Supportive SuperVision Podcast

So you've taken the huge step of getting trained in EMDR- and now you're realizing how isolating it can feel to have so many questions and no clear answers. It feels like being a graduate student all over again, where there are so many chances to mess up and you don't know what's exactly right. It's key to have a good consultant available to help you through this time so you can provide sound, ethical EMDR healing to your vulnerable clients, and feel more empowered as you grow. Here's how to find that support for yourself!

Have you ever worked with a supervisor who didn't understand your needs, seemed out of touch with the realities of clinical work, or who downright made you feel terrible about yourself? Maybe you're feeling trapped in this situation now, when more is being asked of clinicians and supervisors than ever before? Tune in to this week's episode for some strategies to work through common challenges in supervision!

I don't know about all of you, but I've been feeling extremely lost out at sea, and like it's all I can do to keep my head above water every day to keep doing this work. This week, I share a few quick thoughts about the importance of having an intersectional feminist, liberation-focused, anti-oppression approach to therapy, supervision, interactions with colleagues and our workplaces, as well as in our personal lives. The only way we get through these challenges is together. And the only way we can come together is by unpacking our -isms and committing to daily growth- even if it isn't always pretty.

We have all used genograms for ourselves and alongside our clients in some form or other. But I can almost guarantee you've never considered making a supervision-specific genogram for yourself or alongside your supervisors/supervisees! This week, I talk about all the cool things I learned in a recent training about just this, and all the insights it can yield for all parties involved. Whether you're a new clinician or a seasoned supervisor, this is a tool that will supercharge your already stellar work!

The concept of capturing session content in videos for supervisees and therapist undergoing training in specific modalities is becoming increasingly popular. This is often uncomfortable for trainees, and is something that should be navigated with delicacy alongside clients and supervisees. This week, I talk a little more about how to do just that!

If you have clients who need more help processing some negative beliefs or traumatic experiences, EMDR can be an excellent fit for them! There's a lot most clinicians who aren't EMDR trained don't know that could really facilitate the referral process, so listen here to know how to best help your clients (and supervisees or colleagues!) during this sensitive time. Don't forget to check the show notes for resources!

Laura Wood, one of my colleagues and co-consultants/facilitators in EMDR, has one of the most fascinating brains I've ever come across. Every time we get together, I learn something so profound from her just being her awesome self! For this podcast, we talk about flexibility, why it's important, when it's beneficial to be transparent with supervisees, and how the supervision process is transformative for all parties involved because of that flexibility and transparency. You don't want to miss this!

This week, I sit down with my good friend and accomplice in the CT therapy world- Allie Joy! Allie is an art therapist specializing in work with families, teens, and young adults, and she recently created a clinical supervision component to her practice. We discuss some of her experiences in supervision, her approach to clinical supervision with others, and ways to ethically incorporate creativity as a therapist and as a supervisor. Plus, she shares some key info about becoming a registered art therapist!

This week, I talk to a new friend, Chaz Franke, LCSW about the developmental process of supervision and how it helps both parties grow. We also touch on a mutual favorite work, Trauma Stewardship, and what it means to show up authentically in supervision.

Completing EMDR training can be daunting enough, but then there's the prospect of using it with your clients, tracking their progress, keeping track of your consultation hours, and making sure you take care of your body so that your practice can continue for years. Here are my favorite tools from the last six years of EMDR work. Read the show notes at www.supportivesupervision.com

This week, I talk about the roots of EMDR and how they have shaped the culture (good, bad, and neutral) of the EMDR world today. I encourage you to listen closely, and if you have a story to tell about your own experiences with EMDR culture, I would love to hear from you!

I build upon last week's episode by talking about what to look for in an EMDR Basic Training, some pitfalls to watch out for, questions to ask, and ways to ask for support in receiving the training. If you have any interest in becoming an EMDR therapist, or you just want to learn more about the mysterious world of EMDR, this is a great resource!

Have you ever thought about getting trained in EMDR? It's an intensive, amazing training that is definitely different than any other, and is not for the faint of heart. Join me as I talk about the things most people don't know before getting trained in EMDR, and avoid any of the pitfalls I didn't know about when I was a new EMDR therapist. Definitely listen to this episode before enrolling in EMDR Basic Training!

