What if clinical supervisors could radically improve the growth of their supervisees—simply by adjusting how they evaluate developing skills? By understanding the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), supervisors can reframe how they see performance gaps, fostering more accurate assessments and more effective support.
This course provides a practical framework for clinical supervisors looking to evolve their evaluation lens and supervision strategies. Participants are invited to explore research-based models that increase both supervisee development and supervisor confidence.
Dr. Rosalind (Dr. Roz) Polk-Hall, EdD, LPC, CPCS, is a seasoned therapist and clinical supervisor with decades of experience supporting supervisees through licensure and professional development. Her supervision practice is grounded in real-world experience across private practice and community mental health settings. Dr. Roz brings a deep commitment to helping clinical supervisors develop clarity, confidence, and ethical practice.
Through engaging instruction, Dr. Roz introduces key principles of Vygotsky’s developmental theory—particularly the Zone of Proximal Development—and applies them directly to the clinical supervision relationship. The course includes theoretical insights and real-world supervisory applications.
Topics covered include the definition and dynamics of clinical supervision, administrative vs. clinical oversight, supervisor-supervisee relationships, scaffolding techniques, and the application of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Emphasis is placed on the ZPD and how supervisors can use this model to better understand their supervisees’ current abilities, growth potential, and performance needs.
Key Takeaways
Reframe evaluation practices: Learn how to assess supervisees more accurately and effectively by understanding the ZPD.
Support supervisee growth: Use scaffolding techniques to help supervisees advance from dependent learning to autonomous clinical performance.
Enhance supervisory insight: Gain a deeper appreciation for your own growth as a supervisor and how it informs your supervision style.
Why this course?
Evidence-based and practical: Draws from developmental theory and applies it directly to the real-world challenges of supervision.
Led by a trusted expert: Taught by an experienced clinician and supervisor who has mentored countless professionals through licensure.
Focused on your growth: Designed to strengthen not just your evaluation skills, but also your confidence and reflective practice as a supervisor.
Learning Objectives
Explain the impact that the zone of proximal development has on the skill set of clinical supervisors and counselors.
Describe how the zone of proximal development can be utilized to better understand the relationships between the supervisor and supervisee.
Understanding your supervisee’s developmental readiness is not just beneficial—it’s essential for ethical, effective supervision. This course offers a supportive and thought-provoking experience to elevate your impact as a clinical supervisor.
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This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 1.5 hours of video instruction and a post-test.
Availability: From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.
Who Should Attend: This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.
Teaching Methods: This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.
How to Attend: Instructions for attending and completing a course can be found here.
Dr. Rosalind Polk-Hall, EdD, LPC, MA, CMFT, CPCS
Dr. Roz is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor practicing in the state of Georgia. She currently works as a Clinical Director in a community mental health counseling setting, provides clinical supervision to clinicians in various settings, and is a mental health counselor/clinical supervisor in private practice. She earned her doctoral degree from Argosy University (Nashville) in Counselor Education and Supervision. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Psychology with a specialty in Counseling at the Georgia School of Professional Psychology (Argosy University).
With over 27 years of clinical experience, Dr. Roz is a licensed professional counselor dedicated to transforming lives and shaping the next generation of therapists. Throughout her career, Dr. Roz has worked across a broad range of settings, including community mental health centers, private practice, jails, in-patient psychiatric hospitals, and educational institutions—bringing compassionate, evidence-based care to individuals from all walks of life. Her clinical expertise spans mood and thought disorders, addictions, trauma-informed care, and life transitions, always with a focus on empowering clients to reclaim their well-being and purpose. Passionate about professional development, Dr. Roz now devotes much of her time to mentoring emerging therapists, helping them build confidence, integrity, and clinical excellence in their practice. Whether guiding clients through healing or supporting new clinicians on their professional path, Dr. Roz remains deeply committed to making a meaningful impact—one life, and one therapist, at a time.
Disclosure Statement: The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.
Credit Hours: This course consists of 1.5 continuing education hours of credit.
Counselors:
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Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.
Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.
Social Workers:
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Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 clinical continuing education credits.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.
Addiction Professionals:
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This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.
Psychologists:
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Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.
Art Therapists: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.
Other Professionals: This course qualifies for 90 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course.
