Clinical Supervision
for licensed associates in WA State
The Next Leg of Your Journey Begins
Nobody warns you how different it feels when it’s your name on the intake form.
You’ve done the coursework. You’ve sat with simulated clients, written the case studies, passed the exams. And then you walk into your first real session — with a real person in real pain — and suddenly all of that preparation feels like it happened to someone else.
That gap between knowing and doing is where good supervision lives. Not the kind that checks boxes on your hours log. The kind that actually helps you figure out who you are as a clinician — how you work, what you value, where your edges are, and how to keep growing past them.
At Bellevue Family Counseling, we offer clinical supervision for LMHCA associates in Washington State who are working toward full licensure. Our supervisors bring a range of specializations, styles, and life experience to the supervisory relationship. What we share is a belief that supervision done well is one of the most meaningful investments you can make in your clinical career.
Who Supervises Here
Our four supervisors are all Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) and Washington State DOH-approved supervisors. Each brings a distinct clinical background and supervision style.
Whitnee Chavez, MA LMHC, C-DBT, ADHD-CCSP, ASDCS, SSP — PhD Student
Whitnee offers a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to supervision that reflects their own clinical training in EMDR, Polyvagal theory, DBT, and neurodiversity-affirming practice. Associates working with complex presentations — anxiety, trauma, ADHD, or autism — will find in Whitnee a supervisor who balances compassion with clinical rigor. Currently pursuing a PhD, Whitnee brings a scholarly commitment to the field that enriches the supervisory relationship and keeps the work grounded in current research. Email Whitnee.
Marlon Familton, MA LMHC — Co-Director, Bellevue Family Counseling
Marlon brings an action-oriented, mentorship-focused approach to supervision, drawing on 18 years of clinical experience and a deep belief in the power of the supervisory relationship to shape a therapist’s professional identity. He is particularly well-suited to supervising associates working with couples, relationship dynamics, and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). As co-director of BFC, Marlon has spent years thinking carefully about what it means to build a clinical practice — and he brings that perspective into the room with supervisees. Email Marlon.
Leah Koenig, MA LMHC — Co-Director, Bellevue Family Counseling
With 30+ years of clinical experience, Leah offers a warm, developmentally informed supervision style rooted in neuroscience, child development research, and relational theory. She is especially experienced supporting associates who work with teens, parents, and families navigating complex transitions. Leah’s approach to supervision is the same as her approach to therapy: lead with curiosity, stay close to the data, and trust the relationship. Email Leah.
Pamela Raphael, MA LMHC
Pam brings seventeen years of clinical experience — including more than a decade inside the corporate world — to a grounded, practical supervision style. She is particularly well-positioned to support associates working with adults recovering from relational trauma, narcissistic abuse, and workplace dynamics. Pam knows what it’s like to navigate high-stakes, emotionally complex environments, and she brings that hard-won understanding to both her clinical work and her supervision. Email Pamela.
What We Supervise Toward
All four supervisors hold LMHC licenses and are Washington State DOH-approved supervisors. Before assuming we’re not the right fit, it’s worth understanding how Washington State supervision rules actually work across license types.
If you’re an LMHCA
- This is our primary supervision pathway. Our supervisors can provide all of your required supervision hours. Washington State requires:
- 3,000 hours of supervised experience (or 36 months full-time)
- 1,200 of those hours must be direct client contact
- 100 hours of supervision from a Washington State DOH-approved supervisor
- We can provide those hours for both associates working within BFC and associates seeking external supervision from outside the practice.
If you’re an LMFTA
Washington State requires 200 total supervision hours on the path to full LMFT licensure. Per WAC 246-809, at least 100 of those hours must come from a licensed marriage and family therapist with at least five years of clinical experience. However, the remaining 100 hours may be provided by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner — which includes LMHCs. Our supervisors can cover up to 100 of your required hours. Many LMFTA associates work with multiple supervisors to meet the full requirement, and we’re happy to be part of that picture.
If you’re an LICSWA
Washington State requires that 70 of your required supervision hours come from a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW). The remaining 60 hours may be provided by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner such as an LMHC. Our supervisors can cover up to 60 of your required hours.
Note: Always verify current requirements directly with the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov, as WAC rules may be updated.
