Professional / Clinical Supervision

What is Supervision?

Professional supervision is a regular, scheduled meeting in which an individual discusses their practice, shares concerns, and builds on positive experiences. It helps people maintain their mental health, adhere to ethical standards, and perform their profession more effectively.

The primary objectives of supervision are:

1) Reflection: Analysing work-related events to determine what worked and what needs improvement.

2) Support: Reducing stress and preventing burnout at work.

3) Learning: Determining the need for training and developing practical skills.

4) Safety: Ensuring that work complies with ethical and legal standards.

5) Restoration: Emphasises managing the emotional burden of hard labour and personal well-being.

The Process

These four primary procedures are often followed during the supervision session:

1) Reporting: Outlining the selected workplace circumstances, behaviours, and emotions.

2) Reflecting: Examining the reasons behind events and considering different strategies.

3) Evaluating: Comparing performance to workplace norms and ethical regulations.

4) Action Planning: Selecting specific actions to return to the workplace.

Individual Supervision

Focus: Individual centres on your personal cases.
Feedback: Individual gives you undivided expert guidance.
Privacy: Individual provides high confidentiality for sensitive issues.
Time: Individual moves entirely at your own pace.
Cost: Individual is generally more expensive per hour.
Safety: Individual creates a low-pressure space to admit mistakes.

Group Supervision

Focus: Group centres on shared themes and team dynamics.
Feedback: Group offers diverse perspectives from multiple peers.
Privacy: Group requires sharing experiences in front of colleagues.
Time: Group requires dividing time among all participants.
Cost: Group lowers costs by splitting the supervisor's fee.
Safety: Group can sometimes trigger peer competition or anxiety which is why trust within the group is paramount.