Integrating Neurocounseling in Clinical Supervision

Strategies for Success

Lori A. Russell-Chapin, Theodore J. Chapin

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780429891403
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Psychotherapy Counselling
• Index: Psychology

Integrating Neurocounseling in Clinical Supervision provides an indispensable framework for understanding supervision using neuroscience. Chapters explore a range of topics, from basic neuroanatomy to the complexities of the default mode network. Beginning with overviews of supervision and of common challenges and ethical concerns, the book presents five supervision models, allowing the supervisor to select the best fit for each supervisee and each question. By combining supervision theory, practical applications, discussion questions, and case studies and demonstrations, the authors prepare counselors to be more intentional about brain functions to increase the efficacy of supervision. New video demonstrations available on the companion website emphasize client outcomes for each of the five supervision models and one group counseling scenario, connecting directly to chapter content and demonstrating the major elements of each model.

1
A CLARIFYING VIEW OF SUPERVISION

Overview

The purpose of this chapter is to encourage helping professionals to see the overall benefits of supervision throughout the life span of the counseling career, value those benefits as a professional necessity, and eventually discover supervision approaches that fit their needs. The basic tenets and definitions of clinical counseling supervision will be presented, along with the roles, expectations, and functions of the supervisor/supervisee. Throughout the book the authors will also integrate the latest information on neurocounseling and its implications to the supervisory process.

Goals

• Understand the need for a holistic, integrative supervision book.
• Define supervision and its major components.
• Explain how clinical supervision is an integral part of professionalism.
• Identify brain structures and functions that impact clinical supervision.

Supervision Defined

Much like counseling theories, supervision approaches have many similarities and differences. Of course, the main goal is to act as a gatekeeper for the helping professions and assist in effective client outcomes. Moreover the similarities for all models include: supervisee learning and development, support for the emotional effects of the work, and managerial and ethical responsibilities (Simpson-Southward, Waller, & Hardy, 2017, p. 1228). Most supervision models/approaches also emphasize the importance of a healthy supervisee and supervisor relationship, stress the importance of feedback and communication, and have a variety of supervisor tasks and functions. Understanding the differing categories, tenets, and functions of supervision will expand your clinical supervision knowledge base, plus allow you more diversity and selection of needed supervision skills. Each category may have something to offer the supervisory team based upon the needs of the supervisee (Russell-Chapin, Sherman, & Ivey, 2016).

However, in a recent content analysis of 52 supervision models, many differences were discovered. Seventy-one supervisory elements unfolded with little consistency in the models. Most emphasized the development of the supervisees, and only half of the models focused on the client and outcomes. Some supervision models never even mentioned the evaluation process (Simpson-Southward et al., 2017).

It is the authors’ intention of this book then to offer fundamental, standardized, and foundational elements for all supervision models, yet continue to allow the needed diversity of the unique supervision models. With that in mind, supervision is often defined concisely as an emotionally safe, distinctive approach and response to a supervisee’s needs from an expert who has more experience (Russell-Chapin, Sherman & Ivey, 2016; Bernard & Goodyear, 2008). Haynes, Corey, and Moulton (2003) add that clinical supervision is a process using consistent observation and evaluation from a trained counseling professional that has a specialized body of knowledge and skill. In an earlier and classic citation, Bernard and Goodyear (2004) offered this definition:

Supervision is an intervention provided by a senior member of a profession to a junior member or members of that same profession. This relationship is: evaluative, extends over time and has the simultaneous purposes of enhancing the professional functioning of the more junior person(s), monitoring the quality of professional services offered to clients that she, he or they see(s), and serving as a gatekeeper of those who are to enter a particular profession. (p. 8).

Discussion Questions #1:

1. What is your definition of supervision?
   
2. What do you believe the benefits of supervision might be for you?
   

The Process of Supervision

The supervisor will usually clarify and combine three processes throughout supervision: roles, expectations, and functions. The roles that are used will be dependent on the supervisee’s needs. During an informal or formal assessment the supervisor may decide that the “hat” of the teacher, consultant, evaluator, and/or encourager is needed (Bernard & Goodyear, 1998).

