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

Licensed psychologists (LPs) in Washington can advance their careers by serving as clinical supervisors for new professionals. This guide explains the Washington clinical supervisor requirements, outlines continuing education obligations, and highlights pitfalls to avoid.

🧾 Supervisor Eligibility Requirements in Washington

In Washington, a psychologist must meet specific criteria to supervise a postdoctoral licensure candidate (i.e. someone completing their postdoctoral supervised hours to become an LP). These Washington clinical supervisor requirements are detailed in WAC 246-924-059, and include the following:

• Unrestricted License: The supervisor must hold a valid, unrestricted license at the time of supervision. The supervisor’s license should be active and free of any restrictions or disciplinary conditions during the supervision period. (WAC 246-924-059(8))

• At Least 50% Supervision by a Psychologist: At least half of the postdoctoral supervised hours must be provided by a licensed psychologist, according to WAC 246-924-059(8)(a), The remaining hours (up to 50%) may be supervised by certain other qualified professionals (see next point).

• Other Qualified Supervisors (Up to 50%): Washington (WAC 246-924-059(8)(b)) allows non-psychologist supervisors to provide up to 50% of the postdoctoral supervision hours, if they meet specific criteria. Eligible supervisors in this category include:

  • Psychiatrists with at least three years of experience beyond residency.
  • Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC), Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), Licensed Advanced Social Workers (LASW), or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSW) with at least five years of post-licensure experience.
  • Doctoral-level psychologists exempt from licensure under RCW 18.83.200 (e.g. certain academic or federal institutional roles) with three years of postdoctoral experience, provided the supervision occurs in the exempt setting (such as the qualifying university or agency).
   

• No Self-Supervision: An applicant cannot supervise their own hours. In other words, you cannot “sign off” as the supervisor for your own postdoc experience. The regulation explicitly states, “An applicant may not sign off as supervising their own postdoctoral hours.” Self-supervision is prohibited, so your hours must be overseen and verified by another qualified professional. (WAC 246-924-059(10))

🟨 Required Supervisory Practices in Washington

Meeting the eligibility criteria above is only part of the process. Washington also mandates certain supervisory practices and responsibilities that all supervisors must follow while supervising:

• Written Supervision Agreement: The supervisor and supervisee must enter into a written supervision agreement before starting. This contract should outline the scope of supervision, frequency of meetings (or ratio of supervision to practice hours), any fees, record-keeping and feedback processes, how the supervisee will represent themselves (title), and how to handle disputes. Having this agreement in writing is a requirement under WAC 246-924-059(2).

• Direct Observation of Work: The supervisor is expected to directly observe or review the supervisee’s clinical work on an ongoing basis, pursuant to WAC 246-924-059(3). Acceptable methods include reviewing detailed case notes and progress reports, listening to audio/video recordings of sessions, using client feedback measures, or in-person observation (e.g. one-way mirror). This ensures the supervisor can truly evaluate the supervisee’s skills and provide informed guidance.

• Record Keeping: Both the supervisor and supervisee must keep documentation of the supervised experience and supervision hours. This means logging the hours of supervised practice, hours of supervision meetings, and maintaining records such as the supervision agreement and any evaluation or progress forms. Proper documentation is crucial in case the licensing board requests proof of the completed supervision. (WAC 246-924-059(7))

• Supervisor’s Responsibility: The supervisor is legally and ethically responsible for all services provided by the supervisee under the supervision agreement. Practically, this gives the supervisor authority to direct the supervisee’s work or alter client treatment plans as needed. Supervisors must ensure that clients are informed of the supervisory arrangement (including the supervisor’s identity) and that services are delivered in accordance with professional standards. (WAC 246-924-059(1))

• Content of Supervision: Washington requires that supervision sessions cover a range of important topics beyond case discussion. Supervisors should regularly address areas such as case selection and treatment planning, theoretical frameworks, management of the practice setting, coordination of care with other professionals, and review of relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards. Ensuring discussion of ethical principles and Washington state laws/rules applicable to practice is specifically mandated in WAC 246-924-059(9)(b)-(j).

By adhering to these practices, a supervisor not only stays compliant with state rules but also provides high-quality guidance that protects clients and supports the professional growth of the supervisee.

📚 Ongoing/Renewal Continuing Education Requirements

📌 No Supervisor-Specific CE Requirements

Unlike some states, Washington does not require any additional or supervisor-specific continuing education for psychologists who act as supervisors. There are no extra “Washington LP supervision CE” hours or special certification mandated beyond maintaining your general psychologist license.

