Clinical Supervision · Professional Disclosure
Supervision Handbook &
Professional Disclosure Agreement
For Associates in clinical supervision with Ardent Grace Counseling — developing effective clinicians by fostering insight, cultivating sound clinical judgment, and promoting ethical practice.
Section 1
Supervisor Credentials and Qualifications
Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
- M.A., Professional Counseling — Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO (2007)
- B.A., Behavioral Science — Concordia University, Austin, TX (2000)
- Licensed Professional Counselor — Texas, License #67790, issued 2011, Texas State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors
- Licensed Professional Counselor — Alaska, License #193673, issued 2022, Alaska State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors
- LPC-Supervisor (LPC-S) (August 2026)
- Specialized training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for PTSD in children/adolescents (2007–2009)
- Certified Animal-Assisted Therapist
- ADHD Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP) Certification (2026)
- Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) (2026)
- Founder, Ardent Grace Counseling and Teletherapy (Tomball, TX), February 2012–present
Section 2
Welcome
Welcome to clinical supervision at Ardent Grace Counseling.
This program is designed for clinicians who are currently in — or want to move into — self-employed private practice, rather than working within an agency's built-in supervision structure. Supervision here is a consultative relationship: I have no access to, and no involvement in, your billing, insurance, or income. How you get paid — private pay, your own insurance credentialing, or employment elsewhere — is entirely up to you.
My role is to support your clinical development, with hands-on help along the way — including how to market yourself, set up your own website and promotional materials, and build out your own documentation, like releases and informed consent forms. You build and run your own practice; I'm here to help you do that well, not to run it with you. The one constant, however you practice, is documentation: I need reliable visibility into your clinical notes to supervise effectively. Ardent Grace offers Upheal EHR, included as part of your supervision fee, as the default way to do that — if you use a different EHR, including one required by an employer, you're responsible for making sure I have access to review your notes.
I'm glad to be part of your professional journey. Supervision is more than a licensure requirement — it's a chance to intentionally build the knowledge, judgment, and confidence that will shape you as a clinician. My goal isn't just to help you complete your hours; it's to help you become a clinician who thinks critically, practices ethically, and responds thoughtfully to each client's unique needs. Techniques matter, but lasting competence comes from insight, sound judgment, and ethical practice working together.
I want supervision to be a space where questions are welcomed, uncertainty is normal, and mistakes are opportunities to grow rather than something to hide. My role isn't to have every answer — it's to help you ask better questions, recognize meaningful patterns, and strengthen your own clinical reasoning. Effective intervention starts with effective understanding: knowing who the client is, what shaped them, and what they bring to the room, before deciding what to do.
Clients don't fit neatly into textbooks. Supervision is where we work through that complexity together — respectfully, collaboratively, and with room for honesty about successes, uncertainties, and mistakes alike. As you grow, my hope is that you become increasingly independent in your clinical thinking, confident in evaluating situations, knowing when to consult, and making sound ethical decisions on your own.
Thank you for letting me be part of your development. I look forward to partnering with you as you build not just clinical skill, but the insight, judgment, and professional identity that will carry you through your career.
Section 3
Philosophy of Supervision
My philosophy of supervision is grounded in the belief that effective clinicians are built through insight, sound clinical judgment, and ethical practice. Clinical knowledge and technique matter, but they're most effective when guided by a thoughtful understanding of the person in front of us. Supervision isn't just about which intervention to use next — it's about learning how to think.
The most meaningful growth happens when therapists move beyond isolated symptoms and start recognizing the broader patterns — biological, psychological, developmental, relational, cultural, environmental — that shape a client's experience. That takes slowing down before reaching conclusions. It's tempting, especially early in a career, to rush toward solutions; I encourage Associates to prioritize observation, assessment, and curiosity before deciding on direction.
Insight means recognizing meaningful patterns while staying open to new information — seeing beyond presenting symptoms to the fuller context of a client's life. Clinical judgment grows from that same process: integrating multiple sources of information, weighing risks and alternatives, recognizing personal bias, and making sound decisions even without a clear answer. I want Associates to become comfortable asking questions they can't immediately answer — uncertainty is an invitation to keep learning, not a weakness.
Supervision includes evaluation, but it should also be psychologically safe. Associates should never feel they have to appear perfect. Mistakes are addressed directly, because client welfare comes first, but how someone responds to feedback and integrates new learning matters more than the mistake itself.
Section 4
Professional Identity Development
Supervision helps integrate theory, experience, ethics, and personal strengths into a professional identity. Associates are encouraged to develop their own style — not mirror the Supervisor's — grounded in evidence-based practice, values, and self-reflection.
Section 5
Purpose of Supervision
The primary purpose of clinical supervision is to protect client welfare while supporting the Associate's professional development. Supervision provides a structured relationship in which clinical knowledge, judgment, ethical decision-making, and therapeutic skill are strengthened through ongoing consultation, feedback, and reflection.
