Do You Know Which Credentials Mean Something?

Aug
31
2009
by Tamara Suttle

Within just a few years of obtaining my license as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I began receiving invitations to grandfather in  to organizations (that I had not even heard of) to receive additional credentials.  I (wrongly) thought that since I was licensed, no other certifications would be of merit so I opted to let those opportunities (with the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors and the National Board for Certified Counselors) slip away.  Soon after the grandfathering periods expired, those two organizations mushroomed in influence and credibility and I regretted my decisions.

Since then, I’ve also received invitations to join national boards, accrue additional “degrees” and “licenses,” be included in national directories of “prominent therapists.” and receive additional certifications from other organizations.  It’s all very flattering at first glimpse. It’s also easy to see how new therapists can be particularly susceptible to the ploys of these vanity boards and diploma mills.

The truth is anyone including you can set up a board or “school,” provide training in EMDR, hypnosis or any other body of knowledge, and then provide a “certification.”  The training may have surpassed the standards in your profession

(Fake) Certificates by Rosered

"(Fake) Certificates" by Rosered

or it may not.  My point is that if you are new to this body of work, you won’t necessarily know enough to know about the quality of the training.  And, in either case, the certification that you receive may mean nothing.

After contacting the American Counseling Association, mentors and professors across the United States, here is what I know for sure:

  • Reputable certifying boards are familiar with the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and have membership in the National Organization for Competency Assurance.  Check this out first.
  • The certifying board should include prominent individuals in your field and you should be able to research them.
  • Reputable boards function to actually meet the needs of the members that they certify. You want more than just a certificate for your wall or directory listing for your money.
  • Reputable boards function independently.  Certification is NOT contingent upon joining a particular organization; however, they are closely affiliated with professional associations that you belong to. If your professional association does not refer to a certifying board as a resource, you should question why.
  • They are typically not-for-profit.  Ask and verify.
  • Reputable certifying agencies are transparent.  They are easy to research including their policies and procedures, established complaint and grievance processes, and codes of ethics / conduct.  If you can’t research on line or get a phone call returned in a timely manner, you should be questioning the veracity of this  organization.
  • Fees for certification should be comparable to those charged by similar certifying bodies.
  • Legitimate certifying bodies typically require you to provide proof of attaining certain levels of education and experience.  They don’t just take your word for it!
  • They often require an exam or submission of a sample of your work to verify that you possess the requisite body of knowledge.

You should question the credibility and motivation of any organization that claims to provide certifications or similar statements of worth but fail to adhere to the above standards.  Such organizations are often shams — more interested in your credit card than your profession and they are known as vanity boards or diploma mills.

Whether you stumble into them unknowingly or choose to use them to pad your vita and boost your ego, the end result is the same.  The general public is misled and you are at risk of tripping on your professional code of ethics . As a professional in the field of mental health, you are required to display only credentials that mean something.  As such, you need to do your research before thoughtlessly passing along your credit card for another certificate to post on your “Look At Me” wall.

6 Comments

Filed under: Money Matters, Professional Development, Risk Management, Time Tagged with , , , ,
If you liked this post...
You'll love my updates! Sign up here to get updates delivered to your inbox.
Name Email

K-12 Student Support to Feed Your Practice

Aug
28
2009
by Tamara Suttle

Students (K-12) often  perceive their needs to be different than teacher’s perceptions of students’ needs.  Polls commonly report students’ concerns focusing on violence and other issues of safety.  If you are interested in working with children or adolescents, you may be able to begin meeting some students’ needs by creating workshops that address gang violence, date rape, intimidation and bullying.

Kids in the Classroom by Chris Suderman

"Kids in the Classroom" by Chris Suderman

What other ideas can you come up with to support students and draw them into your practice?

Related Posts

Back-to-School Marketing for Your Private Practice

2 Comments

Filed under: Marketing Tagged with ,
If you liked this post...
You'll love my updates! Sign up here to get updates delivered to your inbox.
Name Email

Open Enrollment For ANNUAL SERIES And TELE-SERIES

Aug
26
2009
by Tamara Suttle

For those of you who have been struggling with how to get clients and market your practice in a comfortable and effective way, you may want to check out the 2009 Annual Series of Private Practice from the Inside Out.