What Supervision Looks Like Here
Each supervisor manages their own schedule and availability, but here’s what you can generally expect:
- Individual supervision sessions (one-on-one)
- Group supervision opportunities depending on supervisor availability
- In-office sessions in Bellevue, WA and telehealth options available
- Session documentation support and review
- Modality-specific supervision — our supervisors have training in EFT, EMDR, Lifespan Integration, DBT, Polyvagal theory, and trauma-informed approaches
- Supervision that goes beyond case consultation to include your professional identity, ethics, self-of-therapist work, and long-term development
Supervision fees vary by supervisor and are generally aligned with each supervisor’s current therapy rate. You’ll discuss specifics directly with the supervisor you connect with.
Why the Quality of Your Supervision Matters
There’s a version of supervision that exists to satisfy a licensing requirement. You show up, the hour passes, the supervisor signs the form. You’re grateful, you move on.
And then there’s the kind of supervision that changes how you work. The kind where someone asks the question you weren’t brave enough to ask yourself. Where you realize you’ve been avoiding a particular type of client because of something unexamined in your own history. Where you get clearer on why you do this work and what kind of therapist you actually want to become.
That’s the kind of supervision we’re interested in. The licensure hours are a byproduct. The goal is your development as a clinician. We’re a practice that takes clinical quality seriously — in our therapy, in our culture, and in how we train and support the therapists who work here. Supervision is part of that.
Get Started
If you’re an LMHCA associate looking for supervision in Washington State — whether you’re just starting out or well into your hours — we’d love to connect. Reach out to learn more about current availability and which supervisor might be the best fit.
Email the supervisor that you would like to work with to see if they have availabilty.
Or fill out our contact form and mention that you’re inquiring about clinical supervision.
FAQs
How many supervision hours do I need?
It depends on which license you’re working toward:
LMHCA (working toward LMHC): Washington State requires 100 hours of supervision as part of your 3,000-hour experience requirement. All of those supervision hours can be provided by our supervisors. Your supervisor will help you track and document hours accurately.
LMFTA (working toward LMFT): Washington State requires 200 total supervision hours. At least 100 must come from a licensed marriage and family therapist with five or more years of clinical experience. The remaining 100 hours may be provided by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner — which includes LMHCs. Our supervisors can cover up to 100 of your required hours.
LICSWA (working toward LICSW): Washington State requires that 70 of your supervision hours come from a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW). The remaining 60 hours may be provided by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner such as an LMHC. Our supervisors can cover up to 60 of your required hours.
Always verify current requirements directly with the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov, as rules may be updated.
Can supervision be done via telehealth?
Yes. All of our supervisors are able to provide supervision via telehealth, making this accessible to associates working across Washington State
What license types can I work toward with your supervisors?
Our supervisors hold LMHC licenses, which means they can supervise LMHCA associates for all of their required hours. They can also provide a portion of supervision hours for LMFTA and LICSWA associates — up to 100 hours for LMFTA associates and up to 60 hours for LICSWA associates — per Washington State DOH rules (WAC 246-809). Associates working toward LMFTA or LICSW licensure would still need to work with an LMFT or LICSW supervisor for the remaining required hours.
What’s the difference between individual and group supervision?
Individual supervision is one-on-one time with your supervisor, focused on your specific cases and development. Group supervision typically involves two to four supervisees meeting together with one supervisor — it’s often a rich learning environment because you learn from hearing about others’ cases, not just your own. Availability varies by supervisor.
Do I need to be employed at BFC to receive supervision here?
No. We welcome external supervision clients — associates who are building their caseload elsewhere and seeking supervision from one of our supervisors. If you’re also interested in joining the BFC team as an associate, we’re always open to that conversation.
How do I choose which supervisor is the right fit?
Good question, and we think that match matters. Read through the supervisor profiles above and get a feel for who aligns with your clinical interests and the population you serve. When you reach out, we’ll connect you with the supervisor whose availability and specialty makes the most sense.
Bellevue Family Counseling offers clinical supervision for LMHCA associates at our office in Bellevue, WA (98004) and via telehealth across Washington State. To inquire about supervision availability, call (425) 947-5030.”
