Clinical Supervisors Training Series: Enhancing Ethical, Reflective, and Developmental Supervision
A 5-Month, Cohort-Based Training + Real-Time Consultation
Supervision is a cornerstone of professional development, yet most supervisors receive little formal support themselves. Many step into the role with strong clinical skills but without a structured framework for navigating the ethically complex, emotionally layered realities of supervising pre-licensed clinicians.
If you’ve ever felt:
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Unsure how to ethically document, evaluate, or gatekeep
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Alone in navigating supervisee “stuckness” or role confusion
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Uncertain about handling dual relationships or boundary concerns
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Stretched between supporting supervisees while also evaluating them
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Wanting more clarity around multicultural, ethical, or developmental supervision
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Disconnected from other supervisors in the Vermont mental health community
You are not alone.
And you deserve a space that supports you as you support others.
Why This Training Series Exists
This series grew out of a clear and urgent need within Vermont’s mental health community.
At Vermont Counseling Network, we see firsthand what new graduates and early-career clinicians are facing — and we host our twice-annual What Happens Next events to help orient them to the field. But supervisors, too, deserve ongoing guidance, connection, and a supportive professional community.
This training series was created to:
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Strengthen and support the supervisors who guide Vermont’s emerging clinicians
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Build a network of trusted supervisors we can confidently recommend to new graduates
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Connect supervisors across agencies, group practices, and private practices
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Foster a shared commitment to ethical, reflective, developmentally informed supervision
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Continue building a community where collective wisdom becomes collective strength
Because when supervisors grow, the entire mental health ecosystem grows with them.
We are stronger together — and this program is a direct investment in that shared strength.
About the Training Series
This five-month, live, cohort-based training combines education, applied practice, and real-time consultation. It is designed for:
- Current clinical supervisors
- Therapists preparing to step into supervisory role
- Supervisors working in private practice, agency, or hybrid settings
Each session includes:
Evidence-Based Education: Grounding in established frameworks such as the Discrimination Model, Developmental Models, Reflective Supervision, and multicultural/ethical decision-making models.
Real-Time Consultation: Participants bring de-identified supervisory cases to explore dilemmas, practice ethical analysis, and apply structured supervision models.
Case Application & Practice: Hands-on exercises designed to strengthen documentation, evaluation, gatekeeping, and developmental mapping.
Community Building: Relationships with supervisors across Vermont — strengthening referral networks and shared professional standards.
What You'll Receive
This training series is designed to support your growth not only during our monthly meetings, but throughout the full five-month cohort experience. In addition to earning 10 CEUs, this training series offers a cohesive blend of practical tools, applied learning, and sustained connection with a dedicated group of supervisors across Vermont.
Private Cohort Community
Access to a private online cohort community within the Vermont Counseling Network platform, where you can check in between sessions, share resources, and stay connected with your fellow supervisors. This space offers a supportive place to ask questions, explore stuck points, and receive guidance from both Rachel and Amy as you begin integrating the material into your supervisory practice. It serves as an additional layer of steady support throughout the five-month series, helping you apply new skills with confidence.
Supervision Tools
We will share the supervision tools and templates we use with our own supervisees, including structured agendas, documentation supports, and reflective frameworks that participants are welcome to adapt or integrate into their own practice. These resources are combined with applied learning in evidence-based supervision models—such as the Discrimination Model, Developmental Models, Reflective Supervision, and multicultural/ethical approaches—to support confident, ethical, and developmentally attuned supervision.
Consultation
A supportive environment for de-identified supervisory case consultation, collaborative problem-solving, and reflective discussion—along with focused guidance on Vermont’s supervision requirements and best practices informed by our professional associations.
Training Logistics
Format: Live hybrid (Zoom + optional in-person final session)
Schedule: Fridays
Winter 2026 Cohort: January 2nd , February 13th, March 13th, April 10th, May 8th
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Duration: 5 months
Tuition:
As part of our Foundational Cohort, this first offering is priced intentionally to make the series accessible while inviting participants to share feedback that will shape future trainings.
One-time payment: $499
or
Four monthly payments: $124.75
To support equitable access within our Vermont mental health community, Vermont Counseling Network is offering limited scholarship opportunities, including one full scholarship or two partial scholarships. Applicants with financial need are encouraged to indicate this in their application. Our goal is to reduce barriers while sustaining high-quality training for supervisors statewide.
Cohort Capacity is limited to 8 participants
CE Credits: 10 Continuing Education Units
Approved by the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation for Social Workers and Allied Mental Health Professionals.
Final Session & Community Gathering — Optional In-Person Lunch
The final session is scheduled as an optional, in-person catered lunch — a meaningful opportunity to connect with fellow supervisors face-to-face, integrate learning, and strengthen community ties.