The 2009 Annual Tele-Series begins October 21, 2009 from 10-11:30 am.  The remaining eleven sessions will be held at the same time on the following Wednesdays: November 11, December 9 and 30, 2009, January 6 and 27, February 17, March 10 and 31, April 21, May 12, June 2 and June 23, 2010.  You can get more details here.

The 2009 Annual (face-to-face) Series begins October 23, 2009 from 10-11:30 am.  The remaining eleven sessions will be held at the same time on the following Fridays: November 13 and December 11, 2009,   January 8 and 29, February 19, March 12, April 2 and 23, May 14, June 4 and 25, 2010.  All sessions will be  held in Park Meadows / Highlands Ranch, Colorado. You can get more details here.

Deadline for 2009 Enrollment is Friday, October 16

3 Comments

Filed under: Inspiration, Marketing, Professional Development, To-Do's Tagged with
If you liked this post...
You'll love my updates! Sign up here to get updates delivered to your inbox.
Name Email

Clinical Supervision and ‘Money Gouging’

Aug
25
2009
by Tamara Suttle

The Basics of Clinical Supervision

Lately, I’ve found myself in a lot of conversations about clinical supervision.  If you’re getting ready to graduate from your clinical program in one of the mental health professions, it’s time to start thinking about your own clinical supervision.

Prior to obtaining your license as a professional counselor, social worker, or psychologist, you will be required to obtain 1500-4000 hours under clinical supervision.   If you are fortunate enough to work in an agency, hospital, or school, it is likely that your employer will provide clinical supervision for you on site at no expense to you.  If that’s the case, consider it a benefit of the job.

However, if following graduate school you attempt to go directly into private practice (as is the option in some states) or end up working for an employer that does not provide your clinical supervision, then you will need to find a supervisor and pay for supervision on your own.  (Look for 10 Questions You Must Ask Your Potential Supervisor next week to learn more about how to find a great supervisor.)

Money Jar by Automania / Mike

"Money Jar" by Automania / Mike

Supervision and Money

I’m not sure why but not one of my professors in graduate school ever thought to talk with us about those additional costs that we would incur following graduation.  So . . . let me break the news to you. . . .

One of the many reasons you may want to start out working for an agency that provides your clinical supervision is that it can be expensive if you have to pay for it on your own. If you are paying out of pocket, you should expect to pay whatever a typical clinical hour costs in your geographic area.

I charge the UCR – usual and customary rates – for those working on the Front Range in Colorado.  My fees are $100 – $125 / hour for individual counseling  and $60 / hour for group counseling.  I charge the same rates / hour for clinical supervision and you will find that most reputable supervisors charge based on their hourly clinical rate as well.

Too Expensive

If  you find those rates to be objectionable, you have a right to understand why these are actually reasonable fees and that good supervisors are not simply gouging you for “easy  money” (as one new graduate noted this week on a discussion list).  Here are some things to consider . . . .

  • The professional standard for clinical supervision has shifted in recent years.  Your clinical supervisor is now expected (and in many cases, required) to obtain formal training in clinical supervision at her own expense.  In the State of Texas, that requirement is a minimum of 40 hours plus ongoing continuing education in the area of supervision.
  • Your clinical supervisor is legally and ethically responsible for each and every client that you come in contact with.  S/he is also responsible for every decision that you do / do not make and every action that you do / do not take.  That’s a LOT of additional responsibility.
  • Your supervisor is responsible for reading every bit of your initial client assessments, progress notes, all correspondence, and termination paperwork and providing feedback as needed.  That’s a LOT of time.
  • Your clinical supervisor will typically meet with you on a weekly basis for 1-2 years.  That’s additional time out of her schedule every week s/he could be using to see a client and earn her hourly fee.
  • During your weekly meeting with your clinical supervisor, s/he is required to essentially develop your abilities as a mental health professional.  Her roles will alternate between teacher, mentor, consultant and evaluator.
  • For every hour that your clinical supervisor spends with you, s/he is most likely spending another hour in preparation — completing paperwork, refining a plan to help develop you as a counselor, gathering materials, reviewing literature to meet your unique needs and interests.  That’s MORE TIME.
  • Your clinical supervisor remains on call for you 24 hours / day.
  • And, long after you have completed your hours of clinical supervision, s/he remains liable for all those decisions you made while under supervision.  Assuming you are seeing 20-30 clients / week while your supervisor is also seeing that many clients / week, her choice to supervise you, in effect, doubles her risk of being sued.

