Written and clinically reviewed by Dawn Cox, Registered Clinical Counsellor, BCACC #3555 · Published October 2, 2026
To choose a clinical supervisor, look for someone with training and experience in the kind of work you do, a supervision style that suits your stage of practice, and a clear, written agreement about how supervision will work. Just as important is whether you feel safe enough with them to bring your real questions and your mistakes, because that honesty is what makes supervision useful.
Whether you are a new graduate working toward registration or an experienced counsellor looking for ongoing consultation, the supervisor you choose shapes how you think about your clients, how you handle difficult decisions, and how sustainable your work feels. This article is written for counsellors and other clinicians in British Columbia and beyond. It covers what supervision is for, what professional standards expect, what to look for, and the questions worth asking before you commit.
What Clinical Supervision Is For
Clinical supervision is a structured, ongoing professional relationship in which a more experienced clinician supports your clinical work. It is different from personal therapy, and different from occasional one-off consultation.
The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) is clear about its purpose. Its standard of practice on clinical supervision states that "the primary purpose of clinical supervision is to ensure client welfare and safety, prioritizing the client's care and public safety." The same document describes supervision as "centered around the supervisee's professional development, and is intended to facilitate growth, complement practice, and promote safe and effective client care" (BCACC Standards of Clinical Practice: Clinical Supervision, effective September 20, 2025).
In practice, that usually means a mix of:
- Case consultation. Talking through complex clients, formulations, and treatment choices.
- Ethical decision-making. Working through confidentiality limits, dual relationships, risk, and other questions that do not have a textbook answer.
- Reflective practice. Noticing your own reactions to clients, your blind spots, and your strengths.
- Sustainability. Paying attention to compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma before they turn into burnout.
What to Look For in a Supervisor
Competence in your area of practice
BCACC's standard says a supervisor should take on supervisory responsibilities only when they have "the necessary clinical supervision education, training, and competence to provide clinical supervision in general and to supervise the clinical services being requested/ provided in particular." In plain terms, a good supervisor knows both how to supervise and the kind of work you are doing.
If most of your caseload involves trauma, couples, or clients recovering from brain injury, it makes sense to look for a supervisor with real experience in those areas, not just general clinical knowledge.
A style that fits your stage
New clinicians often need more structure: help with case formulation, documentation, and knowing when to consult. Experienced clinicians may want a more collaborative, peer-like space to think through complexity. The BCACC standard asks supervisors to consider "the developmental stage of the supervisee" and whether they are an intern or already qualified. Ask any prospective supervisor how they adapt to where you are.
Transparency about orientation and process
A supervisor should be able to tell you how they think and work: their theoretical orientation, how sessions are structured, and how they give feedback. The standard expects supervisors to be "transparent with potential supervisees regarding their clinical and supervisory orientations." If you cannot get a clear picture before you start, that is worth noting.
A written supervision agreement
A good supervisory relationship starts with a clear agreement, developed together. According to the BCACC standard, it should set out your rights and responsibilities, "including procedures for managing and resolving differences in the supervisor-supervisee relationship." Initial learning goals are set collaboratively and revisited as you grow. An agreement protects both of you, and it makes expectations about frequency, fees, documentation, and cancellations explicit rather than assumed.
Healthy boundaries
Supervision involves a real power difference, even when it feels collegial. The standard notes, for example, that supervisors should refrain from "taking previous clients as their supervisee." Look for someone who takes boundaries and conflicts of interest seriously and talks about them openly. In a smaller community like Victoria, overlapping relationships are more likely, which makes this conversation more important, not less.
Questions to Ask Before You Commit
Most supervisors are happy to have an initial conversation. These questions can help you decide:
1. What is your experience with the kinds of clients I see? 2. How do you structure supervision sessions, and how do you give feedback? 3. How do you handle disagreement between us about a client's care? 4. What does your supervision agreement include? 5. Do you offer individual, group, or both, and in person or online? 6. If I need supervision hours for registration, can your supervision meet my regulator's requirements? Check the answer against your regulator's current published criteria yourself, as requirements differ between organisations and change over time. 7. What do you expect from me as a supervisee?
Pay attention to how you feel during the conversation, too. If you already sense you would hold back mistakes or difficult feelings, the fit may not be right.
Individual, Group, In Person, or Online
Individual supervision gives you focused time on your own cases and development. Group supervision adds the perspectives of peers and can be a valuable antidote to the isolation of private practice. Many clinicians use a combination over the course of their career.
Online supervision has made it far easier to find a supervisor with the right expertise, even if they are not in your city. The BCACC standard expects remote supervision to be delivered "in a manner that does not compromise the quality or integrity of professional service." Ask how a supervisor protects confidentiality on video and what platform they use.
Your Role as a Supervisee
Supervision works best when both people show up prepared. You can get more from each session by:
- Bringing specific cases, questions, or ethical dilemmas rather than a general update.
- Being honest about what is not working, including your own reactions.
- Keeping your own notes on supervision and following up on agreed actions.
- Telling your supervisor if the relationship is not meeting your needs.
Counsellors are often better at looking after others than themselves. If the emotional weight of your work is affecting your own wellbeing, it is worth talking about in supervision and, where needed, in your own personal therapy. If you are ever in crisis yourself, call 9-1-1 if your safety is at immediate risk, or call or text 9-8-8 for suicide crisis support anywhere in Canada. Our crisis and emergency resources are always available on the contact page.
Clinical Supervision With Dawn Cox Counselling
Dawn Cox is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (BCACC #3555) based in Victoria, BC. Clinical supervision with Dawn is collaborative and supportive rather than evaluative, with space for case consultation, ethical decision-making, reflective practice, and attention to your own sustainability in the work. Supervision can draw on her clinical experience with trauma-informed practice, Somatic Experiencing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and the Gottman Method.
Individual and group formats are available, in person in Victoria and online across Canada. If you are working toward registration, please confirm your regulator's requirements for supervisors before you begin so we can make sure the arrangement meets them.
To ask about availability or arrange an initial conversation, learn more about clinical supervision or contact Dawn Cox Counselling.
