Why Who Supervises You Matters More Than You Think: The Case for AAMFT Approved Supervision
If you are a marriage and family therapy student or associate therapist working toward full licensure, you already know that supervision hours are a requirement. What you may not have considered as carefully is who provides those hours — and why it matters far beyond checking a box.
What is AAMFT Approved Supervision?
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) designates a specific credential for clinical supervisors: the Approved Supervisor. This is not an automatic designation that comes with a license or a certain number of years in practice. It requires advanced training in supervision theory and practice, a supervised supervision experience, and a demonstrated commitment to the ethical and relational dimensions of the supervisory relationship.
In Washington State, AAMFT Approved Supervision is also recognized by the licensing board as meeting the requirements for supervised hours toward licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Choosing an AAMFT Approved Supervisor protects your hours and your path to licensure.
But Licensure Isn't the Only Reason It Matters
The truth is, the supervisor you choose during your formative years as a clinician will shape not just your clinical skills — but your professional identity, your relationship to this work, and the kind of therapist you become.
Good supervision is not just case consultation. It is a relational, developmental process that asks you to bring your whole self into the room — your clinical instincts, your blind spots, your family of origin, your cultural location, and the ways your own history shows up in the therapy room. This is what we call self-of-the-therapist work, and it is where the most important clinical growth happens.
A supervisor who holds that process well — with depth, attunement, and genuine investment in your development — gives you something that no training manual or CE course can replicate.
What to Look for in an MFT Supervisor
Not all supervision is created equal. As you search for an AAMFT Approved Supervisor in Washington State or online, here are some things worth considering:
Theoretical depth — does your supervisor have a clear, coherent clinical framework, or are they offering generic advice? The best supervisors help you develop your own theoretical identity, not just copy theirs.
Socio-cultural attunement — are issues of identity, power, privilege, and systemic context part of the conversation? In today's clinical landscape, supervision that ignores these dimensions is incomplete.
Self-of-the-therapist focus — the best supervisors know that who you are as a person is inseparable from who you are as a clinician. Look for someone willing to go there with you.
A relational supervisory experience — supervision should model the kind of relational safety and depth you are trying to create with your own clients. If your supervision feels disconnected or purely administrative, something important is missing.
Experience with your population — if you want to specialize in couples, perinatal work, LGBTIQ+ affirming therapy, emotionally focused coupels therapy, or experiential therapy, find a supervisor who has deep expertise in those areas.
A Note on Online and Virtual Supervision
AAMFT Approved Supervision can be provided virtually, which means you are not limited to supervisors in your immediate area. This opens up the possibility of finding a supervisor who is the right clinical and relational fit — not just the most geographically convenient option. Whether you are in Washington State or elsewhere in the country, virtual supervision allows you to access specialized expertise and a supervisory relationship that genuinely matches where you want to grow.
Ready to Talk About Supervision?
I am an AAMFT Approved Supervisor with over twenty years of clinical experience, a doctoral background in Marriage and Family Therapy, and a deep commitment to socio-culturally attuned, self-of-the-therapist focused supervision. I work with MFT associates who are serious about becoming the kind of clinicians who make a real difference — in their clients' lives and in the field.
I offer individual and group supervision, available virtually throughout Washington State, North Carolina, and Colorado.
If you are looking for an AAMFT Approved Supervisor who will meet you with depth, challenge you with care, and help you grow into the clinician you are meant to be — I would love to connect. Reach out for a free consultation.
Laura Gambrel, Ph.D., LMFT (NC), LMHC (WA), LPC (CO) is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and supervision mentor who has shared her passion of therapist development with supervisees for the past 15 years.
