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What is the role of mentorship and support in developing successful therapists? Which strategies can you use to scale your practice while avoiding burnout? How can you cultivate a culture of collaboration in your private practice?
In this podcast episode, Andrew Burdette speaks with Dr. Laura Gambrel about clinical direction and supervision in group practice.
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Meet Dr. Laura Gambrel
Dr. Laura Gambrel is a licensed mental health counselor, mindfulness educator, and relational therapist dedicated to helping individuals and couples navigate life’s challenges with greater awareness, compassion, and connection.
At Inside Passage Counseling, Laura creates a supportive space where clients can explore their inner experiences and build meaningful relationships. She draws on her expertise in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Somatic Mindfulness to guide clients toward greater self-understanding and connection with others.
Beyond her clinical work, Laura is passionate about teaching and facilitating workshops on relational mindfulness. Through her platform, Relational Mindfulness, she offers resources and courses designed to help people develop deeper self-awareness and more fulfilling relationships.
Visit Inside Passage Counseling to learn more about Laura’s therapy services, and explore Relational Mindfulness for workshops and educational offerings.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
In This Podcast
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Ongoing training and supervision
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Navigating clinical supervision roles and training
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Trust and accountability in supervision
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Key takeaways on supervision and hiring
Ongoing training and supervision
I want people to have training, knowledge and experience in the thing that they are working with in the room, and ongoing supervision, support, consultation … Embedded in our practice we have weekly consult groups … So that people can continue to learn and grow together. (Dr. Laura Gambrel)
As Dr. Gambrel later explains, the opportunity of ongoing training and supervision is integral to a therapists’s ability to contine doing good work.
To be supported, encouraged, and given the chance to continue pursuing knowledge and honing skills are all aspects of therapy that make a tough field a little easier.
Navigating clinical supervision roles and training
Dr. Gambrel’s practice decided to divide up the roles of clinical supervisor and trainer so that one person isn’t wearing both hats at the same time.
There’s plenty of associates who get into group practices and feel this really icky duel relationship between the business owner who’s saying, “You have to see more clients” … And then also being the person you go to vulnerably over clinical issues. That doesn’t feel good for most people, and it would be really hard for anybody to hold both of those hats. (Dr. Laura Gambrel)
Dr. Gambrel and her team wanted to explore the possibility of separating these two important roles out to two different people so that everyone in the practice, from clinicians to associates to supervisors and superviees, could feel more comfortable.
For example, Andrew discusses the differences and importance of distinguishing between a temperament issue and a trainable issue.
The first part is some thorough vetting and clarity. When people are hired, I’m all in, and that means I’m going to focus on the training, practice, and looking at the blocks, what’s getting in the way, and what we can do. Get curious about what’s happening, what’s achievable, and what’s not. So I always try the training approach, and what I think a lot of people struggle with is how to give direct and compassionate feedback. (Dr. Laura Gambrel)
According to Dr. Gambrel, the direct and compassionate feedback is not happening soon enough to fill in a teachable moment, which can lead to a temperament issue down the line.
Trust and accountability in supervision
With the temperament and teachable issues, Dr. Gambrel expresses the importance of giving people the grace to learn and grow.
Start with a structured training approach, and then you kind of see, “Is that shifting? Is that changing?” … You find that out because it’s helpful to have deadlines and structure and have clear accountability along the way. So I often think … “What do I need from this person to feel confident that change is actually happening?” (Dr. Laura Gambrel)
It is important for the teacher as well as the student to have knowledge of the expectations of the situation, so that the student knows what is expected of them and the teacher knows how to measure their progress.
Trust is essential in therapy. If you feel that you cannot trust your associates, even after they have learned, then it may be time to make the rare, difficult, but necessary decision to let them go.
That’s always a good gauge [for me]; “Would I refer someone to this person?” … And if I don’t see anything that they could do that [would] change my ability to trust in my gut that … I could give clients to them, then there isn’t a path forward. (Dr. Laura Gambrel)
Key takeaways on supervision and hiring
Clinical supervision requires specialty training, and you may not want to do that and run your practice at the same time! But if you want to do it, then do it with intention.
Find a way to distinguish between those two different roles if you are doing them both yourself.
And, have somebody that you can consult with who is an experienced supervisor who has managed and dealt with these situations themselves before.
Useful links mentioned in this episode:
Visit Inside Passage Counseling to learn more about Laura’s therapy services, and explore Relational Mindfulness for workshops and educational offerings. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Trust me, don’t waste any more of your time, and try TherapyNotes.
Check out these additional resources:
- Get your tickets to the Group Practice Boss Conference on May 6th and 7th 2025!
- Practice of the Practice Network
- Group Practice Launch
- Group Practice Boss: www.practiceofthepractice.com/grouppracticeboss $149 a month
- PoP Group Practice Owners Facebook Group
- Free resources to help you start, grow, and scale
- Work with us
- Practice of the Practice Network
Meet Andrew Burdette
Andrew founded Mindful Counseling PLLC in Asheville, NC shortly after completing his graduate program in clinical mental health counseling. At the start of the pandemic, he pivoted to an online solo practice, and in 2022, began to grow a group practice. He most enjoys helping clients and colleagues identify what ignites their passions and assisting them in creating a life rooted in authenticity. Andrew approaches his business development with alignment in mind and enjoys the integration process connecting the many puzzle pieces and systems required to run a successful practice.
Visit Andrew’s website and Apply to work with him.
Email him at [email protected]
