What to look for in a clinical supervisor
Finding clinical supervision that actually serves your practice is harder than it sounds. There are plenty of options out there whether you're based in Sydney or working remotely via telehealth - but not all supervision is created equal, and the difference between a session that stretches you and one that just ticks a box can be significant.
Whether you're a registrar working toward endorsement, an early-career clinician finding your footing in private practice, or an experienced psychologist looking for a space to think more critically about your work, the supervision relationship matters. Here's what to look for when you're weighing up your options.
What a good clinical supervisor actually does
There's a version of supervision that feels like a performance review. You present a case, hope it lands well, and leave wondering if you passed. That kind of supervision has its place - but it's not the kind that tends to produce lasting clinical growth.
What makes supervision genuinely useful is a supervisor who is interested in your thinking process, not just your outcomes. Someone who asks good questions, sits with complexity, and helps you develop your own clinical reasoning rather than just telling you what to do differently.
Before committing to a supervisor, it's worth asking: what does a typical session look like? What do they see their role as? How do they handle disagreement or uncertainty in the room?
Individual vs group supervision - which is right for you
Supervision comes in two main formats - individual and group - and the right choice often depends on what you're looking for at this stage of your practice.
Individual supervision offers focused, one-on-one attention. It's well suited to registrars who need direct oversight of their casework, or clinicians working through something specific that benefits from concentrated support.
Group supervision offers something different. When it's facilitated well, the group itself becomes a clinical resource. You hear how a colleague approaches a challenge and it opens up a way of thinking about your own work that you wouldn't have arrived at alone. The peer learning that happens in a small, well-matched group is often more durable than insights from individual sessions - partly because you've had to articulate your thinking out loud to people who understand the work.
The key word is small. A group that's too large loses the safety and depth that makes peer learning possible. A group of three is enough for genuine diversity of perspective without anyone disappearing into the background.
Finding a clinical supervisor with the right expertise
Clinical supervisors bring different strengths. Some have deep expertise in specific presentations or treatment modalities. Others bring particular experience in systemic issues like burnout, ethical decision-making, and practice management that go beyond individual casework.
Think about what you most need from supervision right now. If you're looking to develop confidence with complex trauma presentations, you want a supervisor with real experience in that space. If you're navigating the transition into private practice, you want someone who understands that context.
It's also worth considering the breadth of a supervisor's experience, not just the depth. A supervisor who has worked across a wide range of settings and presentations brings something different to the room. Rather than specialising narrowly, they've often encountered the full complexity of clinical practice and can engage with whatever you bring without having to set it aside for another time.
Peter Walker has worked across inpatient mental health, community mental health, and private practice, working with adults across a broad range of presentations. That breadth means that whatever you bring to supervision, there is rarely a case or concern that can't be explored in the session.
It's also worth considering the supervisor's standing in the profession. Peer recognition, mentoring experience, and a reputation for producing capable, reflective clinicians are all signals worth paying attention to.
A space that feels safe enough to be honest
This one is harder to assess in advance, but it's arguably the most important. Supervision only works if you feel safe enough to bring the real work - the cases you're uncertain about, the moments where you're not sure you got it right, the questions you haven't been able to answer for yourself.
That kind of honesty requires trust, and trust comes from the way a supervisor holds the room. Are they non-judgemental? Do they respond to uncertainty with curiosity rather than correction? Do the people who've worked with them describe feeling supported as well as challenged?
Consult your peers, asking for a conversation before you commit, and paying attention to how a supervisor talks about their approach are all useful ways to get a sense of this before you begin.
CPD compliance - useful, but not the whole picture
Good supervision will meet your CPD requirements. But if CPD compliance is the primary reason you're looking for supervision, it's worth pausing to consider what you're leaving on the table.
The Psychology Board of Australia requires registered psychologists to engage in peer consultation or supervision as part of their continuing professional development. Group clinical supervision, when properly structured and documented, meets those requirements - but the hours are almost incidental to the value of the experience itself.
Supervision that genuinely develops your practice will also keep you more engaged, more resilient, and more capable of doing good work with your clients. That's worth seeking out.
At Aperture Psychology, our Group Clinical Supervision Program is led by Peter Walker - clinical psychologist, practice director, and 2025 Asia Pacific Stevie Award winner for Most Innovative Mentor of the Year. The program runs in small cohorts of three, via telehealth, with CPD-compliant documentation provided after every session.
Group clinical supervision at Aperture is delivered via telehealth, which means you can access the same quality of peer learning regardless of where you're practising in Australia.
If you're looking for supervision that takes your work seriously, we'd love to hear from you.
To find out more, refer a client or make an appointment, visit our website or contact our team today.
