Our commitment to making therapy an accessible and affirming resource for all extends to practitioners as well. In addition to our patient services, Colors of Austin Counseling also provides clinical supervision, business consultation and general support and community for therapists of color in the Austin area. Learn more about the resources we offer below.
In addition to providing therapy services and community resources to the Austin community, we also support training practitioners in Texas through our clinical supervision services.
Clinical social work practice is restricted to either a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or a Licensed Master Social Worker under clinical supervision in employment or under a clinical supervision plan. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council requires a minimum of 100 hours of supervision with a board-approved supervisor throughout the course of a minimum of 3,000 supervised clinical hours in order for a social worker to become licensed.
The following Colors of Austin Counseling team members are available for clinical supervision. If you need assistance determining which clinical supervisor may be the best fit for you, feel free to reach out, and we will help ensure you make the ideal connection with a member of our team.
A first generation Latina and Entrepreneur, Vanessa has worked in the field of social work for 10+ years, founding Colors of Austin Counseling (2018), the therapist coaching and support organization Brave and Well (2019) and the school-based mental health web tool SocialNote (2015). She has spent over a decade working with teens, survivors of trauma, LatinX women and communities of culture. She has spent time as both a school social worker and a medical social worker at Dell Children's Medical Center and Children's Memorial Hermann in Houston, working in the Pediatric ICU with children and families dealing with chronic illnesses. Her training in EMDR and the curriculum of Brené Brown has helped transform the way clients heal.
“The supervisor-supervisee relationship is a unique one, in which there is openness and trust on both sides. I am a Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council approved Clinical Supervisor. The supervisory relationship is one that must possess respect, trust and openness by both the supervisor and supervisee. Supervision is an ongoing and evolving process to enhance clinical and professional skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Emphasis is placed on mastering competency in clinical skills and increasing your identity as a Clinical Social Worker.
I offer Clinical Social Work Supervision that is designed to enhance your clinical and professional skills, knowledge and attitudes in order to achieve competency in your Social Work identity and in providing quality clinical care. Knowing that each person's learning style is unique, I offer a diverse supervision style that merges the psychodynamic and attachment models, cognitive-behavioral model and relational and developmental models.”
Master of Science in Social Work
Alexandra has a deep conviction that people have an ability to heal and are worth the effort to do so. She holds that change and healing are created through building healthy relationships and believing in our own self-worth. Alex works with people seeking meaning, connection and in need of effective coping strategies, utilizing the mind-body connection, DBT skills, attachment and neurobiology to build trust and offer insight. Alex holds a safe and authentic space, while challenging the ideas or behaviors that no longer serve her clients. She recognizes that each behavior has value in helping individual’s navigate issues - from addictions and aggression to suicidality and low self-esteem. Alex works with clients to navigate acceptance and change, while teaching the skills we all need to build on our inherent strength and worthiness.
“In each of my previous roles, I've had meaningful opportunities to broaden my education and skill set. I have had marvelous supervisors who have modeled rich supervision experiences. I approach supervision with dedication, intention and specific goals, working with supervisees to navigate their introduction to (or continued work in) clinical social work.
My supervising approach is deeply interpersonal, interactive, and challenging - mirroring the way I engage with clients as a therapist. I'm inherently curious about your history and motivation in social work. I prioritize reliability and dedication to our sessions, valuing our time together as a supportive space for growth and exploration. I encourage observation of my sessions with clients, welcoming the opportunity to process and discuss your observations, questions and feedback.”
The practice of clinical social work is restricted to either a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, or a Licensed Master Social Worker under clinical supervision in employment or under a clinical supervision plan.
Clinical social work is defined in the rules at 22 TAC §781.102(12) and includes “using specialized clinical knowledge and advanced skills to assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, conditions, and addictions… Treatment methods may include but are not limited to, providing individual, marital, couple, family, and group psychotherapy.” Clinical social workers are qualified and authorized to use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and other diagnostic classification systems in the assessment, diagnosis and other practice activities.
Yes.
If the board-approved supervisor is not employed by or under contract with the agency to provide supervision towards licensure, the Supervisee is required to obtain and submit a Clinical Supervision Plan along with a letter from the agency executive or her/his designee on agency letterhead, which authorizes the Supervisee to engage in supervision with the outside Supervisor.
The board requires a minimum of 100 hours of supervision with a board-approved supervisor that occurs throughout the course of a minimum of 3,000 supervised clinical hours. The supervisee must engage in supervision and clinical hours within a timeframe of a minimum of 24 months and in no more than 48 months.
In accordance with Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council requirements, supervisees with an approved plan for full-time work must participate in no fewer than four (4) hours of supervision each calendar month AND no fewer than two (2) supervisory sessions each calendar month.
Supervision hours can be completed over a combination of individual and group sessions.
Austin Therapists of Color is a professional monthly meet-up for therapists, mental health professionals, and students who self-identify as persons of color. This meetup aims to provide a safe, supportive space for people of Color working in clinics, hospitals, non-profits, government, academia, private practice, and other therapeutic settings. Our mission is to build community and improve networking opportunities within the greater Austin therapist community.
Join our Facebook group to stay up-to-date on our monthly meetings.
At Colors of Austin Counseling, we believe that growth is a lifelong journey — not only for clients but for therapists too. We’re dedicated to providing continuous professional development through in-person and virtual trainings designed to expand clinical skills, promote ethical practice, and foster culturally responsive care.
Our offerings cover a wide range of topics, from business development for therapists and ethical documentation to decolonizing mental health and somatic experiencing. These trainings, led by experienced professionals from our team or invited experts, are designed to deepen your practice while building community and support among like-minded professionals.
Some trainings also offer CEU hours, allowing you to earn valuable credits while honing your skills and learning new approaches. Our workshops are rooted in trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and decolonized mental health frameworks, ensuring that you leave with practical, ethical tools that enhance your practice.
Licensed therapists and associates seeking continuing education and skill development.
Private practice owners or those exploring business development in the mental health field.
Expanded clinical expertise in specialized therapeutic approaches.
Increased confidence in navigating ethical documentation and business aspects of private practice.
Opportunities for dialogue about politics, decolonization, and social justice in therapy.
Access to CEU credits (for qualifying trainings).
Connection with a community of like-minded professionals.
Training opportunities are announced through our website, newsletter, and social media channels. Simply register online to secure your spot. For CEU-eligible workshops, full attendance and participation are required, and we’ll provide all the details upfront.
Our workshops often feature interactive components like case consultations and experiential exercises, making learning both engaging and impactful.
Registration is required for all events, and some workshops may have limited capacity, so early registration is encouraged. You can find more information and upcoming training dates below.
