Supervision in Psychological Practice
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What is Counseling Supervision? Who Needs Supervision? Why should Psychological Counselors Need to have Supervisions? Goals for Supervision.
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Supervision in Psychological Practice
- 1. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018 Book Reference: Kabir, SMS (2017). Essentials of Counseling. 1
- 2. Supervision inSupervision in Psychological PracticePsychological Practice Topics CoveredTopics Covered What is Counseling Supervision?What is Counseling Supervision? Who Needs Supervision?Who Needs Supervision? Why should PsychologicalWhy should Psychological Counselors Need to haveCounselors Need to have Supervisions?Supervisions? Goals for Supervision.Goals for Supervision. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 3. What is Counseling Supervision?What is Counseling Supervision? Professional service which encourages the counselorProfessional service which encourages the counselor in the process of self awareness.in the process of self awareness. Facilitating self-learning which results in ongoingFacilitating self-learning which results in ongoing professionalism.professionalism. Counselor uses the services of another moreCounselor uses the services of another more experienced and qualified counselor to review theirexperienced and qualified counselor to review their counseling practice with clients.counseling practice with clients. Supervision exists for three reasons-Supervision exists for three reasons- 1.1. fundamentally to protect clients,fundamentally to protect clients, 2.2. to improve the ability of counselors toto improve the ability of counselors to provide value to their clients andprovide value to their clients and 3.3. to monitor the self-care of the counselor orto monitor the self-care of the counselor or health care professional.health care professional. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 4. What is Counseling Supervision?What is Counseling Supervision? A good supervisor...A good supervisor... – Is committed to supporting the well-being of clients.Is committed to supporting the well-being of clients. – Has the appropriate academic preparation andHas the appropriate academic preparation and professional experience.professional experience. – Is committed to promoting positive relationships andIs committed to promoting positive relationships and supporting the development of supervisees.supporting the development of supervisees. – Understands and adheres to professional ethicalUnderstands and adheres to professional ethical codes and mandates.codes and mandates. – Is empathic, genuine, and willing to give praise andIs empathic, genuine, and willing to give praise and critical feedback.critical feedback. – Is flexible.Is flexible. – Is willing to actively engage in self-reflection.Is willing to actively engage in self-reflection. – Has a good sense of humor.Has a good sense of humor. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 5. What is Counseling Supervision?What is Counseling Supervision? Different types of Counseling Supervision -Different types of Counseling Supervision - Personal Supervision (one-on-one).Personal Supervision (one-on-one). Peer Supervision - a process ofPeer Supervision - a process of supervision where members supervisesupervision where members supervise each other. each other. Group Supervision - a regular meetingGroup Supervision - a regular meeting of supervisees with a designatedof supervisees with a designated Supervisor.Supervisor. Supervision via Skype and/or TelephoneSupervision via Skype and/or Telephone – locating a supervisor may be a– locating a supervisor may be a challenge where distance is an issue.challenge where distance is an issue. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 6. Who Needs Supervision?Who Needs Supervision? All counselors and those involved in the area ofAll counselors and those involved in the area of ‘people helping’, regardless of experience, need‘people helping’, regardless of experience, need supervision.supervision. It is an area which assists the counselor with theIt is an area which assists the counselor with the development of skills, meaning, personal healthdevelopment of skills, meaning, personal health and professional growth.and professional growth. ThoseThose who receive supervision include-who receive supervision include- - Counselors- Counselors - Student Counselors- Student Counselors - Ministers and Clergy- Ministers and Clergy - Chaplains- Chaplains - Business professionals- Business professionals - Social Workers- Social Workers - School Teachers.- School Teachers. