What is a Board-Approved Supervisor in Psychology?
A board-approved supervisor is a registered psychologist who has been formally approved by the Psychology Board of Australia to provide clinical supervision to provisional psychologists and psychology registrars. If you’re working toward general registration or completing a registrar program, your supervision must be provided by someone with board-approved status. This article explains what that means, who needs it, and what to look for when choosing a supervisor.
What Does “Board-Approved” Mean?
The Psychology Board of Australia sets the standards for supervision of provisional psychologists and registrars. To become board-approved, a psychologist must meet specific criteria including:
- At least two years of full-time (or equivalent) post-registration experience as a practising psychologist
- Completion of the Psychology Board’s Supervisor Training Program or an equivalent approved program
- A formal application to the Board for board-approved supervisor status
Board-approved status signals that a supervisor has met these requirements and is authorised to provide the supervision hours that count toward your registration pathway. Not all registered psychologists hold this status, so it’s worth confirming before you commit to a supervisory arrangement.
You can verify a psychologist’s board-approved status by searching the AHPRA public register.
Who Needs a Board-Approved Supervisor?
You need a board-approved supervisor if you’re:
- A provisional psychologist working toward general registration through the 5+1 internship pathway
- A psychology registrar completing a registrar program (clinical, counselling, educational, forensic, health, neuropsychology, or sport and exercise)
- In some other circumstances, such as when seeking to obtain registration in Australia after undergoing training and working as a psychologist overseas
Fully registered psychologists seeking peer consultation or professional development supervision don’t require a board-approved supervisor, though many choose to work with one given their experience and training in the supervisory role.
What Does Board-Approved Supervision Involve?
The structure and content of supervision varies depending on your stage of training and your registrar program requirements. Board-approved supervision generally includes:
- Case discussion and conceptualisation
- Ethical decision-making and professional reasoning
- Development of clinical skills and therapeutic approaches
- Managing the personal and professional demands of clinical work
- Documentation of supervision hours and content for registration purposes
The Psychology Board requires supervision to be structured, regular, and documented. Your supervisor is responsible for monitoring your development and assessing your competence over time.
If you’re in a registrar program, specific supervision requirements including hours per week, format, and supervisor qualifications are set by your program. Check with your program coordinator if you’re unsure what applies to you.
How to Find a Board-Approved Supervisor
When looking for a supervisor, it’s worth considering a few things beyond just availability:
- Registration status: Confirm they hold board-approved status via the AHPRA register before committing
- Clinical expertise: A supervisor whose clinical experience aligns with your training needs will offer more relevant guidance
- Supervisory approach: Good supervision goes beyond case review. It engages with clinical reasoning, ethical complexity, and the demands of the work itself
- Format: Supervision is available in-person and via telehealth. Telehealth makes it easier to access a supervisor whose approach and expertise matches your needs, regardless of your location
- Fit: Supervision is a professional relationship that runs over time. It’s reasonable to have an initial conversation before committing
The Australian Psychological Society’s Find a Psychologist directory and findasupervisor.com.au are useful starting points for finding board-approved supervisors in your area or via telehealth. There is more on what makes supervision useful in clinical supervision for psychologists.
Supervision With Veronica West
I’m a board-approved supervisor offering clinical supervision via telehealth for provisional psychologists and registrars across Australia. My clinical background includes complex trauma, adult ADHD, neurodivergence, and high-distress presentations, and I supervise across a range of therapeutic approaches including ACT and EMDR.
Supervision is arranged directly. If you’d like to find out more or discuss whether I’m the right fit for your supervision needs, visit the Supervision page or get in touch directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a psychologist is board-approved?
Search the AHPRA public register. Board-approved supervisors are listed with this status on their registration record.
Can I do board-approved supervision via telehealth?
Yes. The Psychology Board of Australia permits telehealth supervision. This makes it easier to access a supervisor whose expertise and approach suits your training needs, regardless of where you’re located.
How many supervision hours do I need for general registration?
Requirements vary by pathway. The 5+1 internship requires 80 hours of supervision across 1,500 hours of practice, which works out at roughly one hour of supervision for every 18 hours. At least 50 of those 80 hours must be individual supervision with your principal supervisor. The 4+2 internship has been retired. It closed to new applicants in 2022, and anyone still completing one has until 30 June 2027 to apply for general registration. It requires 160 hours of supervision across 3,000 hours of practice. Registrar programs have their own requirements, set by the Psychology Board. Check the Board’s current guidelines for the pathway that applies to you.
What’s the difference between supervision and peer consultation?
Board-approved supervision is a formal, structured arrangement required for provisional registration pathways. Peer consultation is a collegial process used by fully registered psychologists for professional development and support.
If you’re looking for a board-approved supervisor for your registrar program or internship pathway, I offer individual supervision via telehealth across Australia. Visit the Supervision page or get in touch to discuss whether I’m a good fit.
Veronica West is a registered psychologist (BPsychSc(Hons), MPH, MPsych) and Board-Approved Supervisor based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. She works with adults in individual therapy and provides clinical supervision for trainee and registered psychologists. About Veronica.