Supervision in Counseling and Counselor Education

Definition of Supervision

Supervision is an intersubjective encounter between two humans that seeks to uncover the ways in which the subjectivity of both parties contributes to the growth of the supervisory relationship and its members for the purposes of increasing the supervisee’s ability to bring about the unfolding, illumination, and transformation of their client’s subjective experience for the client’s abundant growth and healing.

Included in this reproduction of various artifacts created and gathered from my doctoral program, as well as reflections on my process of conducting supervision, my personal theory and approach to supervision is presented.

I. Supervision

a. Purposes of clinical supervision
b. Theoretical frameworks and models of clinical supervision
c. Roles and relationships related to clinical supervision
d. Skills of clinical supervision
e. Opportunities for developing a personal style of clinical supervision
f. Assessment of supervisees’ developmental level and other relevant characteristics
g. Modalities of clinical supervision and the use of technology
h. Administrative procedures and responsibilities related to clinical supervision
i. Evaluation, remediation, and gatekeeping in clinical supervision
j. Legal and ethical issues and responsibilities in clinical supervision
k. Culturally relevant strategies for conducting clinical supervision

Artifacts I.a,C,e - Purpose of Clinical Supervision

Supervision and its theory and practice are central to the doctoral standards of the council for the accreditation of counseling and related educational programs (CACREP, 2016). Accordingly, the present work seeks to illustrate the author’s own supervision model, as based on contemporary counseling and supervision theory in demonstration of these doctoral standards. Included within the present work, the personal philosophy of psychotherapeutics and clinical supervision of the author will be provided to establish the foundation of interpretation for proceeding material. Existing as the impetus of the present work, the remaining material will articulate the fundamental components of somatic integration and processing – supervision model (SIP-SM), a process-oriented approach to supervision that utilizes contemporary counseling theory as well as developmental supervision theory.

Artifacts I.b,D,G,H,J,K - Developmental Supervision: growing through career

Reflected in this presentation are theoretical frameworks and models of clinical supervision, reflections on the skills of clinical supervision, administrative procedures and responsibilities related to clinical supervision, legal and ethical issues and responsibilities in clinical supervision, and culturally relevant strategies for conducting clinical supervision. Two supplemental materials were created to support supervisors in their development and practice, included a case vignette, and self-supervision journal template.

artifacts I.f,I - Self-supervision reflection

Evaluation of supervisory development involves both formal and informal measures as well as subjective and objective perspectives (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019). Seeking to reflect these elements in the articulation of my own supervisory development throughout this class, the present work consists of a personal (subjective and objective) evaluation of my supervisory performance.

artifacts I.f,I - Supervisee Evaluation

Psychotherapy and the supervision of its practitioners exists within the dance of intersubjectivity (Buirski et al., 2020), made up of both subjective and objective components (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019). Seeking to reflect an incorporation of these realities within the supervisory process, particularly its evaluation, the present work includes an objective assessment inventory battery of a supervisee, as well as a subjective evaluation of that same supervisee from the perspective of the supervisor.

artifacts I.f,I,K - Research Proposal: Inspecting Relationships within Relationships

Clinical supervision within the field of professional counseling has been regarded as a crucial and necessary element of effective counseling education and professional development (Falender & Shafranske, 2012; Russell-Chapin & Chapin, 2012). Additionally, supervision has been highlighted as a primary conduit for the formation of counselor identity, continued education, professional gatekeeping, teaching of tradition, history, and ethics (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019). With this high importance comes a considerable degree of complexity – Allan et al., (2017) discuss various issues within clinical supervision as related to supervisor’s self-efficacy, perceived effectiveness, and overall ability as well as the difficulties within supervisor training and evaluation. These authors also advocate for ongoing evaluation and continuing education of supervisors within the field, throughout the supervisor’s lifetime.