I’m sure there are other risks / costs involved in being a clinical supervisor.  If you can think of them, please share them with us here so that new graduates will have a clearer understanding of why fees are set the way they are.

And, if you are a new or soon-to-be-new graduate who is considering clinical supervision, let me know if any of this is new information for you.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
10 Comments

Filed under: Money Matters, Professional Development, Risk Management, Time, Tools and Resources Tagged with , , , , ,
If you liked this post...
You'll love my updates! Sign up here to get updates delivered to your inbox.
Name Email

The Therapist’s Networking Guide: Are You Helping Your Network Take Care Of You?

Aug
24
2009
by Tamara Suttle

This is part of an episodic series, The Therapist’s Networking Guide.
To see the previous one in this series, click here.

Your network is your lifeline.  These are the people that know you best.  These are the ones that can vouch for you and sing your praises!  They are the people who will refer clients to you.  And, they are the ones that you can most influence. . . . Are you helping your network take really good care of you? Here are some things that I do . . . .

  • Stay in touch. Have you heard the old saying, “Out of site, out of mind”?  It’s definitely true when you are wanting referrals.   You can send them a note, pick up the phone and call, or make a visit to their businesses.  Find reasons and creative ways to stay in their thoughts. Research shows that when office managers make a referral, they typical refer to the last name that they ran across — a business card, a newsletter, a person, etc.  Remember, “Last name in, first name out.”
  • Pay attention. When someone in my network receives recognition, I congratulate them.  If they’ve written a new book, I make an effort to read it.  And, if they are looking stressed or a little worn out, I try to offer a little support — offer to cover their on call duty for the weekend or just let them vent.  If there is a death in their family, I offer condolences and make sure I send a card.  Don’t ignore your network’s challenges and triumphs.
  • Be generous. Your time, talents, and resources are no more or less valuable than your networks’ time, talents, and resources so share them liberally!  By doing so, you will build good will, great friends, and a better world.
  • Make referrals. Make sure that your network knows that you have their personal and professional best interests at heart by making appropriate referrals to their businesses.  You don’t want to develop a reputation for always wanting referrals and never reciprocating.

Take Time to Say Thank You

  • Say “thank you.” I do not do business with professionals who fail to say “thank you” and you shouldn’t either.  Gratitude is an attitude that is cultivated and I pride myself on cultivating many ways to say it.  I write notes, send cards, bake baskets of cookies, send flowers, give small token gifts, and write public articles of gratitude.  It costs me very little to tip my hat to those that have been kind to me / my business and I make a point to not forget.
  • Be transparent. Transparency is not about wearing your feelings on your sleeve.  However, being transparent is about being committed to the truth and honesty.  It’s really about your level of integrity.  If you are nervous about working with a new client that has been referred to you because you haven’t worked with their presenting issues before, don’t fake it.  Let your referral source and your client know that you will be seeking consultation while working with them or refer them to a different therapist.  Don’t pretend that you know it all.  Your clients and your referral sources will appreciate you being willing to admit your limitations.  And, in doing so, you give them permission to do the same.
  • Ask for what you need. Your network thrives when the relationships in it are reciprocal rather than lopsided.  In order for a network to work for you, you need to be willing to ask for what you need.  I have, at different times, asked my network for help securing office space, community resources for my clients, and to be a sounding board for a new project, etc.  If you can’t ask for what you need, then you need a new network!

So, what is it that you are doing to help your network take better care of you?  And, what is it that you can commit to doing better?

The next post in this episodic series is

1 Comment

Filed under: Books, Money Matters, Networking, Referrals, Time, Tools and Resources, Writing | Publishing Tagged with
If you liked this post...
You'll love my updates! Sign up here to get updates delivered to your inbox.
Name Email
« Older Posts