Developing Your Clinical Confidence in Private Practice
By Shannon Heers
As a long-time clinical supervisor for counselors and therapists, one of the things I most notice is the lack of clinical confidence when therapists go into private practice. Regardless if you are entering private practice right after graduate school or transitioning from an agency or community mental health job, you may feel like you have no idea what you’re doing.
The good news is, you’re not the only one feeling this way! That is completely normal. Yet, not a fun space to live in. There are some ways that you can work on boosting your clinical confidence, even if you are an independently licensed therapist. This blog will break down 3 of the top things you can do to develop your clinical confidence as a private practice therapist.
Identify Your Imposter Syndrome
So, Imposter Syndrome and lack of clinical confidence go hand-in-hand. If you’re experiencing one, it’s likely you’re also experiencing the other. Feeling like you have no idea what you’re doing can pop up at the most inconvenient times, such as in the middle of a session with a new client or even when presenting a case to your clinical consultation group.
The goal here is to minimize the impact of your Imposter Syndrome or lack of confidence, even if you cannot completely stop it. Taking a step back, doing a full self check-in, analyzing your reactions and what the possible triggers are, are what I first recommend therapists do when you experience this. You want to figure out what the cause is of you feeling like this.
Maybe it’s working with a client with a presenting concern that you’ve never worked with before. Or perhaps it’s trying to integrate a new modality or orientation into your practice that you just took a training on yet lack the practical application of. Or maybe you just didn’t sleep well the night before, you’re feeling drained and burnt out, or are sick. Any of these things can cause Imposter Syndrome to pop up, at any time.
Once you’ve identified the cause of your lack of clinical confidence, then it becomes easier to create and implement a plan to work through it. Just like with clients when you start with an assessment, you need to know the issue before developing a treatment plan. Creating your own plan to boost your clinical confidence can be empowering!
Own Your Theoretical Orientation(s)
One particular reason I notice as a clinical supervisor for lack of clinical confidence in therapists is related to not having a strong theoretical orientation from which to pull from. Most therapists are eclectic in their approaches, and that is totally fine. But you do want to know which intervention you’re pulling, from what theoretical orientation and why, when you are working with your clients.
For example, if I have a client who wants to change an addictive behavior (e.g., decrease their drinking), I go to Motivational Interviewing as my primary modality for working with this client. I may sprinkle in some CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) to help boost some coping skills, and even delve into grief and loss interventions. But I know exactly what intervention I’m pulling from which theoretical orientation, and why.
When therapists flounder and aren’t sure what to say or how to intervene in clinical sessions, it is usually because they aren’t in touch with their theoretical orientation. If you connect with one or more modalities for doing treatment, they can be your guide as to what to do next.
Get Feedback and Clinical Support
Getting clinical support and feedback is essential for developing your clinical confidence. And getting that feedback from a trusted source, not a random person you met on social media. I see so many therapists seeking clinical consultation through social media, yet they have no idea who is giving them the support. It may be someone who has a completely different viewpoint on conducting therapy than you do.
Feedback is important because it can help you shape your clinical work and improve your clinical confidence. Think about how you learn best, and how you like to receive feedback. Is it didactic? Through conversation with colleagues? Or by watching videos of yourself conducting therapy and noticing what you want to do differently next time?
Clinical consultation is the idea of obtaining ongoing clinical supervision after it’s not required by your state board anymore. It can encompass case consultation, generalized clinical support, mentorship, career development, and burnout prevention. All of which are important for you as a private practice therapist to flourish in your career and be happy with what you are doing.
Even after you become independently licensed, your learning doesn’t stop. You may continue to get trained in new interventions and modalities, and seeking clinical consultation is a great way to help you integrate the theoretical knowledge of what you learned into the practice applications for your own practice.
How we can help
As you know, developing your clinical confidence does not happen overnight. It can be a long process, but you will see improvement as you take some practical steps to make it happen. If you are looking to improve your clinical confidence, check out the clinical consultation services that Firelight Supervision offers. We offer both individual and group consultation with our experienced clinical supervisors. Come join our Clinical Consultation Community of therapists today!
Author Bio
Shannon Heers is a psychotherapist, approved clinical supervisor, guest blogger, and the owner of a group psychotherapy practice in the Denver area. Shannon helps adults in professional careers manage anxiety, depression, work-life balance, and grief and loss. Follow Firelight Supervision on Instagram and Facebook.
