Realising your true potential
Realising your true potential
As a therapist, I know the value Supervision has to my Clients and myself. I am in regular practitioner supervision in individual, group and peer settings.
As a qualified supervisor, I bring this same ethical commitment to my supervisees for the safety of their clients and themselves.
Supervision is essential for effective therapy. Responsible, professional therapists are bound by a code of Ethics and Practice to monitor their therapy through ongoing supervision. While Supervision is not unique to the therapeutic practice it has an importance that is imperative for the safety of the client, the therapist and the profession.
“Supervision is a working alliance between a Supervisor and a therapist or therapists, in which the therapist can reflect on themselves in their working situation by giving an account of work and receiving feedback”
Supervision is a working alliance between a Supervisor and a therapist or therapists, in which the therapist can reflect on themselves in their working situation by giving an account of work and receiving feedback, and where appropriate, receive guidance and appraisal. The object of this alliance is to maximise the competence of the therapist in providing a helpful and safe service for their clients.
Supervision is also a formal arrangement for therapists to discuss their practice regularly with someone who is experienced in therapy and qualified in supervision. The task is to work together to ensure and develop the efficacy of the therapist relationship. The agenda will be the therapy work and feelings about that work, together with discussion of practice with the supervisor's reactions, comments and challenges offered for professional reflection by the practitioner. Thus supervision is a process to maintain adequate standards of therapy, and a method of consultancy to widen the scope of the practitioner.
In choosing a Supervisor, therapists need to assess their ability on a scale from newly qualified to very experienced. They then decide the main focus of their therapy work undertaken (individuals, couples, families, groups, etc.) and take into account their own training, philosophy and methodology. The setting for therapy may be an important factor. Agencies and institutions may have their own criteria for supervision and provide supervisors from within. Where outside supervision is more appropriate considerable discussion and negotiation may be needed to arrange time away from work, financial support and assurance of confidentiality.
Private practitioners must arrange their own supervision, a service that I offer to all practitioners.
“Supervision can help the therapist to evolve their skills and practice, and in this sense is one aspect of continued training”
By its very nature therapy makes demands upon therapists, who may become over-involved, fail to notice some important point, and become confused as to what is taking place with a particular client, or have underlying doubts about their own effectiveness. It is difficult, if not sometimes impossible to be objective about one's therapy, so the opportunity to discuss it in confidence with a suitable person is invaluable. Good therapy also requires the therapist to relate practice to theory and theory to practice. Supervision can help the therapist to evolve their skills and practice, and in this sense is one aspect of continued training.
Through the supervision process the supervisor can ensure that the therapist is addressing the needs of the client, can monitor the relationship between the therapist and client to maximise the therapeutic effectiveness of the relationship, and ensure that ethical standards are adhered to throughout the therapy process. Though not concerned primarily with training or personal therapy, supervisors will encourage and facilitate the ongoing self-development, continued learning and self-monitoring of the therapist.
