It’s a waiting game…

 

A quote from my favorite movie, Step Brothers!!  Anyways….

This has been a very exciting week in my journey to become an official therapist.  On Tuesday I left work early to check a bunch of things off the list of application requirements for my BBS Intern Number.  I met up with one of my dear friends from school and we went and took care of the following:

1. LiveScan Fingerprinting: UPS Store $75
2. Passport Photo:  CVS $11
3. Money Order: 7-11 $75 + $0.99
4. Transcripts from school:  Free…better be for how much I paid for my degree!!!
5. Form for BBS from my school:  Free as well

I also had to do the following:

1. I printed out the BBS app at school since I left the original one at home.
2. I mailed the application via priority mail on Wednesday morning before work. Not necessary but I wanted the confirmation that it got there $5.05

Total Cost $ 167.40 plus a couple hours off work and Starbucks.  The last two are optional

I was informed by our advisor at my school that I am the first of my cohort to “grad out” and submit  my  application to the BBS.  Why does this not surprise me?  I have been stalking the girls at school since I finished my last assignment!  Some people have asked me what the application process involves for the BBS.  The BBS website can be quite daunting so I thought I would post the link here that has all of the steps. 

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/mft_presentation.shtml

The website also posts their application processing time here… http://www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/. As of July 1, 2013 they are taking a couple of weeks.  I am hoping that this is still the case!

Another exciting thing happened this week! I got a chance to speak to my boss about my Internship at my current work.  As I think I have mentioned before I have worked at a large Psychiatric Medical Group here in Southern California for a decade.  I have done just about every job except Payroll.  This experience will serve me well when I am finally licensed because I understand the business end of this profession.  I understand billing, collections, credentialing, everything.  I am planning on having the best looking accounts around.  I think this will also help me in another way.  I am finding that I am very passionate about helping my fellow MFT Interns and I would imagine my future MFT/Mental Health worker colleagues in their journey as well.  I am planning on becoming a supervisor two years after licensure and hopefully dedicating part of my practice to seeing new and seasoned professionals. This is part of why I am doing this blog.  I am getting my feet wet and hoping that in time it will blossom into another area of my professional life. 

Back to the meeting with my boss.  He gave me a great raise and has given me basically a free pass to create an internship.  I just have to run things by him for the final okay.  I am super excited.  I also took on more administrative duties but I think I can count some of it as training hours because I am now in charge of HIPAA compliance for our entire group.  It will be important that I stay up to date on any changes and that should count for training hours.  I will need to “sell it” to my supervisor because he is very “by the book” and I am so grateful for that!

I hope everything is moving along for everyone else.  If anyone has questions about the process, please feel free to comment here or contact me via email to kristemitchell@msn.com.  I am happy to help.

Also, just a heads up:  My supervisor and I are currently developing a group that will be for therapists in training.  I will keep you all posted when that is officially available.   

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend! I am celebrating my 11 year anniversary today so I plan on having a nice weekend too! I have a Board Meeting at work, but I am actually looking forward to it! Take care everyone!