Institutional & Forensic Supervision · Now Enrolling
Supervision for clinicians who work in the hardest settings
A weekly remote group for clinicians in jails, prisons, forensic units, crisis programs and psychiatric hospitals, led by someone who has done the work.
Who it's for
Clinicians working in:
- County jails and state prisons
- Forensic hospitals, competency restoration and forensic programs
- Inpatient psychiatric units and crisis centers
- Justice-involved and reentry programs
Licensed clinicians and those working toward licensure, in any state.
What happens in the group
Each week, a small group of clinicians from different organizations brings the cases and the conditions that are hardest to carry alone.
Your hardest cases. Patients who are violent, self-injuring or cycling back in, looked at together.
What the job does to you. Exposure to violence and self-harm, vicarious trauma, and the pull between clinical and custody priorities.
What you bring to the work. How your own reactions shape the way you work with patients and with psychiatry, nursing and custody staff, and what changes when you see them more clearly.
A place to speak openly. I'm outside your organization, and so are the other clinicians in the group, so you can say what you need to about the work.
Cases are discussed without patient identifiers.
Who leads it
I'm Laura Raffa. I spent 20 years in this work, most recently directing a mental health service of more than 70 staff on Rikers Island, after years on Bellevue's forensic psychiatric ward. I've trained correction officers and clinical staff in crisis intervention, and I've sat with unit teams on their hardest patients.
MS, BC-DMT, LCAT, CGP · Certified Group Psychotherapist (AGPA)
More about LauraFormat
- When
- Weekly, one hour, at a fixed time
- Where
- Secure video. Join from any state
- Group size
- 6–8 clinicians from different organizations
Two ways to join
Join on your own
Fill in the form below and I'll be in touch to set up a short call.
Ask your employer to sponsor you
Many organizations pay for supervision as a staff benefit. Send this note to your supervisor or program director:
I'd like to join a weekly remote supervision group for clinicians in correctional and forensic settings, run by Laura Raffa, MS, BC-DMT, LCAT, CGP. She spent 20 years in this work, including directing a mental health service of more than 70 staff on Rikers Island. Organizations can sponsor seats for their staff. The details for program coordinators are here: https://www.opencirclegrouptherapy.com/supervision/institutions
Join the group
Clinical supervision and consultation. This group doesn't replace supervision your license or employer requires.