Supervision
“Supervision is a collaborative process in which the supervisor works with the supervisee to explore work reflectively………………Fundamental to relationship is good rapport and a working alliance” ( Schick & Wood, 2011, p15)
I want to offer you a space where vulnerability is accepted, where there is respite from perfectionism, achievements and demands for results, where there is rest with time and space for reflection. I want to offer you an environment to enable, support and share; to help you be heard and be nourished, to help you push the boundaries of your comfort zone, so there can be growth. I want you to feel comfortable and accepted, to enable deep exploration and openness without fear of judgment, to support you in offering the best possible experience for you clients.
The Supervision Model that I use is Hawkins & Shohet’s (2006) ‘7 eyed supervisor model’. It is a process model that has seven focuses.
1. The first focus is on the supervisee’s client work, how and what the client presents.
2. The second focus is the strategies and interventions used by the supervisee. The main goal of this focus is to increase the supervisee’s choices and skills in intervention.
3. The third focus is on the relationship & working alliance between client and supervisee.
4. The fourth focus is on the supervisee, to explore their reaction to the client and what the supervisee may be projecting onto client.
5. The fifth focus involves the supervisory relationship. This is important in two respects; firstly to ensure regular attention is given to the quality of the working alliance between supervisor and supervisee and secondly to explore the possibility that what is happening in the relationship between supervisor and supervisee is mirroring what is happening in the session between client & supervisee.
6. The sixth focus is on the supervisor’s own process.
7. The seventh focus is on the ethical, cultural, gender, nationality, age, society in which the work takes place.
My practice is underpinned by the Person Centred Approach and because of this my regard for, and acceptance of, the individual and their own training and philosophy lies at the centre of the supervisory relationship. I will work hard to create a solid working alliance which will allow a supervisee to bring themselves in relation to their counselling practice without fear of judgment or the need to hold back. I will offer support as well as challenge and will endeavour to stay open to working with any barriers or difficulties that may occur between us. I will strive to offer the environment that allows you, the supervisee to develop both personally and professionally as we work with both the challenges and the celebrations of your practice.
I work within the ethical guidelines of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and am willing to explore any similarities and differences between my professional code and that of the supervisee.
My expectations of the supervisee are that they demonstrate
An openness and willingness to invest themselves in their relationships with clients and in their relationship with me.
An openness and willingness to integrate the interventions they are making with the theory in which they are trained.
An openness to be stimulated challenged and affirmed.
A commitment to change and develop both personally and professionally
It would be helpful if our supervisory relationship were to be mutually reviewed periodically so that we may both monitor the extent and development of our work together and assess any changes we would like to make. If we decide to make an ending then it would be helpful if at least two months’ notice can be given so that you may be supported to find a new supervisor and so that we can make a meaningful and relevant closure to our working alliance.
Supervisees normally contract for fortnightly or four weekly sessions of one and a half hours duration, the frequency varying according to the volume of client work, the work context and current professional requirements. The BACP’s requirement is for a minimum of an hour and a half per month and increased according to client load.