Many successful clinical license exam candidates have found that they learn just as much, if not more, exam relevant information from their post-graduate supervision as they did in graduate school.

Insight, creativity, and clinical wisdom are qualities that we all value from an effective supervisor. These qualities enrich our lives as well as our clinical practice. In addition to these qualities, clearly articulated, specific, and technically sound information are needed to prepare for a license exam that is largely concerned with determining your ability to practice safely, effectively, and independently.

That's why BTA also offers complementary consultation to supervisors of exam candidates who are using our materials to prepare for their license exams as we believe your supervisor should be an integral part of your exam preparation process and we want to help them help you pass.

Here's how successful exam candidates describe the qualities of effective clinical supervisors. They say that "My supervisor...

• asks me to identify alternative possible diagnoses and treatment planning options
• asks me to explain why I consider my diagnostic conclusions and treatment planning decisions to be better than the alternative options
• identifies assessment, diagnostic and treatment options that I have not considered
• explains and demonstrates clinical skills, then gives me opportunities to practice, then gives me feedback about how well I'm applying the skills
• uses systematic frameworks to review my work with clients, rather than only having "free form," intuition based discussions
• supports a "sense of direction" by helping me to identify how...
  • my assessment findings lead to...
  • a case formulation and diagnosis which leads to...
  • treatment planning decisions which lead to...
  • a choice of intervention strategy which leads to...
  • a choice of intervention techniques which leads to...
  • progress evaluation and eventual achievement of goals and/or termination

This kind of supervision has structure and substance, qualities which are enhanced when supervisors and supervisees have a well-formulated "Learning Plan" or "Learning Contract". BTA customers may contact us at btatraining@att.net to receive a complementary sample Learning Contract.