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For Therapists

Guidance at All Stages

  • For newer clinicians, getting you started on your journey with a path and a plan that fits your goals and your life comes with such promise and excitement.

  • For experienced clinicians, grounded and trustworthy consultation is not easy to find. Too often, we just hear back things we already know or simply do not get our questions answered.

  • For clinical supervisors - whether you are one now or are working to be one - there is such little valuable guidance on how to actually be a clinical supervisor. Let alone to be a good one: the kind of clinical supervisor you want to be.

Regardless of whether you’ve been in this work for 20 minutes or 20 years, I might just have something for you. My career has taken me across many aspects of our mental health system, giving me a unique perspective on what this work looks like today.

Clinical Supervision

Seeking more than just supervision as usual?

Starting your journey as a clinician is exciting, but let's be honest, it can also feel overwhelming. You're passionate about helping others, but navigating the transition from graduate school to the real world of mental health practice can be tough. There's often a huge gap between what you learned in your program and the actual challenges you face day-to-day.

I get it. I've been there. That's why I created a unique mentorship program at Gradient Psychology, designed to provide the support and guidance you need to truly thrive in your career. It goes beyond traditional clinical supervision, offering a combination of expert clinical guidance and practical strategies for career growth, skill development, and even personal well-being.

How I Can Help

Bridge the Gap

Gain practical skills and knowledge that often get missed in graduate programs, helping you confidently navigate the realities of clinical practice.

Develop Your Clinical Skills

Receive expert feedback and guidance on your clinical work, enhancing your therapeutic effectiveness and building your confidence.

Chart Your Career Path

Explore different career options, identify your strengths and passions, and create a plan for professional growth that aligns with your goals.

Prioritize Your Well-being

Learn strategies for managing stress, avoiding burnout, and cultivating a sustainable career in the demanding field of mental health.

What Past Supervisees Say

  • "What I appreciate about Carolynn is how organized and attentive she is to both the big picture and small picture. There's an overall importance placed on mentorship and development of the trainee/associate that always factors into supervision with her, even in the smallest/most minute cases or consultations. I always felt very held and safe working with Carolynn. I felt safe to take risks and try new things, and also safe to be vulnerable and answer honestly when I didn't know an answer or needed help/guidance."

    Eleanor Beckman, AMFT, APCC

  • "As a brand new trainee, Carolynn's supervision style offered me the secure base I needed, providing the guidance, structure, and responsive feedback that allowed me to explore and grow in my new role as a therapist."

    Erin Reeves, AMFT

  • "Working with Carolynn was an incredibly valuable experience. She provided a structured and supportive environment, always giving her full attention and thoughtful feedback. Her guidance helped me grow in confidence, gradually allowing me more independence while still offering support. I especially appreciated her empathy, willingness to dive deeper into discussions, and her ability to build a strong, professional relationship that I could genuinely connect with while maintaining clear boundaries. Her reflections, real-world examples, and insights on therapeutic techniques, made a lasting impact on my growth."

    Alejandra Arias, LMFT

  • "I was supervised by Carolynn during a crossroads in my career; she really helped me understand what my strengths are, and created a safe environment that enabled me to grow as a mental health clinician and a professional. The expertise and knowledge she passed on to me has stuck with me to this day, and I could not be more grateful for my time with her!"

    Sarah Raphael, LMFT

  • "I had the privilege of being supervised by Carolynn Gray ...her guidance was invaluable for my professional development. She shared extensive clinical experience and practical tools for client interactions. Carolynn also demonstrated exceptional leadership with her accountability and attention to detail, setting a strong example for us all. Her talent for improving systems and streamlining processes enhanced our work environment. I am grateful for her mentorship."

    Maria Madlansacay, Psy.D. Candidate

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Are we a fit?

We might be if you:

  • Want to strengthen your clinical foundations

  • Respond well to structured environments

  • Want to enhance your skills as a generalist

  • Appreciate regular honest developmental feedback

  • Incorporate cultural humility and social justice lenses in your work

  • Enjoy tailored, attentive cultivation of your work

  • Want to hear about your strengths along with your growth areas

  • Work well with direct communication

  • Are passionate about serving your clients well and growing as a clinician

What we don’t do:

  • One-size-fits-all clinical recommendations

  • Focus exclusively on surface-level symptom management

  • Pathologize culturally-congruent beliefs and practices

  • Ignore effects of systems on people

  • Make assumptions about your skills or clinical development goals

  • Override the autonomy or dignity of clients

Experienced Clinicians, Too

We Can’t Do it Alone

Isolation in practice is a real risk. It's one of the top factors contributing to ethical complaints against licensed clinicians. Staying connected to other practitioners is critical.

It’s Always Changing

Even when you're further along in your career, the field of mental health is constantly evolving. Our clients change, the world changes, and we need to adapt and grow to continue providing the best possible care.

