Supervision in Counseling - Coursework Example

Organization all around the world especially professional bodies are looking towards developing things in such a manner that it ensures that the professional code of conduct is ensured. This has made different profession to look towards the services of a supervisor so that the person takes decisions which are fair and correct. This helps to ensure that the organization is able to bring about the required transformation and improve the overall effectiveness. This paper looks towards presenting the manner in which supervision helps in the field of counseling. It highlights the different benefits and problems that the situation creates and also looks towards presenting the manner in which work place can witness or undergo the required changes which will thereby help to improve overall effectiveness and ensure that the decisions which are taken are better. It has been found out that counselors who are practicing or have just passed out will benefit greatly from supervision as supervision plays a mentoring role and provides the emotional support through which a counselor is able to perform better. The importance of counseling increases as it also provides guidance and information based on which better decisions can be taken and integrity of the profession can be better maintained (Hawkins & Shohet, 2000). This will help to design the entire process in a manner which looks towards developing high standards and code of conduct based on which the professional body will look towards carrying out their activities. This will thereby ensure that the counselor are able to take better decisions and will be looking towards working on the moral grounds through which effectiveness will be achieved. It has been observed that counselors who work in helping agencies find supervising sessions being provided to them so that they are able to understand the working environment better. This is something which is lacking in case of private practice as there is no body that has been incorporated and looks towards ensuring that the standards are adhered. Some people in the field of counseling might feel that supervision creates problem in their work and might feel threatened but a look at the manner in which the person is able to gain advantage of it shows that supervision helps to multiply the importance and value in the field of counseling. One of the prime reasons which have made supervision important in the profession of counseling is that it helps the counselor to resolve their issue and at the same time ensures that the counselor is able to prevent from being emotionally burned out. This has a positive effect on the profession as the person is able to act in a better manner and ensure that better decisions can be taken (Geldard & Geldard, 2001). The fact that supervisor are in a position where they can find out the symptoms of burn out and inform the counselor well in advance so that necessary precaution can be taken through which the benefit will multiply. This makes supervision one of the most important components in the field of counseling. This can be supported by the fact that supervision helps an individual to develop a sense of professional identity and is able to examine his own personal views and opinion so that the decisions which are taken benefits the other parties and ensures efficiency (Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2007, p.360). The other reason which can be attributed to the growing importance of supervision in the field of counseling is that it helps the individual to be fully aware of his own values, beliefs and attitudes which thereby ensures that no negative impact is created on the counseling relationship. The fact that when a counselor works he has to act in accordance with the values and beliefs of the client which makes it important that the counselor understands himself and based on it is able to formulate strategies through which better relations are developed (Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2007, p.360). This will ensure that the process of effectiveness is gained and will help to ensure better decisions and increase the process through which counselors will be able to ensure effectiveness. The success of any business or profession is largely determined by the manner in which the person is able to evolve according to the changing situation. Supervisors provide the required impetus as continuous feedback and sessions with the supervisor ensures that the counselor is able to identify the areas where he is lacking. This will help in the development of new skills and find out better ways through which the client will be better satisfied and will improve the response that the counselor makes. In addition to it supervisor also ensures that a debriefing session is conducted which helps to look at the different situation and the counseling process in an objective manner. This thereby ensures that the counselor becomes better aware of the different areas and is able to transform the manner in which counseling services are provided (Wagner & Smith, 2009). There may be situations when the topic might be very sensitive and might result in over involvement of the counselor with the client. The supervisor at this juncture can act as a person who can interfere and look towards ensuring that the professional ethical standards are maintained. This will thereby help the counselor to perform the duties in the most effective manner. Despite it the situation can also be looked in a different manner as the counselor might feel that the supervisor is getting involved in matters where he should not and the counselor hasn’t taken any steps that go against the code of conduct laid by the professional body. This might result in a situation where the counselor might feel that he has been threatened and is not allowed to carry out his duties and roles in the most diligent manner. One of the issues which are greatly felt while having supervisors during the counseling sessions or in the field of counseling is the risk associated with confidentiality. It is important that the matter that the client discusses with the counselor is kept confidential but using supervisor will increase the risk of leakage of vital information (Wagner & Smith, 2009). This will thereby have an impact on the profession and will look towards maligning the name of the profession is an area which has caught attention. This is an area which requires development as important information if leaked could lead towards creating problems not only for the counselor but also for the entire professional body. In addition to it no consent is taken from the client that their entire proceeding is being monitored. This will reach towards a breach of