Top 5 Challenges for New LPC Supervisors (and How to Overcome Them)

Texas LPC Series

Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) in Texas is a milestone. It is also a shift in identity. You are no longer only responsible for your own clients and your own practice. You are now responsible for developing another clinician and, indirectly, for the clients that clinician serves.

Most new supervisors are well prepared clinically. The 40-clock-hour supervisor training covers the roles of supervision and the rules that govern it (22 TAC §681.147). Still, the real-world friction tends to show up in the same five places. Here they are, along with practical ways to get ahead of each one.

Documentation Drift

The challenge. Supervision sessions are easy to hold and easy to forget to document. Busy weeks pile up, notes get shortened, and suddenly there are gaps. But under 22 TAC §681.93(a), a supervisor must keep a written record of each supervisory session in the LPC Associate's file. There is also a deadline to track: the supervisor must submit accurate documentation of the associate's supervised experience to the Council within 30 days of the end of supervision or the completion of the required hours, whichever comes first (§681.93(d)).

How to overcome it.

• Use one standard session form for every associate, every time. However, a separate form for specialized situations should be considered, e.g., High Risk Individual.

• Complete it within 24 hours of the session. (This is a best practice, not a rule requirement, but it keeps details fresh.)

• Put the 30-day submission deadline on your calendar as soon as an associate nears completion or ends supervision.

• Keep each associate's file organized so you could hand it to the Council tomorrow.

Blurred Boundaries

The challenge. New supervisors are often approached by friends, former classmates, coworkers, or relatives who need a supervisor. Saying yes feels generous, but §681.93(c) directs supervisors to avoid any relationship that impairs their objective, professional judgment. A relationship that makes it hard to give honest feedback, or to decline to sign off on hours, is exactly the kind of problem the rule has in mind.

How to overcome it.

• Screen for existing relationships and conflicts before you agree to supervise.

• Spell out roles and expectations in writing at the start.

• Be willing to decline or refer when your objectivity is at risk, even if it is awkward.

• When you are unsure, talk it through with a trusted peer supervisor before committing.

Keeping Up with the Rules

The challenge. Your job includes making sure your associate is aware of, and follows, the Act and Council rules (§681.93(a)(2)). That means you need to know the Texas Occupational Code, Chapter 503, and 22 TAC Chapter 681 well enough to teach them, not just follow them. And the rules do not stand still. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) has adopted changes to Chapter 681 repeatedly in recent years, and the LPC Board's agendas show the supervision-related rules (§§681.91, 681.92, and 681.93) continue to be under review.

How to overcome it.

• Build rule review into supervision. Walk through a section of the Act or Chapter 681 with your associate on a regular basis.

• Subscribe to BHEC's email updates so changes reach you quickly.

• When a rule changes, discuss it with every associate you supervise and note that conversation in your records.

• Always confirm the current text at bhec.texas.gov rather than relying on memory or an old rulebook.

Hard Conversations

The challenge. It is uncomfortable to tell an associate you like that their documentation is thin, their boundaries are slipping, or their clinical skills are not yet where they need to be. Yet part of supervision is gatekeeping: helping associates grow, and protecting the public if they are not ready. Avoiding the conversation helps no one.

How to overcome it.

• Set competency goals together at the start of supervision, so feedback is tied to agreed expectations.

• Review cases and work samples regularly rather than relying only on self-report.

• Be specific and behavioral in your feedback. "Your risk assessment notes were missing the plan" lands better than "Your notes need work."

• Document growth areas and the plan to address them in the session record (§681.93(a)). This protects both of you and shows development over time.

Overextending Yourself

The challenge. Once you are an LPC-S, requests arrive quickly, and it is tempting to say yes to all of them. But supervision takes real time, and quality drops when your calendar is overloaded. Group supervision can help with capacity, but it has limits: no more than 50% of an associate's total supervision hours may be received in group supervision (§681.92). The associate also needs a supervisory agreement in place with an LPC-S as a condition of the LPC Associate license (§681.91(a)(4)).

How to overcome it.

• Decide how many associates you can supervise well, and treat that number as a ceiling.

• Put the supervisory agreement in writing before supervision begins.

• Block supervision time on your calendar the same way you would a client session.

• Remember that your supervisor status carries accountability. A Council order of probated suspension, suspension, or revocation of the license revokes it (§681.93(h)).

The Bottom Line

Strong supervision comes down to three habits: document every session, protect your objectivity, and know the current rules. Do those consistently and most of the other challenges become much easier to manage.

...supervision matters!

Sources: Texas Occupational Code, Chapter 503; 22 TAC §§681.91, 681.92, 681.93, and 681.147; Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (bhec.texas.gov). This post is educational and is not legal advice. Rules change, so always verify the current requirements with BHEC.