Supervision helps Associates integrate academic learning with real-world clinical experience, supporting the transition from student to independent clinician. As experience grows, Associates rely less on memorized interventions and more on sound case conceptualization and individualized treatment planning.
A central goal is fostering independent clinical thinking. Rather than providing answers to every question, supervision encourages Associates to weigh multiple perspectives, evaluate information, and reason through ethical implications on their own. The objective isn't dependence on supervision — it's competent professionals who think critically, recognize the limits of their competence, and know when to seek consultation.
Supervision also serves an evaluative function, with ongoing feedback on clinical competence, documentation, professionalism, ethics, and regulatory compliance — aimed at identifying strengths and addressing growth areas while maintaining client safety.
Finally, supervision supports the development of professional identity — helping Associates discover their own therapeutic style and theoretical orientation, consistent with both professional standards and personal values. My hope is that supervision prepares Associates not only for licensure, but for a lifetime of thoughtful, ethical, effective practice.
Supervision is not psychotherapy! Associates are highly encouraged to seek out a therapist with whom they can build an effective, trusting relationship. The Supervisor may recommend goals that would be beneficial to address in psychotherapy outside of supervision. Though your Supervisor is a therapist, it is important to keep in mind that your LPC Supervisor is not your therapist. These two roles must be maintained with appropriate boundaries in place for the benefit of both Associates and their clients. Rest assured, however, that your therapy records continue to remain protected health information, and your Supervisor will never attempt to consult with your therapist or access your written/digital records without your express written permission unless required by law to do so.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 6
Texas LPC Associate Supervision Overview
Associates are responsible for complying with all BHEC and TSBEPC requirements, including:
- Supervision hours and documentation — see the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council's LPC Associate page
- Scope of practice
- Ethical and legal standards
- Continuing compliance with Board rules
- Professional licensure requirements
Because Board requirements may change, Associates are responsible for staying current with regulations throughout supervision.
Self-Employment & Taxes
Ardent Grace's relationship with an Associate is supervision only — not employment, and not a business partnership. Associates are self-employed: they bring their own clients, set up their own office or telehealth setup, and are personally responsible for their own quarterly estimated tax filings. Ardent Grace can point you toward options, but does not handle or cover tax preparation costs, billing, credentialing, or any other part of running your practice.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 7
Supervision Process
Clinical supervision is an active, collaborative process that supports professional growth while ensuring competent, ethical client care. It provides structured opportunity to reflect on clinical work, strengthen case conceptualization, and develop sound clinical judgment through ongoing discussion and feedback.
Each session is tailored to the Associate's developmental level, learning needs, and current caseload. As competence grows, supervision gradually shifts from direct guidance toward greater independence in clinical decision-making.
Sessions may include discussion of:
- Case conceptualization and treatment planning
- Diagnostic formulation and differential diagnosis
- Therapeutic interventions and treatment effectiveness
- Ethical and legal considerations
- Risk assessment and client safety
- Documentation and record keeping
- Cultural, developmental, and systemic influences
- Countertransference, self-awareness, and professional boundaries
- Professional identity and career development
- Self-care and burnout prevention
Associates are expected to come prepared to actively participate — identifying cases needing consultation, bringing questions, discussing challenges openly, and staying receptive to feedback.
Rather than focusing only on the “correct” intervention, supervision emphasizes the clinical reasoning behind treatment decisions — considering multiple perspectives, recognizing patterns, and justifying recommendations. Knowing why an intervention fits is as important as knowing what to use.
Feedback is ongoing, specific, and constructive: strengths are reinforced, growth areas are addressed collaboratively, and differing perspectives are welcomed as part of deepening clinical judgment.
As supervision progresses, Associates are expected to show increasing independence in case conceptualization, ethical decision-making, and treatment planning — consulting intentionally rather than relying on the Supervisor for routine decisions. The goal is clinicians capable of practicing independently while knowing when consultation is still appropriate.
Success is measured not by completed hours, but by real professional growth. My hope is that Associates leave with greater confidence, stronger clinical insight, sound ethical judgment, and the ability to navigate the complexity of practice while consistently prioritizing client welfare.
Section 8
Emergency Consultation Guidelines
The Associate should contact the Supervisor as soon as reasonably possible for situations involving increased risk of harm to the client or Associate, or uncertainty, including:
- Suicidal or homicidal risk
- Abuse, neglect, or mandatory reporting concerns
- Psychiatric hospitalization or emergency intervention
- Court orders, subpoenas, or legal inquiries
- Ethical concerns or boundary issues
- Situations exceeding the Associate's current competence
If immediate consultation isn't available and client safety is at risk, the Associate should act to protect the client or use emergency resources such as 911, or direct the client to use 911 or 988, follow agency policy, and notify the Supervisor as soon as possible.
Reaching Your Supervisor in an Emergency
Call the Supervisor directly at 254-747-1297. If unreachable, also send a text to this same number.
Do not leave a message with the AI receptionist or send a text to the office number — these are not monitored for emergencies.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 9
Feedback and Professional Development
Feedback is meant to promote growth, not criticism — specific, respectful, timely, and balanced. Associates are encouraged to pursue continuing education and ongoing self-reflection throughout their careers.