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 7. Why should Psychological CounselorsWhy should Psychological Counselors Need to have Supervisions?Need to have Supervisions? Ensure high standards of professionalEnsure high standards of professional practice.practice. Monitor and review the quality of their work.Monitor and review the quality of their work. Autonomous practice in the helpingAutonomous practice in the helping professions.professions. To learn with few technical details orTo learn with few technical details or technical language.technical language. Basic forms of counseling skills to develop aBasic forms of counseling skills to develop a more sophisticated and sensitive form ofmore sophisticated and sensitive form of counseling expertise.counseling expertise. Provides a solid base to help trainees makeProvides a solid base to help trainees make sense of their learning experiences andsense of their learning experiences and to facilitate their professionalism.to facilitate their professionalism. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 8. Goals for SupervisionGoals for Supervision 1. Have a better (more integrated) sense of the therapeutic process. – Processing the relationship – Processing treatment challenges – Understanding phases of change. 2. Develop principles of best professional practice. – Core conditions – Self-awareness 3. Develop professional confidence and an enhanced ability to act autonomously in their working context. - Consultancy supervision - Emotional holding environment. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 9. Goals for SupervisionGoals for Supervision 4. Explore alternative means of understanding and intervening with particular client issues. – Goal directed work – Motivational, educational and evaluative advantages – Address moments of “Stuckness”. 5. Explore past and present experiences of therapeutic work and to find ways to develop their own unique therapeutic style. – Utilize feedback – Moment-to-moment experience of counseling. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 10. Goals for SupervisionGoals for Supervision Central focus of supervision is the quality ofCentral focus of supervision is the quality of practice offered by the supervisee to clients.practice offered by the supervisee to clients. Supervision can be seen as having three aspects:Supervision can be seen as having three aspects: administration (normative); education (formative)administration (normative); education (formative) and support (restorative).and support (restorative). Supervisors’ authority is derived from theirSupervisors’ authority is derived from their positions in agencies and/or the appropriatepositions in agencies and/or the appropriate community of practice (profession).community of practice (profession). There are particular issues arising from theThere are particular issues arising from the hierarchical position of supervisors.hierarchical position of supervisors. In some forms of supervision direct observation ofIn some forms of supervision direct observation of practice is a major obstacle to thepractice is a major obstacle to the exploration of practice; in others an aid.exploration of practice; in others an aid. Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
- 11. QuestionsQuestions andand AnswersAnswers Wednesday, February 7, 2018Wednesday, February 7, 2018SMS Kabir, Jagannath UniversitySMS Kabir, Jagannath University
Editor's Notes
- Supervision is a professional service which encourages the counselor in the process of self awareness whilst facilitating self-learning which results in ongoing professionalism. Working under supervision means that a counselor uses the services of another more experienced and qualified counselor to review their counseling practice with clients. Supervision also considers the ethical professional development, and often the personal development of the counselor. Supervision exists for three reasons. These reasons are fundamentally to protect clients, to improve the ability of counselors to provide value to their clients and to monitor the self-care of the counselor or health care professional. A good supervisor... Is committed to supporting the well-being of clients. Has the appropriate academic preparation and professional experience. Is committed to promoting positive relationships and supporting the development of supervisees. Understands and adheres to professional ethical codes and mandates. Is empathic, genuine, and willing to give praise and critical feedback. Is flexible. Is willing to actively engage in self-reflection. Has a good sense of humor! Different types of Counseling Supervision Personal Supervision (one-on-one). Peer Supervision - a process of supervision where members supervise each other. The process and structure is negotiated within the group, and limited to well qualified counselors. Group Supervision - a regular meeting of supervisees with a designated Supervisor. This is a working alliance between professional and/or student counselors and provides a venue for learning. Supervision via Skype and/or Telephone - locating a supervisor may be a challenge where distance is an issue. Telephone supervision may provide a viable option.