Attendance is encouraged but not required; the series fee remains the same regardless of participation in the in-person gathering. The exact location will be determined collaboratively based on participant geography. The tuition is inclusive of the in-person lunch. While attending the lunch is optional, participants who do not join in person will be expected to participate in the session online.
What We'll Explore Together
This series will support participants in being able to:
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Apply structured ethical decision-making models to common supervisory dilemmas
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Identify and navigate dual relationship risks with early-career clinicians
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Describe ethical gatekeeping responsibilities and support supervisee competency development
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Strengthen professional identity development for pre-licensed clinicians
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Balance support and evaluation with clarity and integrity
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Evaluate informed consent, documentation, and role clarity in supervision
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Identify developmental “stuckness” and apply reflective supervision strategies
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Distinguish ethical responsibilities from legal mandates
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Integrate multicultural and developmental frameworks into supervisory relationships
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Apply ACA, NASW, APA, and NADACC ethical codes to real-world scenarios
Who This Series is For
If you’re ready to expand your supervisory skills while connecting with a community of thoughtful, ethical supervisors, you belong here.
This training supports clinicians who are either actively supervising or preparing to do so in a variety of settings, including private practice and agency work. It’s an ideal fit for those seeking a structured, reflective, and community-centered approach to navigating supervisory dilemmas with confidence and integrity.
Who This Series Is Not For
If you prefer a passive, lecture-only format or are not interested in experiential learning, this series may not be the right fit.
This cohort is intentionally interactive and practice-oriented, asking participants to reflect on their supervisory work, engage in discussion, and integrate the concepts we explore into real supervisory situations. It may not be suitable for clinicians who are unable to attend live sessions or who are looking for a self-paced or strictly informational training without opportunities for application.
Meet Your Trainers
Rachel Totten, LICSW/LCSW, LADC
Rachel Totten is a licensed clinical social worker in VT, NH, NC, and SC, with extensive clinical and supervisory experience across a variety of mental health settings. Her career includes work in psychiatric residential treatment for youth, inpatient mental health and substance use programs for adults, and the development and direction of a Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP) in NC. She has practiced in both nonprofit and private practice environments and now maintains a small psychotherapy and consultation practice, EMDR Counseling and Consultation. Rachel also serves on the faculty at the Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy in Washington, D.C., where she teaches EMDR Basic Training and provides EMDRIA-approved consultation.
Rachel has supervised pre-licensed clinicians in both VT and NC, bringing a strong emphasis on ethical decision-making, reflective practice, and professional identity development to her work with emerging therapists. She is the founder and leader of the Vermont Counseling Network, a statewide professional community dedicated to strengthening therapist development, expanding access to high-quality supervision, and fostering a collaborative mental health ecosystem. Across her clinical, educational, and leadership roles, Rachel is committed to cultivating culturally responsive, ethically grounded supervision rooted in best practices.
Amy Woodruff, LCMHC, LADC
Amy is a licensed clinician in VT and NY with nearly two decades of experience supporting children, adults, and families impacted by complex trauma and addiction. Her integrative clinical approach draws from CBT, DBT, the ARC framework, and movement-based therapies, with a strong focus on attachment, regulation, and relational safety. Amy has worked extensively within Vermont’s nonprofit and community mental health systems and collaborates regularly with multidisciplinary teams, giving her a deep understanding of the complexities supervisors face in diverse clinical environments.
Amy provides clinical supervision with an emphasis on ethical decision-making, self-awareness, and supporting clinicians in navigating secondary trauma. She is committed to helping therapists clarify their professional identity and access the resources they need to sustain long-term work in the field. Amy also hosts Vermont Counseling Network’s What Happens Next series, a twice-yearly orientation for new graduates that helps early-career clinicians connect with skilled, values-aligned supervisors across the state. Through her clinical, supervisory, and community-focused work, Amy is dedicated to strengthening Vermont’s mental health workforce through reflective, ethical, and relationship-centered supervision.
Ready to Join the Foundational Cohort?
If this series aligns with the supervision work you’re doing—or the supervisor you’re becoming—we invite you to apply. As part of our Foundational Cohort, you’ll not only participate in the training but also help shape how this series evolves for future supervisors across Vermont. Your insight and experience will directly influence how we continue supporting our statewide mental health community.
The application is saveable—you can start it, pause, and return at any time. A link will be emailed to you so you can complete it when it works for your schedule.
Apply today to join a thoughtful, engaged group of supervisors committed to reflective practice, ethical growth, and strengthening Vermont’s mental health landscape.
Space is limited to 8 participants.
