Renew the Mind Counselling
Counselling Supervision
“Supervisory relationships are a complete blend of professional, education and therapeutic aspects”
(Geldard, & Geldard, 2001, P377)
Supervision Hours
All registered counsellors with Professional organisations are required to complete a set number of supervision hours. A supervisor is working as a mentor, providing emotional support and information and guidance that will help with improving the skills and the confidence of the counsellors. It is also important for counsellors to have continuing professional development to help them to upgrade their knowledge and skills.
“As practitioners, we can never know all that we might like to know, nor can we attain all the skills required to effectively intervene with all client populations or all types of problems” (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2007, P360).
Part of the supervision process is for counsellors to discuss their counselling sessions and to get some feedback and insight into their own practises and skills. The supervisor is then able to provide learning opportunities and new skills for the counsellor should the opportunity arise.
One thing for a supervisor to be aware of with the counsellor, is the over-involvement that can happen given the complex nature of some of the cases. The supervisor is able to intercede so that the situation does not become a problem.
Ethical dilemmas can easily arise in counselling sessions, and it is important for the counsellor to bring the issue to the session so that professional standards are maintained.
Want to be supervised by a qualified counsellor?
“Supervisors play multiple roles in the supervision process, and the boundaries between therapy and supervision are not always clear. In the literature on supervision, there seems to be basic agreement that the supervision process should concentrate on the supervisee’s professional development rather than on the personal concerns and that supervision and counselling have different purposes.”
(Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2007, P377)
Understanding Best Practice
Supervision is an excellent way of checking in for counsellors, and as well as discussing the counselling practise. It is important for a supervisor to stay in touch with the overall well-being of the counsellor to prevent burnout, as the counselling profession brings a lot of stressors from the clients.
The supervision session is comprised of aspects of education, professional and therapeutic aspects, and it is important for the supervisor to manage the content of the session.
For counsellors, it is important to know what you are looking for in a Supervisor. What areas of counselling are looking for in terms of their expertise, what amount of experience do you want in your supervisor, are you looking for face-to-face supervision or on-line supervision session?
As a counsellor, it is beneficial to be proactive in finding a supervisor that you feel will meet your needs, and your values. It is important for you, as the supervision process provides support so that you can receive help for your own difficulties, as well of part of your own education.
If you as a counsellor are looking for a supervisor then I invite you to make contact so that you can make a decision as to whether I am the right person for you. I will endeavour to provide you with a safe environment which will allow you to build a sense of trust and respect while adhering to the boundaries of the supervisory relationship.
Renew the Mind
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