Red Flags in Group Practices and Supervisors: What to Watch for as a Pre-Licensed Clinician

The supervision and agency culture you enter early on can either help you thrive or seriously harm your confidence, autonomy, and clinical integrity. Here are the red flags every pre-licensed therapist should be on the lookout for:

Red Flags in Supervisors & Group Practices

1. You’re not allowed to have your own Psychology Today profile.
This limits your autonomy and visibility. It's about control, not professionalism.

2. You're not listed on the practice website.
If you're doing clinical work, you should be acknowledged.

3. All referrals, screenings, and scheduling go through the agency owner or admin.
This may seem streamlined, but often becomes a tool for gatekeeping and micromanagement.

4. You’re constantly asked to rework notes to make them longer or more detailed.
More words ≠ better notes. If you’re being pushed to inflate documentation beyond ethical standards, that’s a red flag.

5. Supervision is mostly your supervisor talking about themselves.
Supervision is not storytime. If you're not learning, reflecting, and being supported clinically, you're not getting supervision.

6. You are told not to work remotely even when clinically appropriate.
Rigid anti-remote policies are often about control, not care.

7. Clients are reassigned or terminated without your input.
You deserve to ethically terminate or refer your clients - being locked out without warning is unethical and harmful.

8. Former staff are regularly referred to as 'unstable,' 'ungrateful,' or pathologized.
This is a huge red flag. If they do it to others, they'll do it to you.

9. You're not paid for all the hours you work.
This includes documentation, consultation, and admin work. If you're 1099 and expected to do W2-level responsibilities, that's misclassification.

10. You're afraid of your supervisor.
If you're walking on eggshells, you are not in a psychologically safe environment. Period.

Final Thoughts

You deserve a supervision experience that builds you up, not breaks you down. Trust your gut. Seek mentorship, not control. And remember: the people who make you feel small are often terrified of your growth.

You don’t owe your loyalty to anyone who makes you shrink to stay employed. You owe yourself a safe, ethical foundation - and you can have it.