This week, I talk a little bit more about the EMDR consultation process and how it should be different than the Clinical Supervision process, although the fact that both involve case conceptualizations means there may be some minimal overlap. This is key for anyone who wants to get EMDR trained, or who has been EMDR trained and consults but has not been engaging in clinical supervision. This is also a great resource for EMDR Consultants in Training or those who one day would like to become CITs! Check out the show notes at www.supportivesupervision.com

There's so much we aren't always taught about working with clients involved in different areas of the legal system, and not knowing this information, our rights, and how to document can absolutely impact the supervision- and therefore therapeutic- relationships. It's my hope that this episode empowers supervisors and supervisees to understand some of their rights, how to handle certain legal populations, and how to get the best use of supervision time. Check out the show notes at www.supportivesupervision.com and while you're there, get your tasky supervision practice startup checklist!

This week, I'm sharing with you an interview for CT Trial Firm's podcast with Attorney Ryan McKeen, a strong advocate for mental health and a trauma-informed, empowerment-focused attorney located in Connecticut (where I practice). I had the chance to connect with him about PTSD, EMDR therapy, accessing care, and advocating for legally-involved clients with mental health concerns in the courtroom. We also talk about how clinicians can help advocate for clients, which can often create healing experiences!

This week, I have the honor of interviewing my mentor and one of my cherished clinical supervisors, the incomparable Janelle Posey-Green, LCSW. You'll get a sense of her loving, nurturing nature, her indisputable knowledge and healing powers, and how she contributes to equity in our field through supervising white allies who want to decolonize their practice. You should also totally join her group at magnoliawell.org

So many of us are taught in our early careers that suicidal clients are to be avoided, and that clients who have a baseline level of moderate risk are ones to get off of our caseloads quickly. This is categorically false, perpetuates stigma, and results in disempowered clinicians who don't know how to assess for or document risk while supporting clients through triggers for risky behaviors. Supervisors are quick to pass the buck and therefore miss teaching opportunities. Learn more about how to do all of these things, while maintaining your connection to your higher-risk clients, in this week's episode.

While all of us were warned about burnout in graduate school, we may not have all had the same education about how to identify symptoms of burnout, why they happen, and how rest should be consistently factored into our schedules and needs just as much as work should be. Have you ever had a great insight about a client or a really good, creative idea while you're doing something that has nothing to do with that insight or idea? Like when you're in the shower or driving or working out? That's because your brain has a chance to take a break and get some distance from the situation. We need those breaks for objectivity. Our clients need us to take those breaks to be as refreshed as possible. And we need more rest than ever to get through this part of the pandemic- and prepare for what comes next.

On the surface, it looks like life is getting back to "normal." But what does that even mean anymore? And do we even want what "normal" used to mean? I share some of what I am seeing, my thoughts and predictions for what we can expect in the near future, and what we should all be doing as healers and mental health providers to prepare, take care of ourselves, and respond to what we know will be the next wave of crisis related to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In graduate school, many of us are taught to believe we have to be the experts in diagnosis. It can frustrate us when clients come in with their own misguided reading of blogs online to formulate their own diagnosis. But it can also be extremely useful to listen to clients, take them at their word, and realize the shortcomings of our diagnoses and the diagnostic process.

More people than ever are beginning to learn about their neurodivergent brains, executive function, and how limiting diagnostics have caused them to become overlooked and gaslit in having their needs met based on how their brains work. Clinicians are a major population who are learning this information about themselves as they explore ADHD and autism, amongst other diagnoses, and how symptoms present within themselves. Supervisors need to know how to help them walk clients through understanding their brains, and how to help clinicians heal their shame about their own neurodivergent conditions.

This week I FINALLY get to meet with a local therapist I've been fangirling over for quite a while- Jelan Agnew! She specializes in treating magical minds through being her most unapologetic, authentic self. She shares her most pivotal experiences, how she's using them to propel herself, her clients, and her trainees forward, and what she's planning to do next (hint: it involves more supervision, consultation, and travel!). You don't want to miss this!

Neurodivergence is finally becoming a bigger conversation in our field, and it's about time! So many clinicians, clients, supervisors, and supervisees have neurodivergent brains, and may not even realize it. The result of this can be drastic- so many of us are left believing there is something fundamentally wrong with us. If you're a neurodivergent clinician, or you just want to understand more about neurodivergence and how it shows up in therapy and supervision, this episode will be a great way to start shifting perspectives!

