Our Therapy

 We  also offer LCSW Supervision

ARE YOU A LMSW LOOKING FOR LCSW CLINICAL SUPERVISION IN TEXAS or New YORK ONLINE ANYWHERE WITHIN THE STATE? 

Doretha Pengel, LCSW-S, offers online clinical supervision to Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSWs) in Texas and New York, empowering them to achieve their goal of becoming Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs).

With more than 22 years of experience, Doretha has worked extensively with individuals, couples, children, and the geriatric population in a variety of settings. Her versatile professional background includes: Inpatient hospital roles, including medical units, emergency rooms, psychiatric units, and significant experience with child protective services. She also founded and manages a successful group private practice.

Doretha is also a seasoned mentor and educator. For over 15 years, she has served as a SIFI (Seminar in Field Instruction) instructor, training and supporting new social workers. Additionally, she has been a preceptor for onboarding social workers in hospital settings.

  Important Things to know about LCSW Clinical Supervision in Texas

The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council sets the requirements for LCSW clinical supervision in Texas. You need to complete 100 total hours of supervision with your approved supervisor in no less than 24 months and no longer than 48 months. You will need 3000 hours of total work before you can take your exam. What does 3000 hours look like? Working full time about 30 hours a week for 24 months or part time about 15 hours a week for 48 months. As of February 9, 2021, we no longer submit paperwork to the board when you begin supervision.

  Important Things to know about LCSW Clinical Supervision in New York

NY State Education Department Office of Professions sets the requirement for LCSW clinical supervision in New York.  You need to complete 2,000 hours of supervised experience and 100 hours of direct supervision. To pass the Clinical Level ASWB exam. 

New York State requires at least 36 months (three years) of supervised experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment planning to be license-eligible. During this time, applicants must engage in at least 2,000 hours of direct client contact.

What does 2000 hours look like? Working at least 14 hours a week for 36 months, or at least 20 hours a week for 24 months. 

 Document Your Experiences 

Before you begin, in NYS you must submit Form 6 to have your supervisor and have your setting reviewed before beginning your supervised experience.

You are responsible for completing Form 4 with the details of each of your experiences. Your experience supervisor is responsible for maintaining records of your supervised experience as well as submitting verification of your experience on Form 4B. After you complete Section I, send the form to your supervisor. They must complete Section II and return all documentation directly to the Office of the Professions.

Where do you start?

Once you decide to pursue LCSW supervision, you will need to complete a social work supervision agreement and the clinical supervision plan.  Our agreement is for 6 months at a time; this allows you the freedom to continue with me as your supervisor or move on depending on your circumstances or preference, that way you aren’t locked in for 2-3 years. Every 6 months I will provide you with your signed supervision log.

In Texas as of February 9, 2021, the LMSW will submit paperwork to the board regarding their supervision.

Cost for Group and Individual Supervision

Group sessions are $75 per hour which is $300 per month for the 4 hours bi- monthly.

Individual sessions are $95 per hour. (I require that you complete 1 hour of individual supervision every 6 months).

If you haven't already, please email me to let me know you're interested in supervision!

What to expect

When an LMSW is under supervision, they typically meet with their supervisor for 4 hours per month. In my program, all sessions are online using Zoom. You can live anywhere in Texas or New York and participate in supervision; the sessions are  two-hour group sessions that meet twice per month. You must meet with your supervisor for 100 total hours in no less than 24 months. There’s no longer a maximum time limit for completing supervision. To be in supervision, you must be employed and work at least 30 hours per week to be eligible to complete the supervision process in, or close to, 24 months.

If you work part-time, you need to be working at least 15 hours per week to complete supervision within 48 months. Part-time employees will need one hour of supervision per 40 work hours (usually 2-3 supervision hours per month). 3000 total work hours are required before you can apply to sit for the licensing exam.

  How do I know if my job qualifies as a clinical social work position?

This is a common question. The board has determined that if you assess, diagnose and treat mental health or substance abuse issues using DSM-V criteria for at least four hours per week, you are eligible for LCSW supervision. Don’t get too concerned about making a formal diagnosis. In many settings, it is the physicians, psychiatrists, or independently licensed mental health professionals who diagnose clients or patients. If you’re using a diagnostic skill set and/or screening tools when working with clients or patients, you are fulfilling this requirement.

I have supervised social workers employed in an array of settings including medical hospital units, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, hospice, Child Protection Service (CPS), Veteran Administration (VA), non-profits, insurance companies, private practices detention facilities, and an array of other settings. Typically, as long as you have personal client or patient interactions and utilize clinical skills, you meet the criteria for LCSW supervision.

What is a typical group like?

Group members typically present cases or discuss various subjects related to the profession. We’ll also work on understanding the DSM-V, different therapeutic modalities, medications, and how to “think” for the LCSW exam. My goals is for you as a supervisee to grow as a clinician and excel on exam day.

Documentation

I suggest creating a virtual folder or a physical binder for your supervision documents in case you are audited by the board. An audit is not common, but nevertheless we want you to stay within compliance at all times. 

There is some paperwork you'll need to complete and email back to me. I will email a PDF containing everything you need including state forms and my supervision agreement.   

Ready to take the Next Step ?If you’re ready to take the next step toward becoming an LCSW, Doretha’s extensive knowledge and personalized guidance can help you succeed. Contact her today to learn more about her clinical supervision services!  Please head to the contact us page to request a consultation.

Free 15- minute phone consultation with a therapist before you make an appointment.

What to expect:

• Briefly share what you are looking for in counseling and discuss your needs, expectations and goals.
• Discuss scheduling and availability
• Discuss rates and insurance
• Determine if you would like to schedule your initial online session!

 Mindfulness can be beneficial for people who struggle with various disorders including depression, bipolar, trauma and addiction to name a few. 

We customize each treatment plan to your specific needs and assist you and developing present awareness.  Along with the guidance of your therapist you will learn mindfulness techniques, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.

  We know life is difficult but  you are not stuck or helpless in your struggle with your emotions. If you really do the work to implement the necessary skills you can expect that your reaction to overwhelming emotions and feelings will change. No matter the circumstances.

• How does tele-health services work?  Tele-health counseling is provided via telephone, video conferencing or online chat.   It is convenient and sessions range between 30-60 minutes, although counseling is conducted through technology rather than in person, sessions will hold much of the same structure.
• How much does therapy cost? We can discuss fees during your free phone consultation. We accept all forms of payment including cash, HSA and credit cards.
• Do you accept my insurance? We are in network  providers with the following commercial  insurances Anthem BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, United Health Care, Tricare East, Tricare West, and governmental insurance Medicare.  If we are not in network with your insurance and you have out of network benefits, we will submit all claims or provide a superbill
• \. Please call your insurance carrier to inquire more about your specific plan.
• What is a deductible ?  A deductible is the amount of money that your insurance expects you to pay out of pocket for medical treatment BEFORE they are required to make payments according to your contracted plan. The amount of your deductible can range substantially  regardless if you are in network or out of network.
•  We will verify all deductions prior to  each session.
• What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment? In the event of a cancellation or reschedule, we request a minimum of 48 hours notice. Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours will be charged a cancellation fee at the price of the therapy session, We understand that on rare occasions emergencies do occur. In these circumstances we will do our best to reschedule the appointment for an alternative time that week. 
• Are our sessions confidential and private? All communication between clients and our therapists are kept strictly confidential. Your confidentiality is protected by law. We can only release information with your written permission. 

                There are some exceptions:

• Suspected child abuse, dependent adult or elder abuse, for which we are required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
• If a client intends to harm himself or herself, we will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in ensuring safety.
• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s we must notify the police and inform the intended victim.