Counseling Supervision

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Counseling Supervision

• A brief overview of the models, strategies and
  issues present in counseling supervision

Do not confine your children to your own
learning for they were born in another
time (Hebrew Proverb)
Colin Ward, Ph.D. Winona State University,
Counselor Education
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Outline of the Day

• Introductions
• Metaphor Supervision Experience
• University Expectations for Site Supervision
• Presentation of Supervision Models
• Reflective Model
• Developmental Model
• Competency Model
• Presentation of Supervision Strategies
• Submission of an initial Supervision Plan

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A Supervision Metaphor
TASK
DEFINITION

• Draw a metaphor that articulates a current
  supervisee/client that you have some level of
  professional distress with
• Now, draw a metaphor of how the supervisory
  relationship will be different when it is more on
  track?

• A figure of speech containing an implied
  comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily
  and primarily used of one thing is applied to
  another
• To include any appropriate mode of expression in
  which issues of concern are represented
  differently to facilitate integration of new
  information and enhancement of conceptual
  abilities. This may include drawing, painting,
  music, dance or other modes of translating
  information into a new format

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CE Training Sequence
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CE Counseling Supervision Outcomes

• Goals for University Supervision
• To teach counselors to develop and test
  hypotheses.
• To assist counselors in shifting from a
  performance laden stance (Did I do this right?)
  to that of curiosity (What did I learn?
• To prepare counselors in managing the frustration
  and tension associated with the ambiguity of the
  counseling process.
• To facilitate the counselors self awareness and
  understanding with regard to their influence
  (directly or indirectly) on the counseling
  process
• To identify and develop their skills not only as
  a counselor, but also as an advocate, educator,
  systems consultant, and collaborative group
  facilitator.

• Goals for On-Site Supervision
• To provide one hour a week of individual
  supervision as well as group supervision when
  relevant to the site.
• To orient to the procedures, guidelines, and
  purpose of the setting
• To guide toward the acquisition of specific
  skills and knowledge related to the setting
• To provide counseling situations in which
  trainees can gain experience in practical
  application of methods and techniques
• To assist in planning for efficient use of time
  and resources
• To assist in assessing client potential and
  prognosis
• To help develop positive working relationships
  with supervisors, peers, and related mental
  health professionals.
• To submit a mid and final trainee evaluation

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Counseling Supervision Defined

• A distinct intervention that is provided by a
  senior member of a profession to a junior member
  or members of that same profession. This
  relationship is evaluative, extends over time,
  and has the simultaneous purposes

• enhancing the professional functioning of the
  junior members,
• monitoring the quality of professional services
  offered to the clients he/she/they see(s) and,
• serving as a gatekeeper for those who are to
  enter the particular profession
• (Bernard Goodyear, 1992, p. 4).

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Conclusions of Counseling Supervision Research

• PRIMARY CONCLUSION
• Qualities of professional reflectivity were
  illustrated as necessary for trainees to adopt
  conceptual and interactive skills representative
  of advanced counselor trainees.

• SECONDARY CONCLUSIONS
• Counseling trainees progress through a sequence
  of definitive stages while experiencing increased
  levels of emotional and cognitive dissonance.
• Transforming dissonant counselor-training
  experiences into a meaningful guide for practice
  is largely a factor of increased conceptual
  complexity, and articulates the difference
  between novice and advanced trainees
• A trusting and supportive supervisory
  relationship is a prerequisite for advanced
  supervisee development

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Synthesized Supervision Model
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Reflective Process of the Supervision Relationship

• Supervisory Reflective Cycle
• 1. Disorienting Professional Experience(s)
• Supervisee is anxious with a perceived sense of
  professional inadequacy.
• 2. Supervision Relationship
• Supervisor is nonjudgmental, supportive and
  validating
• 3. Supervisor Intervention
• Supervisor seeks to expand supervisee conceptual
  complexity to promote clinical independence.
• 4. Shift in Supervisee Perception and/or
  Behavior and Reemergence to the Counseling
  Context
• Supervisee links supervision experience to
  clientele/context

• Phases of Supervision
• CONTEXTUAL ORIENTATION
• Supervisee experience of Cognitive and Emotional
  Dissonance in adjustment to the counseling
  climate
• ESTABLISHING TRUST
• Experience of trust central to supervisee
  willingness to address dissonant internship
  experiences
• CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
• Supervisor promoting advanced conceptual
  complexity through thematic and reflective
  dialogue
• CLINICAL INDEPENDENCE
• Supervisor facilitates supervisee autonomy by
  encouraging self assessment and self generation
  activities

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Developmental Professional Stages

• High levels of anxiety associated with
  performance and evaluation anxiety leading to
  patterns of dependency on supervisor.

• Enters with little insight and is focused on
  general skill performance and has difficulty
  attuning to thematic patterns or the overview of
  the therapy process.

SELF CENTERED STAGE

• This may make them impatient or fearful that the
  process will ever move on from a current sticking
  place.
• .

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Developmental Professional Stages

• Fluctuation between dependence and autonomy and
  between over-confidence and being overwhelmed.

CLIENT CENTERED STAGE

• Oscillates between excitement and
  anger/depression with increased reactance to the
  interactional triangle (Self. Supervisor and,
  Client(s).

• Personalize the choices of clients/students and
  over-responsible to the change process.

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Developmental Professional Stages

• Exhibits increased professional self-confidence,
  with increased insight beyond specific skills

PROCESS CENTERED

• Can observe thematic patterns (wider
  context--systemic) in client(s)

• Can begin to adjust his/her approach to meet the
  presenting needs of varying clientele (Matching).
• .

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Developmental Professional Stages

• Has developed into an integrated practitioner
  characterized by

PERSONAL AUTONOMY
CONTEXT CENTERED
INSIGHTFUL AWARENESS
STABLE MOTIVATION

• An awareness of needing to confront own personal
  and professional problems impacting professional
  practice and growth.

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Supervisor Role and Strategies
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Broad Reflective Questions

• The supervisory relationship provides a context
  for the review of counselor-trainee
  intentionality. Counseling supervision,
  therefore, directs attention to broad questions
  to be explored with the supervisee
• How do I make sense of the dissonant or
  distressful counseling experiences?
• What does this mean with regard to my
  professional skills, theory of change, and gaps
  in my professional development needing to be
  addressed?
• How does this assist in better understanding the
  world view of the client?

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Issues Related to Supervision

• Parallel Process
• Dual Relationship
• Informed Consent
• Vicarious Liability
• Isolation Training

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Life experience is richer than discourse.
Narrative structures organize and give meaning to
experience but there are always feelings and
lived experiences not fully encompassed by the
dominant narrative Bruener