Surveillance Clinical Counseling - Article Example

Clinical Counseling Supervision Student’s name Institution According to Koster (2003) supervision leads to a mental and emotional education that can guide practical work, frees fixed patterns of experience and behavior and promotes the willingness as well as the ability to act suitably, carefully and courageously. This essay is an exploration of Koster’s 2003 quote regarding supervision best practice particularly with regard to counseling supervision. The difficulties and benefits of supervision in counseling and challenges in practice will also be identified. It will also give personal reflections and perspectives regarding supervision as experienced including how challenging contexts should be dealt with. Lastly it will discuss the effectiveness of supervision in the practical work experience and what I believe could have been done in order to enhance the supervision processes for counseling. Koster’s quote is not wholly true given that supervision can lead to positives as well as negatives. He makes the claim that supervision will result in emotional and mental education which will be a guide in practical work and will free the practitioner from rigid patterns of behavior and experience. Supervision has been established to be a critical component since it enhances professional competency and self awareness thus enhancing confidence in the performance of professional duties due to the steady hand of guidance (Chan, Berven & Thomas, 2014), which bears a striking resemblance to the assertions of Koster. The aim of supervision is the developmental growth and professional awareness of the counselor being supervised (Hage, & Romano, 2010). Koster asserts that supervision results in development which is expected to enhance efficacy of counseling practice for the supervisee. With thorough supervision the counselor will develop their personal and professional skills through reflection and guidance. The development that supervision provides will enable them to modify their behavior which will ultimately result in counseling practice that is appropriate, careful and courageous. This will assist the professional in the development of emotional and mental proficiencies which can only be enhanced and hastened by the use of active supervision. It has been established that organizations and individuals stand to benefit from the provision of clinical supervision from a professional. Professional supervision entails the supervisor ensuring that the patient gets assistance in the appropriate manner, accomplishes set goals and is not harmed during the counseling process. It is critical that the patient is the first to benefit from the services (Hawkins, Shohet, Ryde & Wilmot, 2012). The great part of the conversation during the supervisory sessions involves the interventions that ought to be implemented for the given clients and deal with the challenges that the supervisee is dealing with in the case. The supervisor educates, interacts, explains, clarifies and supports the supervisee in the formulation of professional interventions. The supervisee has a lot to gain from this process of interaction. Weld (2011) suggests that the process is critical in enhancing the supervisee’s insight, scope of practice and expertise. In order for insightful learning to occur it is important that the supervisee engage the supervisor in all aspects of practice. This means that the supervisor is not the teacher per se but rather the clinical material. Through supervision the supervisor shields the supervisee from burnout normally referred to as burnout. Additionally the organization stands to benefit if the counselor being supervised is an educational institution trainee given that they will develop into safer and more proficient counselors (Hodges, 2011). Through such an arrangement the organization enhances its reputation as a center for appropriate training and support of trainees with professionalism. As such supervision which is offered by the organization serves in the building of a positive professional reputation thus attracting more interns. The clinical supervisor also gets to benefit from the supervision process. The supervision process enables them to enhance their understanding of clinical work, experience, knowledge, the world and their own practice. This enhances a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in their work (Maki & Tarvydas, 2012). Supervision offers a lot of value as a learning too, though it may also result in challenges which would make for negative learning experiences. According to Davys and Beddoe (2010), it was established that 39% of participants in their study reported challenges especially with regard to conflict which made learning more difficult during their internship. The research established that conflict and challenges in supervision stems from three areas: personality issues, style of supervision and theoretical orientation (Patton, & McMahon, 2011). Persons subscribing to different theoretical orientations will have difficulties during the supervision process (Pennsylvania State University & Wellington, 2012). In many organizations the counselor being supervised does not get to choose their supervisor which may result in persons of different theoretical orientations being paired up. For instance a supervisor that is convinced that his theoretical orientation is best practice will not be ready to accept different perspectives of the supervisee who is from a different theoretical perspective. Differences in theoretical orientation are common in supervision and may result in conflicts between the counseling supervisor and the student which may result in little learning as there is not much negotiation of differences (Naomi & Augustus, 2010). Secondly conflicts and challenges may stem from the supervisory style that is adopted. Some supervisors will adopt informal while others will have a preference for the formal approach. Difficulties and challenges usually stem from four ineffective supervisory styles; therapeutic supervision, amorphous supervision, constrictive supervision and unsupportive supervision (Aasheim, 2012). There is limited autonomy in the constructive supervisory style. The amorphous style of supervision incorporates little contribution from the supervisor with the supervisor adopting a laissez faire orientation where the counseling intern can do whatever they like and be corrected through advice at a later time in the supervision process. Unsupportive supervisory orientation is a situation in which the supervisor is distant and cold making it hard for the intern to seek their advice on the challenges being encountered on the job. In therapeutic supervision the counseling intern is transformed into almost a patient even as the supervisor is like a therapist. The supervisor is pushy and persistent which makes the intern feel infantile (Oxman, O’Brien, Kristoffersen, Young & Jamtvedt, 2006). Personality issues may also result from challenges and difficulties during the supervision processes. In instances in which there is a clash of personalities between the intern and the supervisor, there is likely to be a supervisory alliance rupture (Hendrickson & Krause, 2012). Confusion in communication is one of the leading causes of the breakdown in the alliance, for instance what the supervisee says may be interpreted by the supervisor in a negative manner. Nevertheless the breakdown may be as a result of the intern’s defensiveness. For instance upon receiving feedback from the supervisor the supervisee may react defensively which puts a strain on the supervisory relationship. In instances in which the intern has challenges dealing with their patients, supervision is very critical in assisting them deal with the situation