First 1-2 Years: Surviving the Basics
Clinical Documentation Overwhelm I’m looking at my to-do list, and it’s got dozens of progress notes, several assessments, treatment plans that needed to be done
High Caseload Management for Clinicians The number was 32. Thirty-two progress notes I needed to write. I remember staring at that number and feeling like
Clinical Supervision for New Counselors In grad school they talk about supervision like it’s going to be this transformative experience. A wise, experienced clinician guiding
Documentation for Therapists You submit the note. Then you reopen it. Read it again. Check for blanks. Check for errors. Close it. Open it one
Client Relapse In my first year working with adolescents, I had a client using opiates — Vicodin, they said. They denied using needles, but I
New Counselor Knowledge Gaps I used to sit in group next to this seasoned counselor and just watch him. He knew everything. Every term, every
Filling Therapy Sessions Fifteen minutes in. The client is sitting across from me, waiting. I’ve covered intake updates, asked about their week, checked on their
Compassion Fatigue for Addiction Counselors I agreed to write a letter overnight. I didn’t finish it. Instead of sending a message to explain the delay,
Fear of Being Reported It’s 3 AM and you’re lying awake replaying the session. Did you document that correctly? Should you have called DCFS? And
Setting Boundaries with Clients 📚 This is Blog #5 in the New Clinician Survival Kit Series (Click to explore the series) Weekly honest support for
Physical + digital tools designed for your first 1-2 years: confidence planners, supervision checklists, boundary scripts, and reflection worksheets.