However, all licensed psychologists in Washington – including those who supervise – must meet the general continuing education (CE) requirements for license renewal. Under WAC 246-924-230, psychologists must complete 60 hours of CE every three years to renew their license. This three-year total must include several specific components:

• Ethics – 4 Hours (every 3 years): Must cover ethics relevant to your professional role (e.g., practice, supervision, teaching, research, consultation).
  (WAC 246-924-230(1)(a))

• Health Equity – 2 Hours (every 3 years): Must meet standards in WAC 246-12-830, including implicit bias training and demonstrated application to practice.
  (WAC 246-924-230(1)(b))

• Suicide Prevention – 6 Hours (every 6 years): Must be taken from a provider on the WA DOH Model List and meet WAC 246-924-255 standards.
  (WAC 246-924-230(1)(c))

• Jurisprudence Exam – 1 Hour: Required during your first CE cycle; optional in future cycles (1 CE hour if retaken).
  (WAC 246-924-230(1)(d))

Additional Notes: All continuing education must support your competence in psychology – purely business, marketing, or unrelated administrative courses won’t count. Psychologists should also maintain documentation of their CE completion (transcripts, certificates, etc.), as the Board may audit licensees to verify the required 60 hours of CE have been completed. There are no extra CE requirements to “maintain” status as a supervisor, but staying current with best practices (for example, in ethics or multicultural competence) is certainly beneficial for effective supervision.

⚠️ Pitfalls To Avoid

Even with clear rules in place, both supervisors and supervisees can run into issues that jeopardize the validity of the supervised experience. Here are some pitfalls to be aware of when supervising (or being supervised) in Washington:

• Supervisee Not Properly Credentialed: In Washington, postdoctoral psychology trainees must be credentialed with the Department of Health while they practice under supervision. Washington offers a “Psychological Associate” license for individuals in doctoral programs or in postdoc supervised practice. Failing to obtain this associate license/registration is a serious pitfall – if a supervisee isn’t officially registered or licensed as a Psychological Associate (or similar status) during their postdoc, any hours they accumulate may not count (and practicing without the credential could violate regulations). Both supervisor and supervisee should ensure the trainee is properly credentialed before logging hours.

• Improper or Incomplete Documentation: Washington’s rules require a written supervision agreement and diligent tracking of supervision hours. If you skip the formal agreement, or fail to document dates/times and content of supervision, the Board might reject those hours. Documentation mistakes include not retaining signed supervision logs, missing signatures on verification forms, or neglecting to include required elements in the supervision contract. To avoid this pitfall, use the Board’s supervision agreement template (if available) or carefully follow WAC 246-924-059(2)’s checklist, and keep copies of everything. Proper documentation protects you in case there’s any question about the supervised experience when the licensure application is reviewed.

• Supervisor Not Meeting Requirements: Sometimes hours are invalidated because the supervisor was not actually eligible under the state’s rules. For example, if your supervisor’s license was expired, on probation, or limited in some way (i.e. not “unrestricted” as required), or if a non-psychologist supervisor didn’t have the necessary years of experience, then any supervised hours under that person won’t count. Always double-check that your supervisor meets Washington’s criteria at the time of supervision – including holding an active unrestricted license and, if they’re a non-psychologist, the required post-licensure experience. It’s wise for both parties to verify this before the supervision begins, rather than find out later that the hours are disqualified.

By being mindful of these pitfalls – proper registration, thorough documentation, and compliance with supervisor qualifications – you can ensure the supervised experience proceeds smoothly and counts toward licensure as intended.

📘 How the Telehealth Certification Institute (TCI) Helps You Meet Supervision CE Requirements

While Washington does not require supervision-specific CE for licensed psychologists, many professionals choose to pursue advanced supervision training to improve their skills and better support supervisees. The Telehealth Certification Institute (TCI) offers a full range of APA-approved continuing education courses that can help you enhance your supervisory competencies and fulfill many of your general CE requirements for license renewal.

Recommended Courses

• 🧾 Clinical Supervision Certificate Program
  Our in-depth Clinical Supervision Certificate (CSC) Program delivers 49 CE hours and covers all core supervision competencies—including ethics, legal considerations, and supervision models. This flexible, self-paced program is ideal for meeting a substantial portion of your 60-hour CE renewal requirement, while also preparing you to be a more confident and effective supervisor.
  👉 Explore the Clinical Supervision Certificate Program

• 🌍 Cultural Competence Courses
  Browse TCI’s curated courses that focus on cultural responsiveness and implicit bias to satisfy Washington’s CE requirement under WAC 246-12-830. These courses can be used to meet the state’s:
  ➡️ Health Equity – 2 Hours (every 3 years)
  👉 Browse Cultural Competency Courses

• Suicide Prevention
  Washington psychologists must complete 6 hours of suicide prevention training every 6 years in accordance with WAC 246-924-255. This training must be completed through a course that meets the Washington Department of Health (DOH) standards and appears on the DOH Model List of approved trainings.
  Important: TCI does not currently offer suicide-prevention courses that appear on the Washington DOH Model List. Psychologists should select an approved training from the DOH list to satisfy this requirement.
  ➡️ Suicide Prevention – 6 Hours (every 6 years)
  👉 View the WA DOH Model List of Approved Trainings

• 🎯 Individual Clinical Supervision CE Courses
  Looking for training in a specific area? Explore our catalog of individual supervision CE courses, covering topics like telesupervision, ethics, multicultural supervision, and more.
  👉 Browse Clinical Supervision CE Courses

🤝 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 courses 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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