Trustworthy Guidance

By now you probably know that not all our colleagues have the same experience and ability to offer meaningful consultation. Even the most excellent clinicians may not be great consultants.

All of this is why I also offer mentorship and consultation options for experienced clinicians. Because none of us can do this work alone. Whether you're seeking guidance on a specific case, exploring new career paths, or simply looking for a supportive space to reflect and connect, I'm here to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities of your evolving career.

Plus, if you are a clinical supervisor or are looking to become one, I will offer you an inside look into my unique approach to clinical supervision. There’s a reason that more than 55 clinicians have thrived under my guidance and why I have been asked back time and again by organizations - including when folks are in a tight spot. In addition to being incredibly rewarding, being a high-quality clinical supervisor is an extremely marketable skill. It blends teaching and coaching with management and leadership - all things that are right in my wheelhouse.

FAQs

  • We are currently offer individual clinical consultation directly to clinicians:

    • Weekly/Bi-Weekly Ongoing Consultation

    • As-Needed Consultation

    As we grow, we plan to launch group support options:

    • Monthly or bi-weekly drop-in consultation groups

    • Peer consultation groups

  • What I think we’re asking here is about both how we think about our clients and their underlying psychology PLUS how we’re going to approach working with them to get them relief.

    In general, when I start working with a new client, the first thing we’re addressing in our goals are the symptoms that are bothering them the most. To help with that, I will use whatever I have in my toolkit that fits the shape of their need. This is based on my read of the client and who they are plus what I know of what tools will work to help with which symptoms. Sometimes that means for clients with anxiety symptoms, we’re using CBT skills to process unhelpful thoughts. Sometimes for similar symptoms, I might be using more somatic tools. The difference is usually in what it seems like the client will be most receptive and responsive to. From my point of view, that is part of the clinical relationship. And as we know, the relationship between a client and their therapist is the single most important factor in determining clinical outcomes.

    For understanding our clients and creating a complete case conceptualization, I often draw from the training I got in my early clinical years: attachment and family systems. While it is often a joke in mental health circles, going back to a client’s earliest childhood experiences and their access - or lack thereof - to a healthy attachment with a primary caregiver does give us a lot of information about how the client came to be as they are today.

    Some toolkits and modalities that I use and reach for most often:

    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

    • Parts Work

    • Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT)

    • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

    • Expressive Arts (EXA)

    • Motivational Interviewing (MI)

    • Psychodynamic/Attachment

  • My hourly rate for private supervision and consultation is $220 per 50-minute meeting.

    Upcoming group options will have more flexible pricing structures.

    If you are interested in working with me, but this does not fit your budget: schedule our initial consultation and bring that information to the conversation. Let me know what is workable for you, and we will see what we can do.

    Your workplace may be willing to support your consultation needs. If you think this may be the case, I can connect directly to your organization’s leaders to share the options and create a business partnership. When I contract with businesses directly, I can offer more dynamic support and work with entire teams within organizations.

  • I am qualified to formally supervise both all Associates and Graduate students governed by the California Board of Psychology or Board of Behavioral Sciences with the sole exception of students still enrolled in their MSW program, since I do not hold an MSW degree.

    There are a number of other details that have to be reviewed in order to ensure that supervision can count towards hours accrual towards licensure. Since each situation is unique, it is usually most helpful to discuss the specifics of your situation when we have our introductory chat.

    In the state of California, supervisors are required to work in the same setting as their supervisee. For this reason, to be a formal/legal clinical supervisor, I must contract directly with your place of work.

    For individuals seeking consultation, licensure status and discipline does not matter: I can provide clinical support to any therapist, at any level, in any place. It is my responsibilty to set the scope of my work, and that is part of what the initial chat is for.

  • I started supervising as soon as I was qualified and the next trainee cohort started at my workplace. Since then, I have supervised 75+ different clinicians over the course of more than a decade.

    These clinicians have worked at different organizations and with different populations. These include graduate students who are seeing their very first therapy client ever all the way up to seeing clinicians through their licensing exams (after that, it’s consultation - not supervision).

    I have also served as a manager and clinical consultant for therapists who have been in the field longer than I have. There is no point at which we stop needing clinical support.

    I’ve also enjoyed working with clinicians of different backgrounds, from different graduate programs, and with very different clinical philosophies. I have found that working with clinicians who see the work somewhat differently than I do only enhances the results for clients and creates the most opportunity for growth.

    Additionally, because I’m experienced in Spanish-language therapy I can offer specialized supervision for therapists working with Spanish-speaking clients. There is something special about being able to discuss a client in supervision in the client’s spoken language - without needing to translate for the supervisor. I know how valuable that was for me as a clinician, and I’m glad I can offer that to the clinicians I work with, as well.

Let's Meet!