Though our work with clients involves the emotional intimacy and privacy of a one-on-one clinical encounter, this is not work that can be done in isolation or without external supports.  After many years of providing supervision to colleagues and student therapists, and after receiving a great deal of supervision myself, I thought I would share some reflections on the importance of this aspect of being a therapist…

Clinical supervision is an essential part of a psychotherapist’s training and ongoing professional development. It provides a safe and supportive environment for therapists to reflect on their clinical work, receive feedback and guidance, and develop new skills and strategies. Many licensing bodies in fact require that therapists engage in a certain minimum number of supervisory sessions per year as part of their continuing education. Let’s take a moment now to consider and explore the importance and benefits of this aspect of our ongoing professional development in further detail.

Improves Clinical Skills and Competence

Becoming a therapist is a life long journey.  When we complete our official training it does not mean we are done and ready for anything…that is really just the beginning. Clinical supervision provides us with an opportunity to review our clinical work with an experienced and knowledgeable supervisor. This allows us to receive feedback on our practice, learn new techniques and strategies, and identify areas for improvement (and there is always room for improvement!)  It is an essential part of maintaining and improving our clinical skills and competencies, developing new skills, and helping us to remain maximally receptive and emotionally available for our clients.

Enhances Self-Awareness

Clinical supervision provides a space for us to reflect on our own personal biases, beliefs, fantasies, reactions and values that may be impacting our clinical work.  Many reactions a therapist may have to their clients arise outside of awareness (unconsciously) and are difficult to detect and understand on ones own.  These emotional reactions (sometimes referred to as countertransference), if not appropriately navigated and acknowledged by the therapist, can hinder the progress of the treatment.  By exploring these issues in supervision, psychotherapists can develop a greater understanding of themselves and their clients, the interactions between them and the potential meanings that such reactions may have – all of which will benefit the therapeutic work.  No matter how much personal therapy we may have had (and hopefully we have had at least some) there will always remain some psychological blind-spots that can interfere with our work – supervision is one important way of correcting for this.

Reduces Burnout and Vicarious Trauma

Working in the mental health field can be emotionally demanding, and psychotherapists are at risk of experiencing burnout and vicarious trauma.  (A great book that explores this risk of vicarious trauma in the therapist is “Trauma and the Therapist” (1995) by Laurie Pearlman).  The supervisory relationship provides a space for psychotherapists to process their emotions, reduce their stress levels, and develop strategies to manage the emotional demands of their work. This can help prevent burnout and ensure that psychotherapists are able to provide effective and sustainable care to their clients.  A good supervisor will let you know when it is time for you to take a much needed break, transfer a client to another therapist, or perhaps modify your clinical practice as well as how to do that in an ethical manner.  Supervision can definitely be considered an essential aspect of a therapist’s ongoing self-care (for more information about therapist self-care, please consult my earlier blog post).

Promotes Ethical Practice

Ethical quandaries are an inevitability in our work.  Eventually we will all face some clinical dilemmas that will require some complex ethical decision making and reflection. Clinical supervision provides an opportunity for psychotherapists to discuss ethical issues that may arise in their clinical work.  Ethical issues encountered in psychotherapy tend to be complex and multifaceted and are not always easy to resolve in isolation.  A supervisor can provide much needed perspective and emotional containment around what are often difficult clinical decisions to make. More generally, by exploring these issues in supervision, psychotherapists can develop a greater understanding of ethical principles and guidelines, and ensure that they are providing ethical and responsible care to their clients.  At a practical level, demonstrating (and documenting) that you have consulted with a colleague/supervisor when faced with an ethical dilemma will also be self-preserving in the event that you are ever challenged about your work.

Supports Professional Development

Clinical supervision is a key component of ongoing professional development for psychotherapists. Through supervision, psychotherapists can develop new skills and strategies, stay up to date with the latest research and best practices, and continue to grow and develop as professionals.  Sometimes it is helpful to consult supervisors who work from a different theoretical perspective or who have particular specialties so as to allow you to expand your clinical skills and knowhow.  In my experience, each supervisor I’ve had has brought somewhat different views and perspectives that have definitely helped me to grow as a clinician – and there is always room for more of that!  Supervising others is also an excellent way of continuing our professional growth and development – both parties can greatly benefit from the experience.

In summary: It is very difficult to do the work of a therapist in isolation and without support.  In addition to being an essential part of a psychotherapist’s training and ongoing professional development, supervision provides a space for psychotherapists to reflect on their clinical work, receive feedback and guidance, and develop new skills and strategies. By engaging in supervision, psychotherapists can improve their clinical skills and competence, enhance their self-awareness, manage and learn from their countertransference reactions, reduce burnout and vicarious trauma, promote ethical practice, and support their ongoing professional development.

 

-Patricia from Note Designer-

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