If you are thinking about becoming a licensed professional counselor, this blog is for you! Further, you will read about the best way you can choose an LPC supervisor and what qualities make them the best fit for you!

It’s kind of like choosing your own therapist, really.

Did you know that the most important key to success is the therapeutic relation? There is research proving that if you want to succeed in therapy, your supervisory relationship should be the best it can be for you. And, since LPC supervision is a required part of the licensure process in Colorado, it’s pretty crucial to work with someone you like and gain value from. In fact – as of this writing, Colorado now requires 2,000 hours of counseling (with 1500 to be under direct supervision.)

That’s a lot!

The following tips will be very helpful when you learning how to pick an LPC supervisor to train with:

1. Relation: You want to find somebody you can relate with in a lot of aspects, especially in the age group they are specialized in.
2. High Skills: Somebody who has great counseling, listening and appraisal skills.
3. Experience: Many years of counseling and teaching would be the ideal.
4. Effective: They must be effective teachers and know what they’re doing. They need to also have a method for the process.
5. Ethics: Setting a great example and being above reproach is a must! They NEED to be familiar with the LPC licensure requirements.
6. Vibes: Does this supervisor give you good or bad vibes? I hope they’re good!
7. Credentials: Check their info! Make sure everything is in check and also make sure they are trained in supervision.
8. Red flags: Look for any red flags (signals of danger of issues). Make sure YOU feel safe with the supervisor you choose and know what you can disclose to them.
9. Published: Find out if they have been published and recognized.
10. Group vs. Individual: While group supervision is affordable, individual includes greater privacy. So it’s up to you. Make sure you know though that the LPC supervisor your choosing fits this aspect to your needs.

Your experience as a student and learner needs to be the best it can be and for that you need the most well-developed and comprehensive LPC supervisor you can get. 

This will allow you to review cases related issues effectively while receiving supervisor feedback. Fellow supervisees will also provide feedback and all of this will provide the connection of the theoretical part of a classroom to the practical world in a therapy office. But also keep in mind that this process has the same importance for learning as the lessons learned outside of supervision with others. Reading and sharing books/journal articles is part of the process. 

I hope this was helpful for you in learning how to pick an LPC supervisor and we wish you good luck with your counseling journey! Curious about our programs? Click here!