in a professional manner. All manner of challenges with regard to solving the issues of the client can be discussed with the supervisor which will be critical in coming up with interventions that will be useful for every case solution. For instance, during my internship the supervisor was of great help in dealing with a complicated situation. There was an instance in which a certain client had an issue which I found to be out of my depth. I had little confidence in dealing with the challenge since I did not have enough experience in the area. In order to deal with the challenge I consulted the supervisor who guided me and assisted me whenever I was stuck on some aspect of the case. Throughout the process of the supervision, the supervisor listened to the issue, asked me a series of questions to explore the issue, gave encouragement regarding different routes I proposed and also gave his input on what I ought to do. The supervisor was very helpful in working with the supervisor in coming up with best interventions to deal with the issue at hand. Potential interventions and explanations of the issue were explored as the supervisor made clarifications regarding certain aspects of the case to the counseling intern. The supervisor’s role was to fill in gaps in knowledge and thinking which the intern had to take into account in their own reflection and exploration of available interventions that could be implemented. Role plays and modeling was also employed in helping the supervisee reflect on the situation. Supervision was thus a critical aspect since the challenges and confrontations fronted enabled the intern to learn and reflect hence enhancing their capacity to deal with and resolve a challenging situation. A breakdown of the efficiency of the supervision will be given and how it affected the work experience. It was evident that supervision was greatly effective since there were clear procedures and processes which were followed by the supervisor. The initial supervision included the clarification of the knowledge and experience level of the intern and what aspects the intern believed they needed more guidance and assistance. Daily supervisions session involved the following a process that was usually strictly adhered to every day. When the intern had challenges it would be analyzed and discussed carefully. The supervision sessions discussed issues such as: ethical and legal issues; future plans and intervention strategies; supervisee – supervisor relationship; supervisee – boundaries and client alliance; goal setting and client issues among others. Following the discussion of the issues, the structured questions were asked by the supervisor aimed at obtaining clarification as well as assisting the intern to bring up their issues as well as offering an opportunity for reflection. Examples of such questions were: what do you believe are the key aspects of the case I need to know about? What are your perspectives and attitudes towards the issue? And where do you think you need the most guidance. The sessions included a lot of note taking by both the supervisor and the supervisee which were a recording of struggles, plans, themes, patients discussed and the progress and learning that had been covered. After the discussion of the issue the questions posed by the supervisor were aimed at encouraging the intern to: comprehend the issue; link it to information offered and theory; develop and implement a treatment plan; and lastly establish the modus operandi (Sperry, 2007). Verbal feedback would be offered as well as asked for by the supervisor and from the supervisee towards the end of the session. Questions would be as simple as how beneficial did you find our session? Supervision was very effective since the supervisor was keen to follow a set procedure in all sessions. The effectiveness of the supervision was also enhanced by the supervisor who was self disclosed, encouraging, empathetic, respectful and genuine. The supervisory experience during my internship was effective and very beneficial. Nevertheless not all can be said of all supervisors since I only interacted with one supervisor. The supervisor was friendly, well learned and professional in all aspects. She always exhibited genuine commitment, empathy and respect for my ideas and opinions and the challenges I faced. (Vasquez, M., et al., 2008) established that an ideal supervisor exhibits self disclosure, respect, concreteness, empathy and genuineness most of which my supervisor had. I could not find fault with the supervision given that it was a positive experience in learning with the guidance of a professional that was proficient in their duty. It is not easy to think of many suggestions to enhance supervision for my placement work station given that it was even better than I had expected. Supervision may have some negatives and its positives but it is a critical component, since it is the experiences in supervision which enables the supervisee to develop their emotional and mental experiences. It is through these experiences that the trainee counselor gets to learn and develop capacity in dealing with similar and diverse challenges in counseling. An intern who is supervised by a proficient supervisor will ultimately become a good counselor who is adaptable, willing to learn, act appropriately and with courage i9n their future professional practice. References Aasheim, L. (2012). Practical clinical supervision for counselors: An experiential guide. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Chan, F., Berven, N. L., & Thomas, K. R. (2014). Counseling Theories and Techniques for Rehabilitation Health Professionals. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Davys, A., & Beddoe, L. (2010). Best practice in professional supervision: A guide for the helping professions. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Hage, S., & Romano, J. (2010). “Prevention and Counseling Psychology Revitalizing Commitments for the 21st Century” The Counseling Psychologist, 28; 733-763. Hawkins, P., Shohet, R., Ryde, J., & Wilmot, J. (2012). Supervision in the helping professions. Maidenhead, Berkshire, England: Open University Press. Hendrickson, D. E., & Krause, F. H. (2012). Counseling and psychotherapy: Training and supervision. Hodges, S. (2011). The counseling practicum and internship manual: A resource for graduate counseling students. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Maki, D. R., & Tarvydas, V. M. (2012). The professional practice of rehabilitation counseling. New York: Springer Pub. Naomi, M., Augustus, J. (2010). “Ethics and the professional practice of psychologists: The role of virtues and principles.” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21; 107-114. Oxman, AD., O’Brien MA., Kristoffersen, DT., Young, JM., Jamtvedt, G. (2006). “Audit and feedback: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes (Review),” The Cochrane Collaboration, 17; 45-57. Patton, W., & McMahon, M. (2011). Supervision in the helping professions: A practical approach. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson Education. Pennsylvania State University., & Wellington, A. M. (2012). Counselor selection, education, supervision. State College, Pa: Counselor Education Press. Sperry, L. (2007). The ethical and professional practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Vasquez, M., Tanney, M., Sprinthall, N., Schlossberg, N., Mills, D., Hansen, J., Dowd, T., Altmaier, E., Armsworth, M., & Kagan, N. (2008). “Professional Practice of Counseling Psychology in Various Settings” The Counseling Psychologist, 16; 347-365. Weld, N. (2011). A practical guide to transformative supervision for the helping professions: Amplifying insight. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Read More