- Supervision is a professional service which encourages the counselor in the process of self awareness whilst facilitating self-learning which results in ongoing professionalism. Working under supervision means that a counselor uses the services of another more experienced and qualified counselor to review their counseling practice with clients. Supervision also considers the ethical professional development, and often the personal development of the counselor. Supervision exists for three reasons. These reasons are fundamentally to protect clients, to improve the ability of counselors to provide value to their clients and to monitor the self-care of the counselor or health care professional. A good supervisor... Is committed to supporting the well-being of clients. Has the appropriate academic preparation and professional experience. Is committed to promoting positive relationships and supporting the development of supervisees. Understands and adheres to professional ethical codes and mandates. Is empathic, genuine, and willing to give praise and critical feedback. Is flexible. Is willing to actively engage in self-reflection. Has a good sense of humor! Different types of Counseling Supervision Personal Supervision (one-on-one). Peer Supervision - a process of supervision where members supervise each other. The process and structure is negotiated within the group, and limited to well qualified counselors. Group Supervision - a regular meeting of supervisees with a designated Supervisor. This is a working alliance between professional and/or student counselors and provides a venue for learning. Supervision via Skype and/or Telephone - locating a supervisor may be a challenge where distance is an issue. Telephone supervision may provide a viable option.
- Supervision is a professional service which encourages the counselor in the process of self awareness whilst facilitating self-learning which results in ongoing professionalism. Working under supervision means that a counselor uses the services of another more experienced and qualified counselor to review their counseling practice with clients. Supervision also considers the ethical professional development, and often the personal development of the counselor. Supervision exists for three reasons. These reasons are fundamentally to protect clients, to improve the ability of counselors to provide value to their clients and to monitor the self-care of the counselor or health care professional. A good supervisor... Is committed to supporting the well-being of clients. Has the appropriate academic preparation and professional experience. Is committed to promoting positive relationships and supporting the development of supervisees. Understands and adheres to professional ethical codes and mandates. Is empathic, genuine, and willing to give praise and critical feedback. Is flexible. Is willing to actively engage in self-reflection. Has a good sense of humor! Different types of Counseling Supervision Personal Supervision (one-on-one). Peer Supervision - a process of supervision where members supervise each other. The process and structure is negotiated within the group, and limited to well qualified counselors. Group Supervision - a regular meeting of supervisees with a designated Supervisor. This is a working alliance between professional and/or student counselors and provides a venue for learning. Supervision via Skype and/or Telephone - locating a supervisor may be a challenge where distance is an issue. Telephone supervision may provide a viable option.
- All counselors and those involved in the area of ‘people helping’, regardless of experience, need supervision. It is an area which assists the counselor with the development of skills, meaning, personal health and professional growth. Those who receive supervision include- Counselors Student Counselors Ministers and Clergy Chaplains Business professionals Social Workers School Teachers.
- Supervision is essential to ensure high standards of professional practice. Ongoing supervision helps practitioners to monitor and review the quality of their work as well as their client’s progress. Supervision, moreover, is a form of professional self-regulation. It is essential for the right to autonomous practice in the helping professions. Without supervision psychological counselors might have to be regulated or “licensed” to practice by other professions (e.g. by the medical profession). Counseling supervision is especially important for trainees. Counseling skills can appear deceptively simple to learn with few technical details or technical language. Supervision has a special role in helping trainees move beyond basic forms of counseling skills to develop a more sophisticated and sensitive form of counseling expertise. Equally, counseling placements need careful management and structured support. The trainee experience should be encouraging and empowering rather than negatively demanding. Supervision provides a solid base to help trainees make sense of their learning experiences and to facilitate their professionalism.
