As 2010 gets under way, I hope you’re planning for your professional development needs. I am excited to say that will be attending (not presenting at) the annual conference of the Association for Women in Psychology February 11-14, 2010 in Portland, Oregon. AWP is a terrific professional organization open to all mental health students and professionals.
If you are also planning to attend this conference, I hope you’ll take a moment to let me know so that we can meet face to face and possibly share a bite to eat together!
The purpose of a professional disclosure statement is to inform clients about your professional background and the limitations of your professional relationship. It is sometimes referred to as a document of informed consent.
It is important to note that the state you practice in may dictate what must be included in your statement of disclosure.
The professional code(s) of ethics that you adhere to
How to file a complaint against you
Your professional disclosure statement is a living document. By that I mean that it will grow and change as your experience, training, and practice changes. It’s a good idea to review (and amend as needed) your disclosure statement at least annually.
When writing your disclosure statement, you may find it helpful to gather samples of other professionals statements. You will find a copy of my disclosure statement here at my counseling website.
If you are getting ready to start shopping for a clinical supervisor, here are 10 more questions you need to ask before you invite them to work with you.
"Question Mark" by Segozyme
What professional associations are you a member of?
Don’t assume that they are telling you the truth. Make sure that you verify their membership through your state licensing board.
How are you involved in these associations? Does she hold an office in the organization? Remember to verify that your prospective supervisor is as involved as she represents herself to be.
A supervisor who is actually involved in a professional association (rather than just paying her membership dues), is better able to help develop you as a professional in the field.
Why did you choose to join these organizations?
Was it about the membership fee? The purpose of the organization? The benefits of membership? This can tell you a lot about what is important to your prospective supervisor.
Do you expect me to be involved in a professional association? If so, then you will want to know which organization and how involved.
How will you monitor my client’s welfare? Your supervisor may monitor you through a one-way mirror, ask you to audio / video record your sessions for review, obtain self-reports from you, contact your clients, etc. Most clinical supervisors use a variety of methods to monitor client welfare.
How do you insure my compliance with ethical, legal, and professional standards?
This is a critical task for your supervisor and you want to make sure that she has a solid plan for this to take place. In doing so, your client as well as you will be protected.
What do you expect of me as your supervisee? Yes, your supervisor will have expectations of you and the best way to meet them is to go in informed. A professional clinical supervisor will have a written contract that stipulates your supervisor’s expectations (as well as your own). Don’t accept a supervisor who does not have this in place.
What conflicts typically arise between you and your supervisee? Everyone has conflicts. You want a supervisor who is aware of them and comfortable enough to talk about them openly and honestly.
How do you handle conflict when it arises with a supervisee? You want to know that your supervisor has basic problem solving skills.
How do you address counter transference between me and my client?
As a new therapist, it is likely that you may not have much experience dealing with this predictable but sticky issue. You’ll want a clinical supervisor who doesn’t flinch, judge or shy away from helping you develop skills to deal with issues of transference and counter transference.
As you develop your marketing strategies for working with the educational community, don’t forget to consider collaborating with your competitors.
Begin by asking professionals in education for the names and contact info of other health professionals they work with.
Contact those individuals whose names your were given. Invite them to meet with you to discuss possible ways for health professionals to collaborate.
Create a resource directory / guide that details each professional’s services and areas of expertise.
Use the internet to collect the names and contact info for other allied health professionals in your geographic area who focus on education issues.
Don’t forget to include any professional association that may also focus on these issues. Obtain mailing lists for these organizations.
Send a personalized cover letter introducing yourself to each individual with a copy of your resource directory / guide.
Invite each individual to complete a form (which you will include with the letter above) and return it to you if they wish to be included in the next version of the resource directory.
Follow up with a telephone call to arrange a meeting with each one.
In this way, your competitors become your allies and you strengthen your position in the educational community.
Tamara G. Suttle, M.Ed., LPC has maintained a private clinical practice since 1991 and founded Private Practice from the Inside Out in 2003. She has spent almost 20 years consulting and teaching marketing strategies to health care professionals like you. You can learn more about her clinical practice at her website.
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