Clinical Supervisor Training (50 hours)
Format: Asynchronous (online, self-directed)
Cost: $1495 + HST + the cost of the textbook
Time frame: over 20 weeks
Required textbook: Falender, Carol A. and Shafranske, Edward P (2021). Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach (2nd). USA: American Psychological Association.
Highlights of this Program:
- A hybrid model, you will complete 50 hours of self-directed study ranging from the basic competencies of the clinical supervisor role, through to topics such as giving feedback, countertransference, and therapist stages of development
- Students may begin whenever they wish, and may proceed as quickly as is preferred.
- Individualized attention and instructor feedback is given through feedback on the professional and reflective practice exercises with each module
- All work can be done from home; you will need a reliable internet connection to do so
- Tuition includes a 30-minute personalized consultation with the Instructor to receive feedback on your submitted tape (the final project, see below)
Program Overview and Outline
“We would never dream of turning untrained therapists loose on needy patients, so why would we turn untrained supervisors loose on therapists who help those needy patients?” asks Watkins et. al.
In many industries, the need for quality supervision and oversight is in high demand, and this is especially true in the clinical setting. Students in this course are introduced to emerging supervisor methods, practices and metrics that guide the supervision pathway. Suitable for aspiring supervisors, regardless of preferred modality of intervention, this 50-hour online course introduces emerging supervisors to the methods, practices, and metrics that guide the supervision pathway. Students will work through content using a learning platform, submitting professional and reflective practice exercises throughout the course. The course Instructor will mark in each of these assignments, with feedback given to the student.
While there is no exam for this course, students will require access to a live supervisee who is either a true supervisee, or a colleague who is willing to be a “test” subject. Program completion requires the student to submit a tape of a 1:1 session with their supervisee. Following this, you will meet with your Instructor for a 30-minute consultation in which to receive evaluative feedback on your tape, and to discuss your continuing development after your initial training.
Eligibility and Certification
To first enter or subsequently maintain a competent practice in mental health or human services, practitioners require ongoing professional education, as well as opportunities for supervised practice. The Faculty of Continuing Education at ADLER provides both.
ADLER’s Faculty of Continuing Education offers certificate programs that incorporate a case-based learning approach, encompassing theoretical discussion supported by real-life cases, scenarios, and role-playing. This approach affords participants the opportunity to experience the actual, day-to-day challenges encountered by most practitioners. Many of ADLER Continuing Education courses qualify for programs like the continuing education credit hours for the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Contact your organization to determine eligibility of a particular course. This course is correct for both community and in-patient clinicians who aspire to supervise the clinical practice of others. Criteria are as follows:
- Students of this program MUST be members in good standing with a regulatory body that oversees counselling, psychology, social work or psychotherapy
- Students MUST have a minimum of 5 years of experience in clinical practice.
- Students should be familiar with at least 2 of the modalities used most widely today (i.e. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Marriage and Family Systems Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Disclaimer: Please note that completing any of the courses within this program does not qualify you to register with any regulatory body in Ontario, including neither the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), nor the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). There is no formal accreditation process for CBT in Canada; however, the CACBT is currently developing accreditation processes which, once completed, we aim to comply with. Please be advised that the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (USA) approves these courses of Cognitive Therapy, and completion of these courses will satisfy most continuing education requirements. You are advised to select learning that leads to the regulations / qualifications you hope to achieve in your career.
Getting Started
Once payment is received, you will receive an enrolment email, with a UserID and a temporary password, which will allow you to enter the course software and begin. This enrolment email will take approximately seven business days to be processed. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER DURING THIS TIME. If you do not see this email within seven business days, please contact us.
Note that all of ADLER’s online continuing education program have stipulated an allotted amount of time in which to complete your course of study (such as “12 weeks”). Your allotted amount of time begins on the date of your in the enrollment email. Once enrolled, you will not receive additional emails about when you have started or when you are done, so manage your time effectively. Please note: we uphold a strict policy that we do not extend or re-open the software to you once your allotted amount of time is complete. Plan accordingly: if you will be away, you must catch up on your work.
Please note that cancellations up to 2 weeks prior to the start date of the course are subject to a $200 administration fee, and that cancellations after 2 weeks are not considered.
Contact Us
Students that have questions about this program should contact the Dean, Ms. Beatrice Traub-Werner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..