Confused about whether your treatment plans would be up to snuff in an audit? Not sure how to even write one in the first place? Or maybe you learned a long time ago, but want to brush up? This week's episode is all about my basic treatment plan, how to think about creating them, and how to organize them without overthinking the process and content. I also talk about two trainings I offer to go more in-depth: "Treatment Planning Made Easy" for all clinicians, and "Treatment Planning for EMDR Clinicians" for those who are at any level of EMDR training. Find them all at https://www.supportivesupervision.com/store-1/p/treatment-planning-for-emdr-clinicians

Clinical supervision might have felt like a mandatory process when we were all early in our careers, but the fact is that it's a bare minimum ongoing self-care best practice, and it is something to be embraced both individually and within trusted groups. If it's been a little while since you've been involved in a supervision group, or you're in one now that's not doing it for you, you need this week's episode. We talk about the who, what, when, how, and why of running clinical supervision groups so that, whether you're the supervisor or the supervisee, you can find the best group for your needs and focus on getting the most out of the experience!

This week, I talk about what medical necessity means in a behavioral health field, how to make sure we are writing notes and creating complete files, why an EHR can save your career, and how to stick up for yourself in the event of an audit. I also share about two new recorded trainings I am offering- Documenting Medical Necessity 101 and Documenting Medical Necessity 101 for EMDR Clinicians.

This week, I go through some of the pros and cons to help those of you who might be avoiding getting into clinical supervision due to bad experiences in the past, or for those who might be on the fence about taking the next steps in their own clinical growth. Hopefully, this will help you get past that negative self-talk and take action!

I've seen a few disturbing trends online in therapist groups recently, and I am really concerned for the impact it will have on providers being able to provide authentic, aligned, and empowered care in the private practice world. I can't help but see that it's a direct result of the colonization and white supremacy that dictates so much of our field. It's imperative that these things be brought to light so that they can get better instead of worse. Here are some thoughts, and attached will be some resources to help!

This week, I'm joined by Gelly from @parentingwithGelly on Instagram. We talk about her experience being one of the first female Orthodox Jewish therapists in her area, how she supervises others, and some real-life challenges she's faced. She also shares about her parenting program to help families reconnect outside of technology!

Clinical supervision is one of the few things people who are licensed struggle to keep up with. It's also a vital component of self-care that is non-negotiable and directly benefits clients. It keeps us on the cutting edge of our field and helps us grow. Hear more about why you need clinical supervision now, even if you think you don't! If anything from this week's episode resonated with you, sign up for any of my upcoming supervision and consultation groups at www.supportivesupervision.com

COVID-19 has turned our entire field completely upside down. Some of us may be back in the office, some of us may still be working from home, and some of us may be doing some sort of a hybrid. Many of us may not be exactly sure whether or not to go back, or how to even begin making that decision. This episode can give some ideas about how to think about returning and communicate that to clients!

This week, I talk a little more about the key difference between clinical supervision and consultation, and why we need both and what they're both useful for. These are imperative parts of our work as mental health workers and should be mandatory to our ongoing growth and education. Find out more about why they are not the same and how to use each effectively. https://www.supportivesupervision.com

This week's episode is all about how 2020 has already impacted our field, and the changes that are likely to come as a result. I specifically address white clinicians, supervisors, and hiring managers and the questions that should be asked in interviews. I firmly believe we can learn from the ongoing 2020-2021 traumas and elevate our field, with the right approach. www.supportivesupervision.com

I dive into some of the things you might not understand about group practice, working in a group practice, interviewing for jobs in group practices, and what your group practice owners wish you could know but might not be able to come right out and tell you themselves. This is valuable for anyone who is thinking of entering a private practice by starting in a group, or anyone who works in one now!

This week, I talk about EMDR intensives, what they are, who they can help, how they can help, how to get consultation/training in doing them, and how to refer clients for virtual EMDR intensives with me if you think it would be helpful!