faith and will make the client feel that he has been cheated. The client in due respect can also take legal actions which will again tarnish the image of the profession. Further there is a less likelihood that all clients will give the permission to be monitored as the clients want to ensure that the discussion that they had with the counselor is kept confidential. This thereby goes against the code of conduct that has been laid by the professional body and is areas which creates doubts and suspicion in the manner the services are being rendered. The only hope here is that it has been legally permitted that the self-reporting model can be used to monitor the manner in which counseling sessions take place and doesn’t require the consent of the client but the risk is up to the counselor to ensure that the information is not leaked. This is thereby a risky phenomenon and could create a situation where the information gets risk and the counselor might find that he has been cheated despite performing his role and duties with utmost faith as the supervisor wasn’t able to deliver on the required standards (Spice & Spice, 2006). This makes it imperative that the counselor looks towards obtaining the permission of the client so that any model which is selected for supervision ensures that the legal angle is adhered to and the code of conduct is maintained. The process of supervision can further be improved and ensured that different benefits are provided by devising ways through which the entire process of supervision in the counseling session improves. This can be done in the following mentioned three ways (Remley, Benshoff & Mowbray, 2007) Firstly, the supervisor remains in the room along with the counselor and the client when the counseling session is in place. This will help the supervisor to supervise the entire situation and can react when any thing doesn’t goes according to the professional code of conduct. This process could instead be less futile because the presence of a third person might make both the counselor and the client uncomfortable. This might result in a situation where the decisions are not proper so it not one of the best method through which supervision in the work field setting can be improved (Benshoff, 2002). Secondly, the supervisor instead of being present in the room watches the entre scene through a one way mirror. This will help the supervisor to supervise the entire situation but won’t be able to react at the same time and can provide the feedback only after the counseling session gets completed. This process could instead be beneficial as it will ensure that the counselor and the client is able to discuss all issues and will be able to come at better decisions. Thirdly, using a process where the supervisor watches the counseling session through closed circuit cameras. This will help the supervisor to supervise the entire situation but won’t be able to react at the same time and can provide the feedback only after the counseling session gets completed. This process could instead be beneficial as it will ensure that the counselor and the client is able to discuss all issues and will be able to come at better decisions (Bernard & Goodyear, 2002). This process will also ensure that the entire thing is recorded and will act as a substance for the future based on which important feedbacks can be provided. This will thereby help to improve the process of counseling in the field and also ensure that the decisions which are taken are better and will help the counselor is different ways. The supervisory relationship in the field of counseling will look towards ensuring that a blend of professional, educational and therapeutic field is considered which will thereby ensure that developments take place and a change is witnessed in the process of delivering quality service. Counselor look towards providing different services to the clients and when supervision is ensured over it the overall effectiveness multiplies (Cormier & Hackney, 2009). This ensures that the decisions which are taken are better pronounced and looks towards delivering on the high standards which has been determined. The importance of counseling increases as it also provides guidance and information based on which better decisions can be taken and integrity of the profession can be better maintained. The success of any business or profession is largely determined by the manner in which the person is able to evolve according to the changing situation. Supervisors provide the required impetus as continuous feedback and sessions with the supervisor ensures that the counselor is able to identify the areas where he is lacking. This will help in the development of new skills and find out better ways through which the client will be better satisfied and will improve the response that the counselor makes. This will thereby have an impact on the entire process of counseling and will bring about changes in the manner decisions are taken and will multiply the effectiveness of the process. The paper thereby presents the manner in which supervision has helped in the field of counseling. It highlights the different benefits and problems that the situation creates and also looks towards presenting the manner in which work place can witness or undergo the required changes which will thereby help to improve overall effectiveness and ensure that the decisions which are taken are better. This will thereby ensure that the different decisions which are taken are better and will improve the overall process of counseling. References Bernard, J.M., & Goodyear, R.K. (2002). Fundamentals of Clinical Supervision. (2nd Ed). Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon Benshoff, J. M. (2002). Peer consultation for professional counselors. Ann Arbor, MI: ERIC/CASS Corey, G., Corey, M.S., & Callanan,P. (2007). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. (7th Ed.). Belmont: Thompson Brooks/Cole Cormier, S. & Hackney, H. (2009). Counseling Strategies and Interventions. Boston: Allyn & Bacon Geldard, D., & Geldard, K. (2001). Basic Personal Counseling: A Training Manual for Counselors. (4th Ed). Sydney: Thompson Brooks/Cole Hawkins, P., & Shohet, R. (2000). Supervision in the Helping Professions. (2nd Ed). Philadelphia: Open University Press Remley, T. P., Jr., Benshoff, J. M., & Mowbray, C. (2007). A proposed model for peer supervision. Counselor Education and Supervision, 27, 53-60 Spice, C. G., Jr., & Spice, W. H. (2006). A triadic method of supervision in the training of counselors and counseling supervisors. Counselor Education and Supervision, 15, 251-280 Wagner, C. A., & Smith, J. P., Jr. (2009). Peer supervision: Toward more effective training. Counselor Education and Supervision, 18, 288-293. Read More