Interns Matter! The stress-less way to licensure

Interns Matter! The stress-less way to licensure
		Winter 2008 / Issue 1
Getting what you need out of supervision Supervision is one of the best and worst parts of the internship process. The result of supervision is based on factors including: the supervisor's style and education, the intern's perspective, the agency's perspective, and even the client population. Today, I want to give you a few tips to improve the chances that you get what you want and need from clinical supervision. Track your supervision. You should be tracking your hours in general, but tracking your rate of supervision is extremely important. Ask for more hours of supervision based on what your ratio is saying. This might also be fuel for getting a new supervisor or group supervision experience. Determine what you need. I know it can be hard to take a good look at ourselves. What are you anxious about? What has not been covered, or where do you feel unheard? Make a list of specific areas that you want to improve in. Ask for what you need. If your supervisor declines, is unwilling, or unable to provide this for you- reevaluate the supervision relationship, look for alternatives, or seek consultation. My Story: I had always felt uncomfortable about my clinical notes. No one had ever really looked at them, and I started to worry about what would happen if they went to court. I told my supervisor that I wanted to bring my case files into supervision so she could read them. She read over them, made a few suggestions, and I happily integrated them. In addition, it gave her a chance to read over clients that had not come up previously. We found that after this we started ensuring that every client received some level of supervision, and started noting it in the files. My anxiety went down, my confidence increased, and the service to clients improved. Determine what you can do and learn today. I know it feels like this part will never be over, but it will be over quicker than you can imagine. You might even find (like I did) yourself wishing for supervision! After you are licensed, it is called consultation, and you will have to pay for it!		In this issue: • Q & A • getting what you need • special offers • confidence building tips • quote of the week • free downloads Q & A Have questions about the intern process? Send me an e-mail at mirandmft@gmail.com I will pick a new question each month and share my response here.
SPECIAL OFFERS The free online study group for aspiring MFTs and LCSWs is still taking new members. Whether you are studying for your standard written, the clinical vignette, or national boards, there are people there to support you. Send me an e-mail today at mirandmft@gmail.com for your special invitation. CONFIDENCE BUILDING TIPS Network- join your local chapter of CAMFT. Be an expert- offer a training or article to share what you are passionate about.. Celebrate- all of your accomplishments so far!
Share this newsletter with an old classmate. Use it as a way to reconnect. They can get my special report "What I wish I knew in graduate school" for free as well. You can unsubscribe at any time.	Are you tired of feeling alone and frustrated in the process? Is providing therapy bringing up your own issues and you don't have a safe outlet. Are you unsure who will give you the respect and privacy you deserve without branding you "crazy"? Call me today at (209) 602-1513. We can determine if consultation, coaching, or individual therapy is the right fit for your needs.

Mentoring

Alessa asks: "Is there any sort of mentoring program for pre-licensed members?"

Great question! Well the simple answer is yes. There are several options available for mentoring. We will review a few professional mentor programs, options for locating a mentor on your own, and hiring a coach or consultant to meet your needs.

First, professional organizations can be a great resource in finding a mentoring relationship. Both California Association of Marriage and Family Therapist (CAMFT) and American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) have mentoring programs. CAMFT has compiled a list of the contact information of licensed individuals who have volunteered to provide mentoring. Pre-licensed CAMFT members have access to this information when they log in to the members only section of the CAMFT website. The program is free for mentees, and upaid for mentors, and mentors and mentees are responsible for interviewing one another to find the right fit and to define the relationship. Larger areas are likely to have 2 or 3 options, but smaller cities often have no mentors listed.

AAMFT provides another, more informal option. Their forum provides a space where prospective mentors or mentees can post a request for a mentoring relationship. The benefits are that the postings are more free-form so people can make special requests and provide information about specialties. However, unlike CAMFT, these postings are not in a private forum, and to date, there are no postings from either mentors or mentees.

You can also commit to locating a mentor yourself. Through your interactions at local professional network meetings like your local CAMFT chapter, NASW meeting, or other professional meeting you can begin to scout for professionals that may meet your needs. You can also contact professionals that appear to be a good fit through the phonebook, online search engines, or any other avenue.

Another option is to use coaching or consultation to fulfill you mentorship needs. Of course, this means paying someone to provide you with the functions of the mentor. Why would you ever do that? There are many reasons you might choose a paid relationship. You may not find any suitable mentors in your area. You may have specific needs that available mentors cannot fill. Or, your goals may be better suited to a coach or consultant that has specialized skills and expertise. In addition, having a business relationship can sometimes give interns a greater sense of control and empowerment to use the relationship in a way that is most beneficial for them. There is no worry of stepping over the lines of a volunteer mentor relationship.

Whatever your situation is, I encourage you to consider a mentoring relationship of some sort. No one ever said you had to become a successful professional all on your own! Want to learn more about building a relationship with a potential mentor or area professional? Tune in next time for Learning to network: Hooking your mentor and other professionals.

Want to learn more about mentoring? Check out my website by clicking here. I link to the CAMFT mentor pamphlet, and the AAMFT forums. Or feel free to send me additional questions about mentoring.

By Miranda Palmer, MFT As published in March Interns Matter! Newsletter Want to have messages like this sent directly to you once a month? Subscribe at http://mftguide.googlepages.com/newsletter