Greetings reviewers and interested parties,

As a Resident in Counseling in VA working toward my LPC designation, I've had many opportunities to interact with supervisees in social work, and LCSWs. While I believe they are fine individuals with a strong commitment to their profession, I do not believe that their skill set(s) and training are an effective or appropriate match for a Resident in Counseling who is working on developing professional identity, skills and competencies as a counselor. 

Our training programs and licensure requirements differ significantly. There is some overlap in training, but the professional identities of these two professions are widely differentiated, starting at the most very basic of degrees, trainings, skills, approaches and competencies. As an LPC in training, being supervised by an LCSW would be similar to asking a dentist to supervise an orthodontist. Or a physical therapist to supervise a chiropractor. Similar functionality, perhaps even similar outcomes, but unrelated trainings and approaches. 

Notwithstanding, our licensure requirements are considerably different from social workers, and while Residents are ultimately in charge of making sure their Residency requirements are met, without the guidance of an LPC Supervisor many integral details may be overlooked. In addition, it would be challenging to assert that the competencies that are required in an LPC Supervisor would also be present in an LCSW Supervisor.

I hope you are able to see the many valid reasons from the variety of interested parties and their varied perspectives that this would be harmful in the long run to the counseling profession. The solution lies in training more Supervisors, not allowing Residents to be supervised by less or other qualified individuals.

Thank you for your consideration.

Susan Klemmer, M.Ed.
Resident in Counseling, Virginia