On May 16th, 2024, I got to enjoy something I love: presenting at the LPCA of Georgia’s 36th Annual Convention and Regional Conference. Our workshop, focused on, what is to me, the most important responsibilities of supervision: fostering ethical decision-making in our supervisees.
Ethics isn’t just about knowing the rules. Most of us come into this profession with a strong belief in our own moral compass. But when faced with real-world ambiguity, conflicting obligations, or pressures from clients, agencies, or life itself, our clarity can blur. That’s why cultivating a consistent ethical decision-making process is not only essential for new therapists—it’s a skill that must be mentored, modeled, and matured. Supervision is the crucible of Ethical Training.
In this training, we explored:
- Ethical decision-making models that go beyond gut reactions
- How codes of ethics serve as a compass, not a map
- Real-world scenarios that sparked lively discussion and reflection
- The developmental nature of ethical thinking across a supervisee’s journey
- And importantly, the ethics of supervision itself—how our modeling, feedback, and presence as supervisors directly shape the clinicians we are helping to grow.
Many supervisees are eager to master a new technique or tool. But helping them internalize ethical reasoning? That’s a deeper shift. It requires humility. It requires persistence. And above all, it requires us, as supervisors, to walk the talk—consistently, transparently, and compassionately.
To those who joined the session: thank you for bringing your insights, your questions, and your commitment to doing this important work well. To those continuing your supervision journeys: keep asking hard questions, keep modeling the process, and keep growing the next generation of ethical, grounded clinicians.