- Goals for Supervision To help supervisees have a better (more integrated) sense of the therapeutic process. Therapeutic process is common to all different forms of counseling and therapy. It concerns the therapist’s capacity to be self-aware; of thoughts and feelings, of possibilities and limitations in psychological counseling, and of personal and professional boundaries. It takes place in the interchange between therapist and client and is manifested in the style, pacing and art of therapy. The clinical gaze thus turns inwards during process considerations. Brems (1999) offers a useful framework for understanding process in psychotherapy and counseling. He argues it is best thought of as three separate but intervening circular processes- processing the relationship processing treatment challenges understanding phases of change Process goals, moreover, may be distinguished from outcome goals. Whilst psychiatry and clinical psychology have specialized in formal assessment (e.g. using the DSM framework), psychological counselors might be able to claim that they are moving towards a more process oriented form of client appraisal in which the primary aim is to provide the best fit their repertoire of therapeutic skills to the client's needs. Walborn (1996) notes that process learning offers a guide or map, which frees counselors to be flexible in the direction they take. The struggle to understand process, moreover, promotes expression of intuition. To help supervisees develop principles of best professional practice. Good professional practice is founded on a sound understanding of ethical principles. In turn this means therapists fine tuning their awareness of process considerations and their decision making in the course of negotiating therapeutic change. Rogers “core conditions” are concerned with the ethics of good counseling practice as much as they are with therapeutic methods. Rogers (1961) reframes the nature of psychotherapeutic work from the question of how to treat the client to how to establish a relationship with the client. His emphasis is on experiential aspects of therapy rather than technical procedures. As he explains: “Self-awareness, a recognition of process, an understanding of developmental needs and stages, and the emphatic attunement to the clients reality and phenomenology of the self are crucial aspects of the therapy and carry their tremendous responsibility and opportunity”. Good practice also means maximizing counselor’s effectiveness. By making the counselors thinking explicit it becomes open to revision. That is, it functions as a form of learning through feedback, allowing the counselor to learn from mistakes and to consolidate progress. Supervision also focuses, therefore, on the intentions and impact of therapeutic work and the general management of casework. To help supervisees develop professional confidence and an enhanced ability to act autonomously in their working context. Effective supervision also includes the need to understand the working context of therapy, not just the clients presenting problem. In my experience, practitioners need support to help cope with their practice setting as much as they do with client issues. Hawkins & Shohet (1989) established a model of consultancy supervision in which supervises have the responsibility for their work but consult on issues they wish to explore with someone who is not in a training or line-manager role. As they describe: “Supervision sessions should always start from exploring issues from work and should end with looking at where the supervisee goes next with the new work that has been explored”. They conclude that supervision and support are a fundamental need for all the helping professions. Walborn (1996) cogently argues that the counselor must create a safe “emotional holding environment” for clients concerns. He might have added that it is just as important to create a safe holding environment for the counselor’s concerns. To help supervisees explore alternative means of understanding and intervening with particular client issues. Supervision can also help the counselor to develop in-depth understanding of the client and facilitate appropriate goal setting. Counselors may also acquire new skills and knowledge to improve their functioning through goal directed work. Cormier & Hackney (1999) contend that formulation of goals have motivational, educational and evaluative advantages. I find that having specific goals to work towards can help counselors work more effectively and efficiently as well as facilitating commitment. It is also a common experience among practitioners that they occasionally become "stuck" with a particular client problem (i.e. there is no evident progress and the client appears to disengage). Counselors too, may even privately feel the same way. Client resistance or reluctance may stem from clients need for self-protection but often leads to therapeutic breakthroughs. Successful processing of being stuck relies, though, on the counselor’s continued acceptance of the client and communication that the therapeutic environment is a safe place to allow such explorations. Supervision can play an especially important role in helping practitioners to address moments of “stuckness”. Good supervision can help the practitioner reframe the problem and reaffirm the basis of their therapeutic alliance. To help supervisees explore past and present experiences of therapeutic work and to find ways to develop their own unique therapeutic style. The form of supervision will also be inevitably influenced by the therapeutic model employed by the supervisor since it implies theoretical formulation and the anticipation of interventions. Rennie's (1998) sophisticated version of Person Centered counseling promotes the concept of counselor’s style. The point is for the counselor to develop his or her own style whilst staying genuine and meaningful to the client. Rennie warns against too wooden a style through too literal an interpretation of the core conditions. The sophisticated view of person centered counseling is in considerable contrast to the more widely purveyed literalist version. Although both adhere to the same basic principles of core conditions, the sophisticated Person Centered counselor recognizes that being with the client involves more than good intentions. Rather, counselors adapt their strategy to fit the client's preparedness to work in the counseling relationship. The counselor invites the client to work in certain ways and utilizes feedback to direct the client through the counseling process. This involves the counselor monitoring his or her own reactions to client experience and highlights reflexivity in the moment-to-moment experience of counseling. Supervision can facilitate the reflective process by which therapists assess their own standpoint and their style of practice. In conclusion particular questions have been highlighted. Some of the main points developed are as follows- The central focus of supervision is the quality of practice offered by the supervisee to clients. Supervision can be seen as having three aspects: administration (normative); education (formative) and support (restorative). Supervisors' authority is derived from their positions in agencies and/or the appropriate community of practice (profession). There are particular issues arising from the hierarchical position of supervisors. In some forms of supervision direct observation of practice is a major obstacle to the exploration of practice; in others an aid.