Clinical supervision can be provided in various formats – including individual, dyadic, and group – and can involve varying degrees of formal self-assessment/evaluation (Borders & Brown, 2005); additionally, different opinions exist regarding how long a clinician should receive supervision, or if one should ever discontinue supervision and consultation practices (McMahon, 2014). Across these various formats, definitions of supervision vary widely and often reflect the theoretical orientation and predisposition of those developing the model (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019; Darongkamas et al., 2014; Hawkins & McMahon, 2020). Within these complexities lies multiple issues for evaluation and overall demonstration of supervision effectiveness (Allan et al., 2017), such as modality-specific evaluation (Lewis et al., 2014) which limits generalizability to other supervision orientations. The present work seeks to propose an evaluative framework of supervision that incorporates empirical wisdom and the discourse around these issues.

Reflections

In the journey of developing a counselor educator identity, my doctoral program has provided pivotal opportunities to refine and articulate a distinctive approach to clinical supervision. This approach is intertwined with a case conceptualization model I co-developed, named Somatic Integration and Processing (SIP). The supervision model derived from SIP—referred to as SIP-Supervision Model (SIP-SM)—is designed to be highly intentional in its application, aiming to meet supervisees at their current developmental stage, fostering their ability to express authentically and maintain excellence in therapeutic presence and intervention.

The development and implementation of SIP-SM has been a collaborative effort, involving input and validation from other therapists. This process has underscored and enhanced my strength in theoretical synthesis and providing attuned intervention guidance. By integrating SIP-SM into our therapy and counseling center, and incorporating it into our consultation services at the institute, I have contributed to fostering a supervision culture that not only utilizes but embodies the principles of SIP-SM. This adoption has highlighted the importance of assessing the developmental readiness of supervisees and tailoring the introduction and utilization of SIP-SM to match their individual capacities and resources.

The holistic wellness foundation of SIP-SM, which incorporates elements of mind, body, emotion, cognition, and spirit, renders it a robust framework for professional counseling. This integrative and inclusive nature allows for a seamless and explicit incorporation of both faith-based and non-faith-based traditions, enhancing its applicability and relevance across diverse therapeutic settings. Through SIP-SM, we are able to offer a supervision experience that not only promotes professional growth and skill enhancement but also nurtures the personal growth of each supervisee.

The process of embedding this model into practice has also been a reflective journey for me, pushing me to continually evaluate and refine my own supervision skills and theoretical orientations. This ongoing self-assessment is critical in shaping my identity as a counselor educator, ensuring that I remain responsive to the evolving needs of the field and the individual therapists and students I supervise.

As my counselor educator identity continues to evolve, SIP-SM stands as a testament to the integration of rigorous academic research with practical, empathetic, and responsive clinical practice. It embodies my commitment to developing effective, compassionate, and competent mental health professionals who are well-equipped to meet the challenges of the diverse populations they serve.

References

Allan, R., McLuckie, A., & Hoffecker, L. (2017). Effects of clinical supervision of mental health professionals on supervisee knowledge, skills, attitude and behavior, and client outcomes: Protocol for a systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 13(1), 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1002/CL2.179

Bernard, J. M., & Goodyear, R. K. (2019). Fundamentals of clinical supervision (6th ed.). Pearson.

Borders, L. D., & Brown, L. L. (2005). The new handbook of counseling supervision. Lahaska Press.

Buirski, P., Haglund, P., & Markley, E. (2020). Making sense together: The intersubjective approach to psychotherapy (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (2020, October 14) https://www.cacrep.org/for-programs/2016-cacrep-standards/

Darongkamas, J., John, C., & Walker, M. J. (2014). An eight-eyed version of Hawkins and Shohet’s clinical supervision model: The addition of the cognitive analytic therapy concept of the observing eye/I as the observing us. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling, 42(3), 261-270. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2014.895797

Falender, C. A., & Shafranske, E. P. (2012). Getting the most out of clinical training and supervision: A guide for practicum students and interns. American Psychological Association.

Hawkins, P., & McMahon, A. (2020). Supervision in the helping professions (5th ed.). Open University Press.

Lewis, C. C., Scott, K. E., & Hendricks, K. E. (2014). A model and guide for evaluating supervision outcomes in cognitive-behavioral therapy-focused training programs. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 8(3), 165-173. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000029

McMahon, A. (2014). Four guiding principles for the supervisory relationship. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 15(3), 333-346. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2014.900010

Russell-Chapin, L. A., & Chapin, T. J. (2012). Clinical supervision: Theory and Practice. Cengage Learning.