How to Serve as a Clinical Supervisor in Tennessee as a Licensed Psychologist

If you are a Licensed Psychologist (LP) wondering how to serve as a clinical supervisor in Tennessee, it’s important to understand the state’s specific rules and training requirements. This article will explain Tennessee clinical supervisor requirements – including eligibility criteria, ongoing continuing education (CE) obligations, and pitfalls – to help you serve as a supervisor with confidence. We’ll also show how you can meet these requirements (especially CE needs) with relevant courses and resources.

✅ Supervisor Eligibility Requirements

To supervise other practitioners or licensure candidates in Tennessee (e.g., Psychological Examiners, Certified Psychological Assistants, or provisionally licensed psychologists), you must meet the Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology’s criteria:

• Be a Licensed Psychologist in Tennessee
  You must hold an active psychologist license issued by the Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology.

• Be Qualified in the Supervised Activities
  You must be qualified by both experience and training in the psychological services your supervisee is performing — e.g., clinical psychotherapy, assessment, neuropsychology.

• Hold the Health Service Provider (HSP) Designation, if Required
  If supervising Psychological Examiners, Certified Psychological Assistants, or any psychologist delivering health services, you must also be designated as a Health Service Provider (HSP).

• Be Registered as the “Supervisor of Record”
  Supervisors must be registered with the Board using a formal form. At license renewal, psychologists must disclose all supervisees under their oversight.

• Avoid Any Dual Relationship
  Supervision must be free of personal, familial, or therapeutic relationships that compromise objectivity or ethics.

• Limit the Number of Supervisees
  Supervisors must ensure an appropriate ratio of supervision to practice hours to maintain quality and client welfare.

• Provide Adequate Supervision Format & Frequency
  Supervision must be regular, frequent, and primarily one-on-one. Documentation is required for all sessions. Remote supervision is allowed but must not exceed 75% and must be face-visible, real-time.

Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Board of Examiners in Psychology. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 1180-02, r. 1180-02-.01(7) (Scope of Practice—Standards for Supervision) (rev. October 2022).

🔁 Ongoing/Renewal Continuing Education (CE) Requirements

Tennessee does not require additional supervision-specific CE to maintain supervisor status.

All Licensed Psychologists, Senior Psychological Examiners, and Psychological Examiners must meet the following CE requirements every two years, pursuant to Rule 1180-01-.08:

• ✅ Total CE Hours: 40 hours every two calendar years (Jan 1 – Dec 31 prior to renewal). First-time licensees only need 30 hours.

• ✅ Required Content Breakdown:
  
  • 20+ hours must involve real-time interaction (e.g., live webinars or in-person events)
  • 9+ hours must be from an APA-approved sponsor
  • 3 hours must address cultural diversity (e.g., health disparities, cultural competency, communication strategies) – Rule 1180-01-.08(1)(e)
  • 3 hours must cover a mix of:
  • Tennessee laws (T.C.A. Title 63, Chapter 11)
  • Tennessee Board Rules and Regulations (Chapters 1180-01 to 1180-04 and 1180-06)
  • Professional ethics for psychologists

Note: TCI does not offer Tennessee-specific law and board rules training. We do provide ethics CE; please consult the official Tennessee rules and statutes for state-specific law content.

Source: Tennessee Department of Health, Board of Examiners in Psychology. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 1180-01, r. 1180-01-.08 (Continuing Education) (rev. October 2025).

⚠️ Pitfalls to Avoid

• Supervisees Not Being Registered:
  Supervision hours may not count if the Board has not received the Supervisor of Record form. Always file it before supervision begins.

• Improper Documentation:
  Failure to record supervision dates, times, duration, and cases discussed can invalidate hours. Maintain clear records.

• Supervisor Non-Compliance:
  If the supervisor lacks required qualifications (e.g., no HSP when needed, or license lapse), supervision hours may be disqualified.

📘 How the Telehealth Certification Institute Helps You

Tennessee does not require supervision-specific CE, but you still need to meet the state’s 40 CE hours every two years (with at least 20 hours live/interactive, at least 9 APA-approved hours9 APA-approved hours, 3 hours cultural diversity, and 3 hours ethics/TN law and rules). TCI offers a broad catalog of APA-approved clinical supervision CE to strengthen your supervisory skills while helping you meet general license renewal requirements.

Note: TCI does not provide Tennessee-specific law/rules training. We do offer ethics CE alone. Please verify Tennessee law/rules content through official sources or your professional association. Always confirm course compliance with your state Board’s expectations.

Recommended Courses

• 20 CE Clinical Supervision Training Bundle
  Use this as your self-study portion (Tennessee allows up to 20 hours via self-study). The bundle covers supervision essentials—ethics, documentation, supervision models, cultural responsiveness, and more.

  Heads-up: This bundle includes ~1.5 CE in cultural diversity. You’ll still need an additional ~1.5 CE in cultural diversity elsewhere to reach the required 3 hours.

• Cultural Diversity Courses
  Because Tennessee requires 3 CE hours in cultural diversity, browse our cultural-diversity offerings to complete or top-off that requirement.

• Clinical Supervision Certificate Program
  If you want deep, structured training in supervision, our Clinical Supervision Certificate (CSC) Program delivers 49 CE hours across ethics, models, multicultural supervision, documentation, telesupervision, and more—exceeding the 20-hour self-study allowance and significantly enhancing your supervisory practice.

  Note: This bundle includes ~1.5 CE in cultural diversity.

• Individual Clinical Supervision CE Courses
  Prefer to pick and choose? Explore topic-specific supervision CE (e.g., models, ethics, evaluation strategies, documentation standards) and build exactly what you need.

• Live Webinars
  Tennessee requires at least 20 live/interactive hours. Join TCI’s live webinars to satisfy your interactive requirement while gaining practical supervision skills you can apply immediately.

🤝 Free Clinical Supervision Forum

Join our live, bi-monthly forum designed for clinical supervisors—open to all behavioral health professionals!

• ✅ Earn complimentary live CE hours
• 💬 Participate in real-world supervision case discussions
• 🌐 Network with supervisors from across the country

🔗 Register now and be part of the conversation

✨ Why Choose TCI for Your Training?

• ✅ Trusted by thousands of behavioral health professionals nationwide
• ✅ Fully online and self-paced — study anytime, anywhere
• ✅ Accredited CE taught by leading industry experts
• ✅ Modular, flexible courses — pay only for the training you need

⚠️ Disclaimer

“The information provided in this article is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Licensing and supervision requirements may change, and interpretations may vary. It is the responsibility of each individual to verify the current rules and qualifications directly with their state licensing authority.”

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