FLORIDA QUALIFIED SUPERVISION
Becoming Licensed Should be Simple!
Jessica Jefferson, M.A. & M.S.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Certified in Perinatal Mental Health
Florida Qualified Supervisors for MFTs & MHCS
You spent the last few years going through the masters program hopeful for the next step. The next step into your career.
Problem is, you have A LOT to figure out before you can start.
One of the BIGGEST decisions you will have to make as a registered intern is who you want to be your qualified supervisor. You might not think it is a big deal, but a qualified supervisor impacts your next 2 - 5 years in a big way.
Pick the wrong fit of a supervisor and it could be a nightmare. A nightmare that could potentially effect everything that you have worked so hard for.
Pick the right supervisor and you only have to focus on your hours and passing the test. Which is more than enough stress within itself.
My job as a supervisor to help registered interns through the process of licensure so that they can focus on building their careers and become ethically and professionally competent clinicians.
WHY WORK WITH ME?
I remember my time as an intern and it wasn't the greatest part of my career. The reason being the lack of respect that interns get in their journey. It was quite disillusioning, especially considering everyone was once an intern.
I want to make a difference.
I want interns to feel proud of themselves in this process because it takes a lot of work, dedication and passion to be in this field.
My job is to help guide them during their clinical work so that we can best serve those that are seeking help. While also providing education regarding the laws and rules for registered interns. Especially since a lot of the information is misunderstood. That can have a BIG impact if you are given the wrong information by someone who should understand the laws.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SUPERVISOR
Choosing the right supervisor is not an easy task. I want all my interns to feel empowered throughout their time with me because being an intern can impact our confidence. But it doesn't have to. Your journey towards licensure is the time to help you hone in on your clinical skills, provide time for you to think about the type of clients you want to serve and to learn about the laws and rules of the state. Having the right supervisor to help you in that journey can make all the difference.
"Many leaders don’t listen, and it is one of the greatest methods we have of learning. You need to listen to those under your supervision and to those who are above you." ~ John Wooden
MY STORY
My journey to become licensed was anything but simple LOL.
During my time at Nova Southeastern University, I became president of the MFT Club. Through that experience, I was able to network with a lot of professionals in my field (this will become important later).
Through that I learned a lot about the field, what it had to offer and how important connection was.
As I reached by last semester (I was graduating a semester ahead of my cohort), it became clear that the process to become a registered intern wasn't very simple.
In addition, finding the right supervisor became tricky. This was back in 2014 and at the time I was about 6 months pregnant. My goal was to build a private practice so that I could have more time with my newborn while I gained my hours.
Now 2014 there wasn't a lot of registered interns in private practice and there was no deadline to become licensed.
When seeking out a supervisor, it became clear that a registered intern getting into private practice was frowned upon. But I knew what I wanted and what would work for me. Luckily, I was able to find a qualified supervisor who was there to support me in my journey.
I was fortunate, whereas, a lot of my cohort wasn't.
Given my previous role as president of the MFT club, many of my cohort, and the cohort after me, reached out with questions about the process. They told me horror stories of trying to find an ethical position and a good match in a qualified supervisor.
I didn't understand why this process was so confusing, because it shouldn't be.
So I decided to help out as much as I could.
I created a webinar to help registered interns understand the process to become licensed and created a Facebook Group (Florida Chapter 491 Registered Interns Group) to help.
I rallied to speak for registered interns and their value, multiple times because it is important. We work hard for our careers and I feel that it is important to not let that go to waste.
I finally got licensed in 2020 (right after COVID), almost exactly 6 years after becoming a registered intern. But I took my time to raise my family (I now have two kids) and to build my practice the way I wanted.
I decided in 2023 to continue my passion in helping registered interns by becoming a qualified supervisor. I want to pay it forward and continue to help those get their license.
MY MISSION
It has always been my mission to help educate students and registered interns about the process to become licensed.
I want to help build up ethically and clinically competent professionals to help those in need.
In addition, I want to help reduce the amount of confusion that there is regarding the rules for registered interns in order to ensure that no one's hard work is at risk.
In addition, my mission is to be the best qualified supervisor I can be. By adding onto this additional role, I can see what the needs are for students and registered interns to become more well-rounded myself.
MY QUALIFICATIONS
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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Florida and New York
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Florida Qualified Supervisor for MHCs and MFTs
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Certified in Perinatal Mental Health by Postpartum Support International
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Prepare Enrich Facilitator
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Gottman Level I & Level II Trained
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Co - Chair of Private Practice Connect in Broward County
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Creator and Admin for the Florida Chapter 491 Registered Intern Group
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Past Board Secretary for the Broward Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (BAMFT)
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Previous Marketing Extraordinaire for The Private Practice Startup
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Previous President of the MFT Club for Nova Southeastern University Family Therapy Program
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B.A. in Psychology from the University of Miami
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M.A. in Psychology in Education from Teachers-College Columbia University
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M.S. in Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University
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MY METHODS
I want to create well rounded registered interns on their process to become licensed.
Here are a few things to expect during our supervision meetings.
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Case consultations - We will discuss different theories to help gain better understanding on how to help your clients
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Test preparations - I want ALL my interns to schedule and hopefully pass their exams within the first year with me.
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Mock Interviews - I hope to prepare all my interns who are seeking employment to know what to look for in a job and how to best sell themselves.
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Legal and Ethical Rules - It is important to understand the legal and ethical obligations for clinicians. I want to ensure that all my interns are aware of those expectations.
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AND SO MUCH MORE.