Supervision: A Developmental Process
Supervision exists for three reasons. These reasons are fundamentally to protect clients, to improve the ability of practitioners to provide value to their clients and to monitor the self-care of the practitioner. Effective supervision is experienced as supportive and challenging. The supervisee grows both professionally and personally. Supervision helps practitioners become much more conscious of their practice and therefore can be a protective factor against vicarious trauma. Supervision is available for trainee and experienced practitioners working within counselling, psychotherapy, teaching, social work and community/youth workers
What is Professional Supervision?
Working under supervision means that a practitioner uses the services of another more experienced and qualified practitioner to support reflection in their practice with clients. Supervision also considers the ethical professional development, and often the personal development, of the practitioner. Supervision is a professional service which encourages the practitioner in the process of self-awareness whilst facilitating self-learning which results in ongoing professionalism.
Supervision as a relationship:
Tanya has over 15 years providing supervision to a range of practitioners in the community, education, allied health and drug and alcohol sectors. The quality of the relationship between the Supervisor and the Supervisee is an important, although complex, one. The elements that Tanya believes are necessary in the relationships are: Warmth, Trust, Genuineness, Ethical boundaries, Confidentiality, Respect
Who needs Supervision?
All practitioners in ‘people helping’, regardless of experience, need supervision. It is an area which assists the practitioner with the development of skills, meaning, personal health and professional growth.
Those who receive Supervision include:
- Counsellors
- Social Workers
- Teachers
- Psychologists
- Community Workers
- Youth Workers
- Allied health professionals