- Goals for Supervision To help supervisees have a better (more integrated) sense of the therapeutic process. Therapeutic process is common to all different forms of counseling and therapy. It concerns the therapist’s capacity to be self-aware; of thoughts and feelings, of possibilities and limitations in psychological counseling, and of personal and professional boundaries. It takes place in the interchange between therapist and client and is manifested in the style, pacing and art of therapy. The clinical gaze thus turns inwards during process considerations. Brems (1999) offers a useful framework for understanding process in psychotherapy and counseling. He argues it is best thought of as three separate but intervening circular processes- processing the relationship processing treatment challenges understanding phases of change Process goals, moreover, may be distinguished from outcome goals. Whilst psychiatry and clinical psychology have specialized in formal assessment (e.g. using the DSM framework), psychological counselors might be able to claim that they are moving towards a more process oriented form of client appraisal in which the primary aim is to provide the best fit their repertoire of therapeutic skills to the client's needs. Walborn (1996) notes that process learning offers a guide or map, which frees counselors to be flexible in the direction they take. The struggle to understand process, moreover, promotes expression of intuition. To help supervisees develop principles of best professional practice. Good professional practice is founded on a sound understanding of ethical principles. In turn this means therapists fine tuning their awareness of process considerations and their decision making in the course of negotiating therapeutic change. Rogers “core conditions” are concerned with the ethics of good counseling practice as much as they are with therapeutic methods. Rogers (1961) reframes the nature of psychotherapeutic work from the question of how to treat the client to how to establish a relationship with the client. His emphasis is on experiential aspects of therapy rather than technical procedures. As he explains: “Self-awareness, a recognition of process, an understanding of developmental needs and stages, and the emphatic attunement to the clients reality and phenomenology of the self are crucial aspects of the therapy and carry their tremendous responsibility and opportunity”. Good practice also means maximizing counselor’s effectiveness. By making the counselors thinking explicit it becomes open to revision. That is, it functions as a form of learning through feedback, allowing the counselor to learn from mistakes and to consolidate progress. Supervision also focuses, therefore, on the intentions and impact of therapeutic work and the general management of casework. To help supervisees develop professional confidence and an enhanced ability to act autonomously in their working context. Effective supervision also includes the need to understand the working context of therapy, not just the clients presenting problem. In my experience, practitioners need support to help cope with their practice setting as much as they do with client issues. Hawkins & Shohet (1989) established a model of consultancy supervision in which supervises have the responsibility for their work but consult on issues they wish to explore with someone who is not in a training or line-manager role. As they describe: “Supervision sessions should always start from exploring issues from work and should end with looking at where the supervisee goes next with the new work that has been explored”. They conclude that supervision and support are a fundamental need for all the helping professions. Walborn (1996) cogently argues that the counselor must create a safe “emotional holding environment” for clients concerns. He might have added that it is just as important to create a safe holding environment for the counselor’s concerns. To help supervisees explore alternative means of understanding and intervening with particular client issues. Supervision can also help the counselor to develop in-depth understanding of the client and facilitate appropriate goal setting. Counselors may also acquire new skills and knowledge to improve their functioning through goal directed work. Cormier & Hackney (1999) contend that formulation of goals have motivational, educational and evaluative advantages. I find that having specific goals to work towards can help counselors work more effectively and efficiently as well as facilitating commitment. It is also a common experience among practitioners that they occasionally become "stuck" with a particular client problem (i.e. there is no evident progress and the client appears to disengage). Counselors too, may even privately feel the same way. Client resistance or reluctance may stem from clients need for self-protection but often leads to therapeutic breakthroughs. Successful processing of being stuck relies, though, on the counselor’s continued