Section 10
Evaluation
Evaluation is ongoing, formal and informal, covering:
- Clinical competence
- Case conceptualization
- Diagnostic reasoning
- Treatment planning
- Therapeutic interventions
- Documentation
- Ethical decision-making
- Professionalism
- Receptiveness to feedback
- Clinical judgment
- Professional growth
It identifies strengths and growth areas alike; concerns are discussed openly and addressed collaboratively.
Evaluation includes both formative feedback (ongoing, informal, focused on process and progress) and summative assessment (periodic, formal reviews of overall competence) — generally at 3 months for a new Associate and every 6 months thereafter.
Section 11
Documentation
Documentation must be timely, accurate, and compliant with applicable laws, ethics, and agency policy. Associates are personally responsible for their own documentation, which may be reviewed in supervision.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 12
Responsible Use of AI and Ambient Documentation
AI may support drafting, but is a tool, not a substitute for clinical judgment. It can make mistakes! Make it a habit to check all notes and make any necessary modifications to preserve fidelity to the session, before signing off and locking the note. PHI may only go into approved, HIPAA-compliant platforms.
AI and Documentation
Ambient documentation is an AI-assisted process in which the platform securely captures the clinical conversation, with appropriate client consent, and generates a draft progress note by identifying clinically relevant information discussed during the session. Upheal incorporates this technology to streamline documentation and reduce administrative burden, allowing therapists to remain more present during sessions.
Upheal EHR is offered to all privately practicing Associates under Ardent Grace supervision as the default documentation platform, included as part of what Associates pay Ardent Grace for supervision — there is no separate subscription cost. This isn't a business requirement; it's a supervision one: your Supervisor needs a reliable way to review your documentation as part of clinical oversight, and Upheal is how that happens by default. If you use a different EHR — including one required by an employer — you remain responsible for ensuring your Supervisor can access your notes for review. Use of Upheal's AI-assisted ambient documentation and draft note generation is optional, not mandatory. If a client declines consent for ambient documentation, the Associate will document the session using traditional manual note entry directly into the Upheal EHR.
The use of any AI platform, application, or service that is not HIPAA-compliant and protected by an appropriate Business Associate Agreement (BAA), where applicable, is strictly prohibited for any purpose involving protected health information (PHI). This includes, but is not limited to, entering, uploading, summarizing, analyzing, or otherwise processing client information through non-HIPAA-secure AI systems.
LPC Supervisor sign-offs are not mandatory, but may become necessary in the event that a need for remediation becomes evident.
Be sure to include in your informed consent that notes will be periodically reviewed for training purposes by your LPC Supervisor.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 13
Ethics and Professional Conduct
Associates must practice per current BHEC rules, TSBEPC regulations, and the ACA Code of Ethics — maintaining boundaries, recognizing the limits of their competence, seeking consultation, protecting confidentiality, and practicing with cultural humility.
Gatekeeping is a core supervisory responsibility: assessing whether an Associate is meeting the standards required for competent, ethical practice.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 14
Remediation
Concerns are addressed first through discussion, education, and added supervision. If they persist, a written performance improvement plan outlines goals, activities, timelines, and evaluation. Serious violations or safety concerns may require modifying or ending supervision. A performance improvement plan template is included below.
Section 15
General Policies
This handbook establishes expectations for the supervisory relationship. It does not replace applicable federal or state laws, BHEC rules, TSBEPC regulations, the ACA Code of Ethics, or other governing standards — in any conflict, those take precedence.
This handbook may be revised periodically; Associates will be notified of significant changes, and the most current version governs the relationship.
Participation in supervision does not guarantee completion of licensure requirements, recommendation for independent licensure, employment, or continuation of the supervisory relationship. Associates remain responsible for practicing within their competence and meeting all applicable BHEC/TSBEPC requirements.
Questions about this handbook are encouraged and should be raised in supervision.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 16
Acknowledgment and Agreement
I acknowledge that I have received and reviewed the Ardent Grace Counseling Supervision Handbook and Professional Disclosure Agreement for Associates, understand its expectations and policies, and have had the opportunity to ask questions.
I understand supervision is both educational and evaluative, designed to promote competent, ethical, effective practice while protecting client welfare, and I agree to participate in accordance with applicable laws, Board rules, ethical standards, and this handbook.
Supervisor: Christi Kersten, MA, LPC-S
Section 17
Forms
Section 18
Prospective Associate Interview Questions
For prospective Associates to complete in person or online during the interview process.
Section 19
Printable Paper Copy
Download or print a paper copy of this entire handbook, disclosure agreement, and all forms to complete by hand.
Section 20
Practice Information
Ardent Grace Counseling
25420 Kuykendahl Road, Suite B100, Office 114
Tomball, Texas 77375
Phone: 713-886-6309
Email: therapist@ckerstenlpc.com
Website: ardentgracetx.com