Supervision (Definition)
Counsellor Supervision, Definition and Philosophy
My supervision definition and philosophy is process combining person-centered, psychodynamic, solution-focused counselling with cognitive behavioral theory, mindfulness theories and any other model of counselling I have come across over the years and found useful. I particularly like NVC, Imago and TOT for work with my own clients and tend to use those models as a base.
NVC is the acronym for non-violent communication and is centred around reality, compassion and empathy. It is the life-work of the late Dr Marshall Rosenberg, a truly wonderful man who I had the gift of studying with first-hand. NVC makes a perfect, strong foundation for counselling work. Imago is the brainchild of Dr Harville Hendrix, fabulous for couples work and TOT, or Trust Oriented Therapy, is the work of Mahmud Nestman of Vancouver BC and makes the perfect ‘glue’, maximizing strength, consistency and flexibility.
Neurobiology fascinates and delights me, including the work of doctors Peter Levine, Daniel Siegal and Stephen Porges. So much of what I have experienced over the years, personally and with my clients, is now being confirmed and explained scientifically. What a thrill!
Supervision allows me to share the almost 25 years of experience with clients and ethical issues with new counsellors and other colleagues. Working with other counsellors and helping to sharpen their focus and grow their careers uses slightly different skills. I get to use my years of marketing and business experience too! Debriefing with colleagues in a safe environment is an honour.
I see the clinical supervision relationship as similar to the relationship between client and counsellor in terms of confidentiality and privacy. One very important difference is the need for the supervisor to be absolutely transparent and give honest feedback, even when difficult. Another is the necessity of balancing the treatment offered by the supervisee with that which is professional and appropriate and offering alternatives when the supervisee is facing a situation that is challenging them. However, the creation of a private and safe environment is, in my view, an important aspect of counsellor supervision and allows the supervisee to be vulnerable and to pursue growth with confidence and authenticity, both personally and professionally.
ACCT – or the Association of Co-operative Counselling Therapists – also has a volunteer mentor / mentee group, that I am happy to be a part of and I love meeting new counsellors.
I read somewhere that through encouraging and coaching counsellors, a good supervisor facilitates the ’emergence of innate talent that lies latent within’ the practicing counsellor. I love that! Noticing and discussing that natural ability also builds confidence which allows trust in the unfolding counselling techniques to blossom.
Clinical supervision is a requirement of most associations and of the new counselling colleges now being formed in Canada. At ACCT, new counsellors must log over 1000 hours of client contact and receive a minimum of 8 hours of supervision per year for the first five years of work. Senior counsellors and supervisors are also required to receive a minimum of 8 hours of supervision as well as a minimum of 8 hours of PD (professional development) and a maximum of 8 hours self-directed PD / self-care. It is important to check the requirements of your own association and college, such as that being formed by FACT-BC here. It is hoped that all the provinces will ask for congruent standards.
My fees for individual work compare well with those for most group sessions and are lower than my client fees. I love working with other counsellors and I see that as a valuable way of giving back to my profession and community.
Again, I use a process-oriented and integrative approach to supervision. I supervise in person or by Zoom (online, one-on-one or group) which allows me to be flexible in my approach to supervision. Supervision is not restricted by my geography but is limited to supervisees using a similar approach and in client populations with whuch I’m familiar:.
I believe supervision is much more than simply critiquing technique and I take an inclusive and wholistic approach.
Individual supervision is believed to be the most effective type of supervision, certainly during the first few years of practice. It’s been shown to foster stronger personal growth and help create healthy private counselling practices. Group sessions – with no more than 6 – 8 participants – can be useful too in addition to individual supervision. Counsellors in a group should check with their associations to see how many of their supervision hours need to be individual. This is a similar belief to that found in community mental health centres and in all larger organizations.
Email me me and let’s talk!
Julie