It can be especially difficult to take breaks right now, or to even identify how we need breaks or what to do with them when we can't exactly travel or go to the spa due to COVID-19. Join me this week, while I'm on a working vacation, where I talk about how to do a good staycation, what to do with that time, how to process the emotions and sensations that come up, and how to feel good about needing- and taking- a break.

This week, I discuss how to structure the supervision relationship (whether you're a supervisor or a supervisee) and how to make sure you're using supervision time as effectively as possible to meet supervision goals. I also talk about some of the tools I've created to help make the best use of clinical supervision relationships and to be sure supervisors and supervisees are on the same page!

In the first episode of the New Year, I discuss the fact that our field is changing as a direct result of 2020, and that clinical supervision will have to change as well. I discuss some of the changes that need to be made and what qualities a good supervisor needs to have as we move into this new generation of therapy.

This week, my good friend Liz Adams, LCSW rejoins me to discuss Seasonal Affective Disorder, how it shows up for us, how it shows up for our clients, and how we help our clients and ourselves cope. We also talk about our Accountabilibuddy agreement and how it helps remove shame and keep us honest about our limitations. This episode is a great one for new clinicians, licensed clinicians, supervisees, and supervisors!

This week I discuss a process-oriented training model bringing clients and clinicians together, authentically and empathically, through the use of Dr. Harry J. Aponte's "The Person of the Therapist Training Model." Melissa Callahan, LMFT is a relational therapist and clinical supervisor currently in a mentorship program with Dr. Aponte himself, and looks forward to taking the model into the new world we are adjusting to!

This week, it was my distinct pleasure to talk with Saveen, a Psychiatric Social Worker and Neuroscience specialist whose mission it is to help mental health workers understand their burnout and how it impacts the brain, body, and mindset- and how to overcome it! She shares her hacks, core concepts, and the program she's created to empower and heal burnt out clinicians.

This episode gets into the basics you'll need to start your clinical supervision practice. Don't forget to check out the paperwork bundle with all the templates and tasky checklist you'll need to get started!

This episode was hard for me as I discussed what it was like coming to grips with my chronic illness symptoms, what it was like feeling burnt out and overworked with those symptoms, and what it is like now knowing more about them, self-care, and how to work around them in private practice. I share some of my favorite self-care tools as well!

Psychology Today has had its share of political hot water, but they allowed a journalist to post an article to their blog yesterday which was HIGHLY transphobic in nature. CONTENT WARNING: transphobia and victim blaming. Please, please check out the show notes and take action asap!

This week's episode is all about what I'm noticing, what I predict will happen as we move into winter here in the US (especially in the northeast). Winter means less light, seasonal depression for many, and feeling even more cooped up and isolated. I talk about what I think will happen for the mental health field and how to prepare and engage in good self-care.

This week, I interviewed Mari Verano, LMFT- an author, consultant, Marriage and Family Therapist, and behavior coach who helps BIPOC and those on the LGBT spectrum identify where they need to set boundaries, and empowers them to do so. Mari has created a 16-week masterclass to help clinicians and others identify toxic behaviors and find boundaries aligned with their needs and well-being, while engaging in meaningful self-care. If you're struggling with other people's behavior, this is an opportunity you don't want to miss!

In this episode, I discuss what would be some of the deciding factors for me if I had to go back and do it all over again, starting with a master's program. From field placement to class content and load, you'll learn everything you should be seeking in the master's program that sets the tone for the rest of your career.

This week, I talk with one of my favorite colleagues who has been through it all- from surgery to transitioning to motherhood, to losing her brother, to moving her practice, to private practice during a pandemic. We talk about these experiences and how they have shaped Ashley as a supervisor and mentor, and what she is working to teach her supervisees about self-care and being human.

This week I go into the subject of high sensitivity with April Snow from The Highly Sensitive Person Facebook group. We discuss what it means to be highly sensitive, how to tell if you or your clients are highly sensitive, how to engage in supervision as a highly sensitive person, and a general discussion of what some highly sensitive people (and therapists) might be experiencing during the various challenges of 2020.

This week, I talk about Marriage and Family Therapy, clinical supervision from this perspective, growing into private practice, and predictions for the mental health field with L. Gordon Brewer, LMFT, from The Practice of Therapy Podcast. We talk about all the things we wish graduate programs taught, what we wish new clinicians and veteran clinicians knew, and what we would want incumbent clinicians to know.