Professional supervision is an important requirement of becoming a psychologist. Many students find themselves unsure of what to expect from supervision and often confuse it with the manager/employee relationship that's found in other professions.
Supervision in psychology is quite different, as it encompasses not only managerial aspects of the “job” but also supportive elements. There are several types of supervision and countless models as to what “good” supervision should entail and examining them all is beyond the scope of this article. However there are two very popular models, Alfred Kadushin’s model of supervision and Michael Carroll’s generic integrative model of counselling that, while different, share the common goal of supporting the student, or supervisee.
Alfred Kadushin's Model of Supervision
Outlined in Kadushin's, Supervision in Social Work, this model incorporates three parts of supervision; administrative, educative and supportive. Within each of these parts are individual aspects of the supervision process which create further context and explanation for the purpose of each of the parts. For this reason, it is important to examine each of the parts separately, in further detail.
The administrative function incorporates all things pertaining to the organisation the supervisee and supervisor work for, including rules and regulations, resourcing, procedures, the actual job description itself in addition to any written, verbal or organisational requirements that go hand in hand with a counselling role within a company
The educative function concerns the skills and techniques that the supervisee requires in order to be an effective counsellor. Part of this is the supervisor providing feedback and encouragement, particularly where skills can be improved upon.
The supportive function sees the supervisor acts as a mentor and source of strength for the supervisee when they doubt themselves or need assistance. For this to be effective there must be mutual trust and respect between the two parties for complete honesty and disclosure in order for support to be possible.
Michael Carroll’s Generic Integrative Model of Counselling
This model, seen in Carroll's Counselling Supervision: Theory, Skills and Practice recognises that the supervisory relationship consists of seven specific “tasks” which the supervisor is responsible for.
The tasks are to consult, to counsel, to monitor professional ethical issues, to evaluate, to teach, to set up a ‘learning relationship’ and to monitor administrative aspects. These are not linear, rather, all form part of the constant role of the supervisor during the entirety of the relationship, with the supervisor possibly performing two or three of these tasks in a single sentence, as in, “You dealt with that situation very well I thought,” in which the supervisor has evaluated, taught, counselled and monitored professional ethics all at the same time.
The Key Goal of Both Models
Both Kadushin’s and Carroll’s models strive to achieve the same goal; the support of the supervisee through the supervision process. Both seek to provide a framework for supervision to occur in and both are mainly focused on the needs of the supervisee, rather than the supervisor.
Despite the differences between these two models, both are striving to support the supervisee against the same barriers and potential problems that can arise in supervision. It is for this reason, that both models are of enormous benefit to supervision regardless of which one is used in any given supervision situation. It can safely be assumed that if either of these models are used, the supervisee will find their supervision experience to be a rewarding and fulfilling one thus placing them in excellent stead to be of service to their clients in addition to providing them with the support and skills to one day be an effective supervisor themselves.
Sources:
Carroll, M. (1996) Counselling Supervision: Theory, Skills and Practice, London: Continuum International Publishing.
Carroll, M. (2001) Counselling Supervision: Theory, Skills and Practice, London: Sage Publications.
Kadushin, A. (1992) Supervision in Social Work (3rd Edn), New York: Columbia University Press.