acceptance of the client and communication that the therapeutic environment is a safe place to allow such explorations. Supervision can play an especially important role in helping practitioners to address moments of “stuckness”. Good supervision can help the practitioner reframe the problem and reaffirm the basis of their therapeutic alliance. To help supervisees explore past and present experiences of therapeutic work and to find ways to develop their own unique therapeutic style. The form of supervision will also be inevitably influenced by the therapeutic model employed by the supervisor since it implies theoretical formulation and the anticipation of interventions. Rennie's (1998) sophisticated version of Person Centered counseling promotes the concept of counselor’s style. The point is for the counselor to develop his or her own style whilst staying genuine and meaningful to the client. Rennie warns against too wooden a style through too literal an interpretation of the core conditions. The sophisticated view of person centered counseling is in considerable contrast to the more widely purveyed literalist version. Although both adhere to the same basic principles of core conditions, the sophisticated Person Centered counselor recognizes that being with the client involves more than good intentions. Rather, counselors adapt their strategy to fit the client's preparedness to work in the counseling relationship. The counselor invites the client to work in certain ways and utilizes feedback to direct the client through the counseling process. This involves the counselor monitoring his or her own reactions to client experience and highlights reflexivity in the moment-to-moment experience of counseling. Supervision can facilitate the reflective process by which therapists assess their own standpoint and their style of practice. In conclusion particular questions have been highlighted. Some of the main points developed are as follows- The central focus of supervision is the quality of practice offered by the supervisee to clients. Supervision can be seen as having three aspects: administration (normative); education (formative) and support (restorative). Supervisors' authority is derived from their positions in agencies and/or the appropriate community of practice (profession). There are particular issues arising from the hierarchical position of supervisors. In some forms of supervision direct observation of practice is a major obstacle to the exploration of practice; in others an aid.
- Goals for Supervision To help supervisees have a better (more integrated) sense of the therapeutic process. Therapeutic process is common to all different forms of counseling and therapy. It concerns the therapist’s capacity to be self-aware; of thoughts and feelings, of possibilities and limitations in psychological counseling, and of personal and professional boundaries. It takes place in the interchange between therapist and client and is manifested in the style, pacing and art of therapy. The clinical gaze thus turns inwards during process considerations. Brems (1999) offers a useful framework for understanding process in psychotherapy and counseling. He argues it is best thought of as three separate but intervening circular processes- processing the relationship processing treatment challenges understanding phases of change Process goals, moreover, may be distinguished from outcome goals. Whilst psychiatry and clinical psychology have specialized in formal assessment (e.g. using the DSM framework), psychological counselors might be able to claim that they are moving towards a more process oriented form of client appraisal in which the primary aim is to provide the best fit their repertoire of therapeutic skills to the client's needs. Walborn (1996) notes that process learning offers a guide or map, which frees counselors to be flexible in the direction they take. The struggle to understand process, moreover, promotes expression of intuition. To help supervisees develop principles of best professional practice. Good professional practice is founded on a sound understanding of ethical principles. In turn this means therapists fine tuning their awareness of process considerations and their decision making in the course of negotiating therapeutic change. Rogers “core conditions” are concerned with the ethics of good counseling practice as much as they are with therapeutic methods. Rogers (1961) reframes the nature of psychotherapeutic work from the question of how to treat the client to how to establish a relationship with the client. His emphasis is on experiential aspects of therapy rather than technical procedures. As he explains: “Self-awareness, a recognition of process, an understanding of developmental needs and stages, and the emphatic attunement to the clients reality and phenomenology of the self are crucial aspects of the therapy and carry their tremendous responsibility and opportunity”. Good practice also means maximizing counselor’s effectiveness. By making the