Therapist's Guide to Choosing a Clinical Supervisor
Choosing a clinical supervisor is a crucial step in your journey to becoming a skilled therapist. This relationship will play a significant role in shaping your clinical practice. More than just providing guidance, an effective supervisor can help you learn the nuances of therapy, develop your clinical skills, and help you build a confident professional identity.
Remember, your supervisor isn't just there to teach you techniques; they're also there to help you understand how to be a clinician. This relationship can teach you so much about the art and science of therapy.
Components of a good supervisory relationship
It’s respectful and collaborative: The supervisor and supervisee work together to define goals that are specific to how the supervisee would like to grow. This is an ongoing and evolving relationship, so there is a sense of adapting to new needs and new goals.
It’s reliable and predictable: Supervision occurs consistently at regular intervals. It is a protected time, meaning that it doesn’t get pushed to the side.
It’s a safe environment: The supervisor creates a space that feels safe. In other words, you can show up as your authentic self. You can be exactly where you are at and speak openly about feelings and concerns.
There is cultural competence: A supervisor should maintain awareness regarding their diversity competence. They understand their own biases, they are willing to seek out education, there is increased sensitivity when needed, and there is room for cultural discussions.
It’s more than just reviewing cases: The supervisor wears many hats. These include part mentor, part advocate, and part teacher.
There are clear goals and objectives: The supervisor is clear on the responsibilities and expectations within this relationship. There is room to discuss goals and objectives, for example - what would you like to get out of supervision and how can these skills be enhanced?
The supervisor models professionalism: As a supervisee, your professional identity is still developing. Your supervisor is somebody that you look up to and this can be a powerful model for learning how to navigate this profession and your relationships with your clients.
Feedback is constructive: It is not demoralizing, it includes positive feedback, it’s clear, and it’s fact-based. The feedback is linked to the supervisee’s learning goals. There is also room to give your own feedback about the quality of the supervision you’re receiving.
The supervisor is trained and skilled: This includes both in supervision and in the areas of clinical expertise that you’d like to be supervised in. They stay in their lane. They know what they have clinical expertise in and are honest about what they don’t. They keep skills up to date and have knowledge of law, ethics, and regulations within the field.
The supervision can be adapted to your needs: It is not one size fits all.
It feels empowering, not punitive: An effective supervisor empowers through teaching, modeling, and problem-solving. It is growth oriented.
It is theoretically grounded: Effective supervision is based on a model. Using a model helps keep supervision consistent and has been linked to more positive supervisee experiences.
It’s honest and authentic: There is room and willingness to discuss difficult topics like anxiety about sessions, culture issues, lack of clarity about supervision, and burnout.
Choosing a clinical supervisor is a significant decision that can impact your professional development. My hope is that this guide can help you in finding the right fit. By carefully considering the components of a positive supervisory relationship outlined in this post, you can make an informed choice that will contribute to your success as a therapist. Remember, a strong supervisory relationship is a partnership that can empower you to reach your full potential.
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