Supervision & Consultancy

Supervision qualifications: MSc in Counselling (Supervision and Training). Senior accredited supervisor (BACP)

What is supervision?

Supervision provides support, information, and monitoring for counsellors/therapists or supervisors, and for other people working in a variety of helping settings (such as social workers, health professionals, teachers etc). It is different from therapy in that although it might help to identify some of the personal issues that are being triggered by the work, it is not the arena in which that work will be undertaken. Although the 'client' is the primary focus, supervision also focuses on workers' responses to their clients and issues related to the context of the work e.g. counsellors working in GP settings might need to focus on how they manage waiting lists, relationships within the team, negotiating their contracts or referrals.

Supervision has been said to have three functions; normative, formative and restorative. Normative functions are those that relate to the rules, norms, and responsibilities of professionalism. Formative functions are educational and allow supervisees to grow and develop in knowledge and skills. The restorative function is in helping the supervisee gain support and thus relief from some of the weight of the work through discharge of feelings and recharge of energy. Another function of supervision is challenge and stimulation.

What is consultancy?

I offer consultancy to people working in a variety of roles within organisations (commercial, statutory and voluntary), when the person might want help to understand and manage aspects of their work that are burdensome, such as relationships with other staff or the effect of the context upon the work, themselves and others towards whom they have some responsibility. I also offer consultancy to managers and help with development work in a variety of projects.

Environment

My belief is that supervision and consultancy can best be undertaken within a safe and trusting relationship when supervisees can permit themselves to explore their anxieties, vulnerabilities, mistakes, (as well as celebrate their successes!), issues raised by transference and counter-transference, ethical dilemmas etc. in order to develop their skills, potential and understanding in the work they undertake. I believe this will make them more effective and help them remain psychologically healthy.

Getting started

Once we have agreed to work together we will arrange frequency - which should take into account the individual weight of cases, experience, training etc. Individual supervision/consultancy sessions are normally an hour and a half to allow sufficient material to be covered in depth. Group supervision sessions are usually a minimum of two hours in duration.

Examples of arenas in which supervision is currently offered

I offer support and consultancy to individuals and groups working in Education, Probation, the NHS, and other statutory and voluntary organisations.

For example, consultancy for:

• Manager of community drugs project;
• Director of a Christian counselling agency;
• Manager of an abuse counselling agency;
• Trainer, consultant and coach to national and international organisations.
• Probation service victim liaison team.

Counselling supervision for:

• NHS team working with disabled clients;
• Primary support teams working with children with emotional and behavioural disorders
• Counsellors working in two separate agencies for clients who have been sexually abused;
• London Fire Brigade counsellor;
• Counsellor in NHS occupational health dept;
• Counsellors in primary care
• Therapists in private practice

Cost: The cost of supervision for individuals is £55 per hour. Consultancy work ranges between £60-£100 per hour, plus travel time and expenses involved.