counselors thinking explicit it becomes open to revision. That is, it functions as a form of learning through feedback, allowing the counselor to learn from mistakes and to consolidate progress. Supervision also focuses, therefore, on the intentions and impact of therapeutic work and the general management of casework. To help supervisees develop professional confidence and an enhanced ability to act autonomously in their working context. Effective supervision also includes the need to understand the working context of therapy, not just the clients presenting problem. In my experience, practitioners need support to help cope with their practice setting as much as they do with client issues. Hawkins & Shohet (1989) established a model of consultancy supervision in which supervises have the responsibility for their work but consult on issues they wish to explore with someone who is not in a training or line-manager role. As they describe: “Supervision sessions should always start from exploring issues from work and should end with looking at where the supervisee goes next with the new work that has been explored”. They conclude that supervision and support are a fundamental need for all the helping professions. Walborn (1996) cogently argues that the counselor must create a safe “emotional holding environment” for clients concerns. He might have added that it is just as important to create a safe holding environment for the counselor’s concerns. To help supervisees explore alternative means of understanding and intervening with particular client issues. Supervision can also help the counselor to develop in-depth understanding of the client and facilitate appropriate goal setting. Counselors may also acquire new skills and knowledge to improve their functioning through goal directed work. Cormier & Hackney (1999) contend that formulation of goals have motivational, educational and evaluative advantages. I find that having specific goals to work towards can help counselors work more effectively and efficiently as well as facilitating commitment. It is also a common experience among practitioners that they occasionally become "stuck" with a particular client problem (i.e. there is no evident progress and the client appears to disengage). Counselors too, may even privately feel the same way. Client resistance or reluctance may stem from clients need for self-protection but often leads to therapeutic breakthroughs. Successful processing of being stuck relies, though, on the counselor’s continued acceptance of the client and communication that the therapeutic environment is a safe place to allow such explorations. Supervision can play an especially important role in helping practitioners to address moments of “stuckness”. Good supervision can help the practitioner reframe the problem and reaffirm the basis of their therapeutic alliance. To help supervisees explore past and present experiences of therapeutic work and to find ways to develop their own unique therapeutic style. The form of supervision will also be inevitably influenced by the therapeutic model employed by the supervisor since it implies theoretical formulation and the anticipation of interventions. Rennie's (1998) sophisticated version of Person Centered counseling promotes the concept of counselor’s style. The point is for the counselor to develop his or her own style whilst staying genuine and meaningful to the client. Rennie warns against too wooden a style through too literal an interpretation of the core conditions. The sophisticated view of person centered counseling is in considerable contrast to the more widely purveyed literalist version. Although both adhere to the same basic principles of core conditions, the sophisticated Person Centered counselor recognizes that being with the client involves more than good intentions. Rather, counselors adapt their strategy to fit the client's preparedness to work in the counseling relationship. The counselor invites the client to work in certain ways and utilizes feedback to direct the client through the counseling process. This involves the counselor monitoring his or her own reactions to client experience and highlights reflexivity in the moment-to-moment experience of counseling. Supervision can facilitate the reflective process by which therapists assess their own standpoint and their style of practice. In conclusion particular questions have been highlighted. Some of the main points developed are as follows- The central focus of supervision is the quality of practice offered by the supervisee to clients. Supervision can be seen as having three aspects: administration (normative); education (formative) and support (restorative). Supervisors' authority is derived from their positions in agencies and/or the appropriate community of practice (profession). There are particular issues arising from the hierarchical position of supervisors. In some forms of supervision direct observation of practice is a major obstacle to the exploration of practice; in others an aid.