Holloway and Carrol (1999) suggest that it is the supervision tasks and roles plus their functions of those tasks that equal the supervision process. In other words, when the roles and responsibilities of the supervisor are combined with the need of the counselor in training, then a supervision process has begun.

During every supervision session the expectations must be clarified. Initially knowing what is expected from each member of the supervisory team is essential. The perceptions of the supervisor and supervisee will continue to be shared throughout the lifetime of supervisory experience. The functions of supervision will vary based upon the supervisee’s needs as well. The major responsibilities, though, are that of administration, education, and support. A typical supervisory opening question might be, “What do you need and want out of supervision today?” (Russell-Chapin & Ivey, 2004).

Still, another aspect of the supervisory process has to consider the method of delivery. These decisions may have more to do with the actual clinical settings as well as the accreditation of many of our helping professional associations such as the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) for counselor educators. CACREP (2015) stipulates that triadic supervision is needed for practicum students. Further discussion of group supervision will be written about in Chapter Nine on Group Supervision. Many community settings prefer and only have access to small group supervision, and yet there are still professionals who prefer the intimacy of individual supervision. With each delivery modality, there are unique challenges from offering the best type of corrective feedback to sufficient amount of time to cover caseloads to the importance of establishing group norms (Borders, Welfare, Sackett, & Cashwell, 2017; Luke & Diambra, 2017; Borders & Giordano, 2016).

Another essential mandate for a successful supervision experience is the proper documentation. In Appendix 1.A of this chapter are examples of practicum/internship contracts, logs, consent forms and evaluations. Many institutions already use these types of forms.

The next category of forms is not often required. These newer forms will be included in the body of the chapter for further reflection. Whether the supervisee is a graduate student or a practicing counseling professional some type of a clinical supervision policy and supervision plan is a must. Both the written supervision policy and the supervision plan assist in clarifying the expectations, tasks, and roles in the supervision relationship. The following policy example is one the authors use in their private practice.

Resource Management Services, Inc.

Clinical Supervision Policy

(Draft)

1. All professional staff are required to participate in clinical supervision. Staff may choose from two supervision formats, individual or group. Group supervision will be provided twice a month (once a month in June, July and August), at no cost to staff. Individual supervision must be arranged privately. All staff are required to attend group supervision a minimum of two hours a month or individual supervision one hour a month. Any other arrangement must be approved by the group’s Chief Clinical Supervisor (CCS), Ted Chapin, Ph.D. Check your professional association’s supervision requirement to determine how much supervision you need. Pressing clinical issues that cannot wait for scheduled supervision, are to be brought to immediate supervisory attention.
2. All supervisory discussions will be appropriately documented and filed with the CCS. The documentation is to include the date, counselor name, client name, supervisory issue, recommended action and as indicated, resolution. In addition, the name of each person attending supervision will also be noted.
3. All clinical staff are expected to follow their respective professional ethical guidelines and are further required to give special attention to the following primary clinical duties, presenting any such issue for immediate supervision.
   1. Duty to prevent client from harming self or others.
   2. Duty to protect client confidentiality.
   3. Duty to provide for client continuity of service.
   4. Duty to keep adequate clinical records.
   5. Duty to properly diagnose and treat clients.
   6. Duty to avoid dual relationships and sexual impropriety.
   7. All office staff (clerical, accounting, data management, and administrative) must also as appropriate, follow and/or be mindful of the above primary duties, presenting any such issue to their immediate supervisor for feedback, clarification, and/or appropriate action.
   All clinical staff are to make reasonable arrangements for their client’s care should they be unavailable due to vacation or illness. This ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• About the Authors
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1 A Clarifying View of Supervision
• Chapter 2 Obstacles to Effective Supervision
• Chapter 3 Ethics in Counseling Supervision
• Chapter 4 Developmental Supervision Models
• Chapter 5 Theoretical-Specific Supervision Models
• Chapter 6 Social Role Supervision Models
• Chapter 7 Integrated Models of Supervision
• Chapter 8 Interpersonal Process Recall
• Chapter 9 Benefits of Group Supervision
• Chapter 10 Future Trends in Supervision
• Index