Weld (2011) suggests that the process is critical in enhancing the supervisee’s insight, scope of practice and expertise. In order for insightful learning to occur it is important that the supervisee engage the supervisor in all aspects of practice. This means that the supervisor is not the teacher per se but rather the clinical material. Through supervision the supervisor shields the supervisee from burnout normally referred to as burnout. Additionally the organization stands to benefit if the counselor being supervised is an educational institution trainee given that they will develop into safer and more proficient counselors (Hodges, 2011).

Through such an arrangement the organization enhances its reputation as a center for appropriate training and support of trainees with professionalism. As such supervision which is offered by the organization serves in the building of a positive professional reputation thus attracting more interns. The clinical supervisor also gets to benefit from the supervision process. The supervision process enables them to enhance their understanding of clinical work, experience, knowledge, the world and their own practice.

This enhances a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in their work (Maki & Tarvydas, 2012). Supervision offers a lot of value as a learning too, though it may also result in challenges which would make for negative learning experiences. According to Davys and Beddoe (2010), it was established that 39% of participants in their study reported challenges especially with regard to conflict which made learning more difficult during their internship. The research established that conflict and challenges in supervision stems from three areas: personality issues, style of supervision and theoretical orientation (Patton, & McMahon, 2011).

Persons subscribing to different theoretical orientations will have difficulties during the supervision process (Pennsylvania State University & Wellington, 2012). In many organizations the counselor being supervised does not get to choose their supervisor which may result in persons of different theoretical orientations being paired up. For instance a supervisor that is convinced that his theoretical orientation is best practice will not be ready to accept different perspectives of the supervisee who is from a different theoretical perspective.

Differences in theoretical orientation are common in supervision and may result in conflicts between the counseling supervisor and the student which may result in little learning as there is not much negotiation of differences (Naomi & Augustus, 2010). Secondly conflicts and challenges may stem from the supervisory style that is adopted. Some supervisors will adopt informal while others will have a preference for the formal approach. Difficulties and challenges usually stem from four ineffective supervisory styles; therapeutic supervision, amorphous supervision, constrictive supervision and unsupportive supervision (Aasheim, 2012).

There is limited autonomy in the constructive supervisory style. The amorphous style of supervision incorporates little contribution from the supervisor with the supervisor adopting a laissez faire orientation where the counseling intern can do whatever they like and be corrected through advice at a later time in the supervision process. Unsupportive supervisory orientation is a situation in which the supervisor is distant and cold making it hard for the intern to seek their advice on the challenges being encountered on the job.

In therapeutic supervision the counseling intern is transformed into almost a patient even as the supervisor is like a therapist. The supervisor is pushy and persistent which makes the intern feel infantile (Oxman, O’Brien, Kristoffersen, Young & Jamtvedt, 2006). Personality issues may also result from challenges and difficulties during the supervision processes. In instances in which there is a clash of personalities between the intern and the supervisor, there is likely to be a supervisory alliance rupture (Hendrickson & Krause, 2012).

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