Scott Christie, Ph.D.
Therapy | Education | Consultation | Supervision
Clinical Supervision and Consultation
Helping Mental Health Professionals and Organizations Thrive​
Clinical supervision and consultation is a critical piece of counselor training and was a critical part of my doctoral training. Working as a licensed therapist over 20 years, I have been fortunate to support the professional development of those in counselor training programs and those seeking licensure as well as realizing the mutual benefits of professional collaboration and consultation.
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Growth is ongoing for those in the ever-evolving psychological research, best practices, and a complex world! I have worked with many groups and individuals to help supplement the lack of organizational resources to support the many clinical, administrative, and safety needs required to effectively help clients.​
Clinical Supervision has Several Important Elements
Just a few of these include:​
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Creating a safe space for not only the clients, but for providers (therapists, nurses, aids, and physicians).
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Utilizing best-practices in developing clinical skills that support patient resiliency that includes honing clinical knowledge alongside participatory engagement.
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Ensuring that patient privacy is maintained as a measure of reducing provider risks (especially providing the additional protections for telehealth services).
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Addressing scope of practice issues while acknowledging resource or referral limitations and having a plan in place to address higher-level patient needs.
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Integration practices that align with professional standards, ethics, and informed consent responsibilities.
Supervision as a Shared Process
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As previous Chair and Member of the Oregon Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, it was abundantly clear that supervision was needed for many in their ongoing professional development (APA, CACREP, and NASW). In fact, the board would frequently mandate ongoing supervision for practioners needing remediation.
As specialties increase for patients, what occurs is a drop in coordinated care that becomes a missed opportunity for providers in a variety of care settings. Whether or not a provider is abiding by their licensing or certification board rules, coordination and collaboration among colleagues is commonly minimized in favor of the activities that provide monetary value to the organization or individual. This automatically impacts the clinical coordination of services, a reduction in planning for a coordinated safety response to threats or risks, and reduces continued learning.
Rather than approaching supervision, collaboration, or care/safety coordination as a requirement, it is important to consider a parallel process wherein we could see ourselves as life-long learners of a craft, capable of reducing risk, increasing effectiveness, and doing what many of encourage our clients and patients to do! What better way to engage than to model that approach in our professional and personal approach to our own growth!
When a colleague reaches out to me for consultation support it is preventative medicine as it ensures that at least one of the ways to avoid litigation and professional risks is to ensure an alignment with 'community standards of practice'. Without community (supervision, consultation, and collaboration) the risks might not be immediate but they become quite real when a client, patient, or colleague, is presumed to have not received the care and support needed and it results in legal, mental, or safety concerns.
Contact Me​
If you are looking for supervision or consultation on a project, contact me today.