Singapore University of Social Sciences

Clinical Supervision in Counselling & Systemic Therapy

Clinical Supervision in Counselling & Systemic Therapy (COU511)

Synopsis

“Clinical supervision has been recognized as the signature pedagogy (Shulman, 2005) across all of the mental health professions, one that has developed in complementarity to that of direct mental health practice (Watkins, 2011). Bernard and Goodyear (2014) further asserted the importance for all mental health professionals to develop clinical supervision skills, because mental health practitioners have consistently identified supervision as one of their more frequently engaged professional activities (Goodyear et al., 2008; Norcross, Hedges, & Castle, 2002; Rønnestad, Orlinsky, Parks, & Davis, 1997). As the acquisition of the knowledge and skills within clinical supervision is recognized as a necessity for all counseling professionals (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014; Wheeler & Richards, 2007), emerging needs and new areas of focus may be reflected in the clinical supervision literature.” (Bernard & Luke, 2015) This introductory course to clinical supervision is designed for counsellors and systemic therapists to develop their theoretical knowledge and practice in clinical supervision/ consultation. Students will gain a working knowledge of the different modalities (e.g., individual, triadic, and group), and models (e.g., psychotherapy, developmental, discrimination, process, integrative/ systemic) of supervision, as well as address ethical and professional issues in supervision/ consultation. They will learn to apply concepts/ theories, and the process of clinical supervision in their work with supervisees, including how to manage certain challenges in supervision within a safe and supportive environment. In addition, students will acquire the ability for self-reflexivity in clinical and supervisory practice.

Level: 5
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: Every 2 years

Topics

  • Introduction to Clinical Supervision
  • Supervision Across Time
  • Nuts and Bolts of Supervision
  • Theory-Specific Supervision
  • Population-Specific Supervision
  • The Supervisory Relationship
  • Supervision Models
  • Organising the Supervisory Experience
  • Supervision Interventions
  • Ethical & Professional Issues in Supervision
  • Evaluation in Supervision
  • Summary of Clinical Supervision

Learning Outcome

  • Examine the purposes and nature of clinical supervision/ consultation in counselling & systemic therapy/ practice
  • Assess the different modalities and models in clinical supervision and critique the concepts/ theoretical bases of clinical supervision.
  • Debate ethical, professional issues in clinical supervision, including the effects of gender, age and ethnicity on the supervisors and supervisees.
  • Appraise the concepts/ theories learnt in the course to one’s own personal experiences in clinical supervision to enhance self-reflexivity, particularly that of the “Person-of-the-Therapist” (POTT) for supervision purposes.
  • Evaluate the process of a supervision session(s) and apply the different approaches to clinical supervision
  • Formulate one’s own personal approach to clinical supervision to conduct supervisory activities at the workplace and learn to problem-solve certain supervision challenges in a safe and supportive environment.
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