Safe in the Uncertainty

Embracing career evolution, discomfort, and the joy of learning as I go

Several years ago I expanded my therapy practice into a group practice, hoping to share the success of my growing business with other developing clinicians. My single therapist practice had a waitlist, and I naively believed that bringing on new clinicians would be a natural way to meet the growing need for care.

As part of growing this practice, I met with new clinicians, both individually and as a group for clinical supervision, to get a feel for how they were progressing with their caseloads and to support them in providing quality care. One challenge I hadn’t anticipated was how strongly they viewed me as their boss. Because of that, they were hesitant to share challenges they were experiencing with their clients. Even when I tried to create space for personal reflection, most seemed eager to assure me that everything was fine and they weren’t facing any challenges with their work.

This contrast became even more clear once I began accepting graduate level interns into the practice. The interns were eager to talk about the challenges they were facing. They sought out feedback and welcomed guidance as they worked to grow into strong clinicians. Their position as students seemed to give them the social permission to admit that they didn’t have all of the answers and that they needed support.

This revelation helped me understand myself, my skill set, and how I like to work. Both the employees and the students taught me that I don’t enjoy being the boss in the traditional workplace dynamics. I enjoy mentoring, teaching, and supporting the development of therapists as they find their footing in the profession.