What Not to do for New Therapists
Starting out as a therapist is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Here are common pitfalls to avoid to build confidence, protect your practice, and truly serve your clients well.
Francisca Mix, MA, LPC, ACS, BC-DMT, is a clinician, educator, and consultant who helps therapists integrate somatic wisdom, confidence, and ethical leadership into their practice and supervision.
1. Don’t Neglect Supervision & Consultation
Supervision isn’t just a requirement; it’s your most powerful learning and safety tool! Ask questions, share doubts, and welcome feedback freely. Your supervisor already knows you don’t know everything; that’s the point. Being open about self-doubt, uncertainty, and imposter syndrome shows professionalism, not weakness. Supervision is the place to learn out loud, make mistakes safely, and strengthen the skills, ethics, and self-trust that will sustain you throughout your career.
2. Don’t Try to Be the “Perfect” Therapist
Clients don’t need you to have all the answers. They need your presence, authenticity, and curiosity. When you’re stuck in your head, analyzing every move or searching for the “right” intervention, you disconnect from your gut and heart; the places empathy and attunement live. Trying to be flawless creates distance instead of connection. Just breathe, ground yourself, and remember: your humanity is your greatest tool.
3. Don’t Skip Boundaries (Even When It Feels Awkward)
Boundaries aren’t barriers; they’re the structure that allows therapy to feel safe and effective. Set clear expectations around time, communication, and fees from the start; it’s much easier to loosen a boundary later than rebuild one that’s been crossed. Boundaries also show up moment-to-moment in the session. When a client begins spiraling or “going on and on,” step in gently to regulate the room and bring them back to the present. Redirecting with presence and curiosity isn’t shutting them down, it’s helping their system settle and modeling what containment looks like.
4. Don’t Ignore Documentation
Paperwork may feel tedious, but accurate notes protect both you and your client. Inadequate documentation is one of the top reasons therapists face complaints, but it’s also a missed opportunity for growth. Writing thoughtful notes refines your clinical thinking, deepens your understanding of client progress, and helps clarify how your theoretical orientation shows up in your work. Documentation isn’t just recordkeeping; it’s a form of reflection and becoming a better therapist.
5. Don’t Ignore Ethics and State Laws
Your ethical code isn’t optional reading, it’s your professional roadmap. Failing to review the ACA Code of Ethics or your state licensing board’s rules can lead to costly mistakes you didn’t even know you were making. Make it a habit to review ethical updates yearly or join a professional association to stay current.
6. Don’t Work in Isolation
Trying to figure everything out on your own is a fast track to burnout and blind spots. Skipping supervision or peer connection limits your growth and can leave you stuck with complex cases. Build relationships with peers and mentors for feedback, referrals, and support. Therapy is relational work, and so is being a therapist.
7. Don’t Be Vague or Avoidant with Clients
Avoiding tough conversations about fees, boundaries, or treatment goals breeds confusion and mistrust. Transparency builds safety and models the kind of open communication you want your clients to practice. Talking directly, especially about uncomfortable topics, creates clarity, respect, and opportunities for clients to develop their own relational skills in real time.
8. Don’t Take Client Outcomes Personally or Neglect Your Own Well-Being
Therapy progress isn’t linear, and your clients’ outcomes aren’t a direct reflection of your competence. When you tie your worth to results, you invite exhaustion and self-doubt. Prioritize your own mental health, relationships, and rest as seriously as you do your clients’. Sustainable self-care isn’t indulgent—it’s the foundation for grounded, compassionate, and effective practice.
9. Don’t Ignore Your Own Inner Work
Therapy isn’t something you perform; it’s something you practice. If you’re helping clients explore boundaries, compassion, or emotional regulation, you need to be doing that work too. When you “walk the walk,” your empathy deepens and your guidance carries credibility. Clients can feel the difference between theory and embodiment, so make sure your own life reflects the work you’re inviting them into.
10. Don’t Lose Sight of Why You Started
Between paperwork, sessions, and self-doubt, it’s easy to lose sight of your purpose. Reconnect with your “why”, it’s what keeps your work meaningful and sustainable.
References
American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Author.
Barnett, J. E., Baker, E. K., Elman, N. S., & Schoener, G. R. (2007). Incorporating self-care into training and practice of psychology. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(6), 603–612. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7...
Chow, D. (2020). Seven Common Mistakes in Clinical Supervision. Psychotherapy.net.https://www.psychotherapy.net/article/seven-mistakes-in-clinical-supervision
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (2015). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Hill, C. E., & Knox, S. (2002). Self-disclosure. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(3), 299–312. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.1...
Knapp, S., & VandeCreek, L. (2012). Practical Ethics for Psychologists: A Positive Approach (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association.