What is Supervision?

Therapy makes demands upon the therapist: we may become too involved, confused about what's happening with a client, not being able to see certain relevant points, or having doubts about our effectiveness in helping the client to help themselves. It can be hard for us to be objective about our therapeutic work. By working with a supervisor, we can attempt to ensure that our

clients’ needs are being met, that we're working clearly and ethically, and that our own needs are met. Unless we take care of ourselves, how can we effectively help our clients? What works, and what doesn't work. How to look at things from different angles.

Yet, supervision, is not just to discuss problems, but to also acknowledge successes.

The aim of supervision can been seen to be the development of a relationship where your supervisor can be regarded as a trusted colleague, helping you to reflect on all aspects your work, enabling you to develop as a therapist. The quantity of supervision sessions is not as important as the quality of those sessions, to meet your needs and to promote the best service for your clients.

Supervision is essential for effective therapy. Most professional therapists are bound by a code of ethics and practice to monitor their therapeutic work through ongoing supervision.

Supervision is a formal arrangement for therapist to discuss their work regularly with someone who is experienced in therapy and supervision. The task is to work together to ensure and develop the efficacy of the therapeutic relationship. The agendas will be the therapy work and feeling about that work, together with the supervisor's reactions, comments, and confrontations. Thus supervision is a process to maintain adequate standards of therapy, and the method of consultancy to widen the horizons of an experienced practitioner.

Why Supervision is Essential for the Practicing Therapist

By its very nature, therapy makes demands upon therapists, who may become over-involved, ignore some important point, become confused as to what is taking place with a particular client, have underlying doubts about their own usefulness, and need confirmation that they are doing well in their work. It is difficult, if not sometimes impossible, to be objective about one's therapeutic work, and 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 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 therapeutic process. Though not concerned primarily with training, personal therapy or line management, supervisors will encourage and facilitate the ongoing self-development, continued learning, and self-monitoring of the therapist.