Author: Dr. A, The Awkward Therapist™
Series: Supervisor Survival Series™

This is your invitation — your "call to action" — to read the Supervisor Survival Series. Because supervision isn’t just a credential. It’s a role. A responsibility. A real-deal opportunity to shape the field with intention, integrity, and just enough awkward humor to stay sane.

Or maybe you're the only licensed therapist in a group of interns — and suddenly you’re fielding questions about documentation, crisis calls, and how to set boundaries with teens. Maybe you’re the veteran in a private practice who’s been 'unofficially' mentoring the new hires even though no one gave you a manual.

So this series — it’s not just for board-approved clinical supervisors. It’s for anyone who’s found themselves in a position of influence, whether or not they got a title to go with it. Maybe you're the most experienced school counselor in your building. Your team is going to look to you whether you're ready or not. Perhaps you are a clinical supervisor, but you haven’t been in the role in a while and you’ve recently been asked to supervise someone…

When I first started in community mental health, I was fairly new myself, and suddenly I was the lead of a team. My job? Provide therapy to kids and families AND supervise two other people who were there to assist me. Did I feel ready? Nope. Had I taken supervision courses? Also nope. I was confident in my clinical skills — but not so much in the whole 'mentor/leader/accountability person' thing. That’s when imposter syndrome snuck in, real quiet but real powerful.

This series is for any type of clinical supervisor — whether you’ve got the credentials, the confidence, or just the key to the supply closet and a half-written job description. Let’s be real: you may not have the 'S' on your proverbial chest, but if you’ve been 'awarded' or 'thrown into' the role of supervisor, you’re in the right place.

Supervisor Survival Series™

So… You’re a Supervisor Now.

First of all — congrats! Or condolences. Or both. 😅
Whether you begged for this gig, stumbled into it, or were lowkey ambushed in a staff meeting, here you are: in the supervision seat.
If your first instinct is to fake confidence while secretly Googling “how not to ruin a supervisee,” please know — you’re not alone. I see you. I was you. Heck, sometimes I am you.
Let’s take a deep breath (and maybe a Sprite), and start here:
You’re allowed to feel awkward. You’re still allowed to grow. You’re allowed to be a supervisor… even while you’re still becoming one.

What This Blog Isn’t

This isn’t one of those “just be confident!” pep talks written in corporate robot voice.
This is for the real ones — the baby supervisors who are sweating through their cardigans, second-guessing their emails, and wondering how the hell they’re supposed to give feedback when they still feel like the intern.

What Supervision Is

Let’s break this down without the academic fluff.
Supervision is:
- Relational, not robotic
- Clinical, not counseling (yes, there’s a difference)
- Ethical, protective, and slightly chaotic (in a good way)
You’re not here to be anyone’s therapist. You’re here to notice, to nurture, to name the things that will help your supervisees grow — and keep their clients safe.

What If I Feel Totally Unqualified?

That feeling? That “who let me do this” spiral? Totally normal.
Supervision tends to wake up:
- Your inner imposter
- Your old supervisor’s ghost (yep, we’re all supervising a little bit like someone else)
- Your perfectionism
But listen: You’re not supposed to know everything. You’re supposed to show up.
With curiosity. With presence. With a willingness to say, “Let’s figure this out together.”

Dr. A’s Survival Tips for Week 1 in the Seat:

✔️ Find the supervision contract (or make one if no one gave you one)
✔️ Ask your supervisee what kind of feedback actually lands for them
✔️ Don’t over-function — it’s not your job to fix their caseload
✔️ Keep a sticky note with these three questions nearby:
👉 What are they learning?
👉 How are they doing?
👉 Where are they stuck?
✔️ Bonus: keep snacks in your desk. Hangry supervision is dangerous.

Final Pep Talk

You don’t have to supervise like your mentor. Or your old boss. Or that loud confident person at the agency meeting who uses too much jargon.

You get to supervise like you — awkward, thoughtful, real, and growing. That’s the energy we need more of in this field.
You’ve got this. And I’ve got your back.

🧠 Want more support?

Check out the full Supervisor Survival Series™, or start with the full workbook version of “Okay, So You’re the Supervisor Now.” Coming soon: scripts, templates, and more supervision sanity tools.

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