern is primarily for financial reasons.
Interns require a lot of training in the beginning, and at least weekly supervision. This will require cost in time and money for those clinical supervisors who are providing training. You will need to review notes and treatment plans, communicate with the intern’s school adviser, provide evaluations and help the intern maintain their caseload. In the end, the financial gain may not be great, if any.
Furthermore, the role of the Intern Clinical Supervisor is to provide training and development for a future colleague, not to gain financially from the intern.
Carefully Assess What Your Interns Know
If you have been in the field for a long time as a counselor or therapist, your experience may cloud your memory about how much you had to learn early in your career. Being the best therapist does not immediately equate to being a great clinical supervisor.
Clinical supervision requires an ability to transfer your clinical skills to someone else, and the ability to mentor, teach and develop. To do so effectively, you must be able to assess what your interns already know, where they need the most training and coaching, and what each intern’s learning priorities are.
One of the greatest challenges to supervising interns is assuming that they may know about nuances that to you may have become second nature. And because interns are eager to do well and be evaluated in a positive light, they may present themselves as knowing more than they may. More often than not, they do not know what they do not know. The role of the supervisor is to identify these learning needs and implement a plan to address them.
Acknowledge The Wisdom and Experience Your Interns Do Have
A lot of interns in the field of counseling and social work are second-career interns. Many have decided to change careers to enter the helping field, and they often bring a wealth of experience and knowledge from their prior work lives.
Identifying an intern’s strengths early on can be of great benefit to the relationship you build together as well as the intern’s development throughout the internship process. Training an intern from a place of strength helps the intern feel more confident and competent.
Reminding the intern that they have been successful in learning before and will likely be successful again is an important message when an intern is feeling inadequate. Imposter syndrome is a very real issue for interns, especially if they are practicing side by side with more experienced therapists.
Finally, allowing the intern to bring their strengths and own personality into the relationship with you and their clients will allow them to function in a way that is genuine and authentic.
Provide Structure For Your Clinical Interns
Developing an intern involves not only teaching the expectation of the profession, but also developing the intern’s own sense of agency, style and orientation. To learn about the regulatory expectations and best practices of the field often requires a more didactic approach, where the supervisor takes on the role of teacher, scaffolding the learning process in a structured way.
When training interns on documentation, assessments and treatment plans, it is really critical to emphasize the importance of holding oneself accountable to timely and professional practices. The integrity of the profession relies on these important habits and expectations being clearly defined.
Allow Flexibility in the Intern Development Process
While it is important that the intern develop a sense of discipline and adherence to standard practices in a very structured and accountable manner, training the intern on their therapeutic skills and presence is very different. In this role of mentor, your goal is NOT to teach the intern how to be a therapist, but rather to facilitate the development of their personal styles and orientation.
Certainly there will be times when an intern will benefit from a more didactic approach to learning a specific technique or modality, but much of the development is a growth process that benefits from the supervisor’s willingness to provide autonomy, independence, and opportunities to try out new styles and approaches.
Making mistakes is a critical component of the learning process. Supervisors who feel comfortable with providing autonomy will allow the intern to develop a sense of self-as-therapist, rather than working to please the clinical supervisor.
Nurture the Supervisory Relationship with Intern
The supervisory experience between an intern and clinical supervisor relies on trust, and a lack of transparency can lead to feelings of mistrust or suspicion on the part of the intern. Remember that your intern has been under a microscope for at least 1-2 years in school, and now is their time to shine.
Being clear about your expectation upfront, setting the standard for how supervision will be used, and providing direct feedback about any concerns will likely minimize any concerns that may come up later. Taking the time upfront to set the stage will pay great dividends throughout the internship.
Becoming an Intern Supervisor
If you are interested in becoming an intern supervisor, and need support in preparing, consider a one-time consultation at Firelight Supervision, or ongoing Supervision of your Clinical Supervision, in either individual or group sessions. Developing as a supervisor requires a different skill set than a therapist. Before you decide to take on an intern, I encourage you to consider why you want an intern, and whether you can provide them the necessary structure and guidance to be successful. Preparation in advance will minimize any crises that may arise.
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Author Bio
Chris Campassi is an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) and Program Coordinator of Firelight Supervision. He is a licensed psychotherapist in Colorado and North Carolina, blogger, and clinical supervisor for provisionally-licensed and independently licensed therapists. Chris enjoys helping men, medical professionals, and former athletes manage their anxiety and stress so they can live fulfilled and balanced lives. Follow Firelight Supervision on Instagram.
