Counsellor Supervision

In order to maintain “best practice” and work within the BACP ethical framework, all active counsellors and psychotherapists require regular counselling supervision. Finding the right counselling supervision is, in my opinion one of THE most important aspects of any successful counselling practice. This is true whether you are just beginning to work with clients in the second year of training or are a seasoned counselling professional. After 9 years of running a busy counselling practice in Bishops Stortford, I began providing counselling supervision for new students and experienced counsellors and therapists in 2004.

Professional counselling supervision should be about the counsellor and not the supervisor. Too often I meet with new supervisees and hear about how frightened they are of counselling supervision – and this is particularly true of student counsellors. In counselling supervision, the job should be to focus on facilitating the counsellor in becoming the best professional they are able to be. Counselling supervision should not be a place where it feels like you have a punitive watchdog looking over your shoulder. Rather, it should be an opportunity to reflect on one’s practice – good and poor – with an understanding professional who can help you to ensure that as you go forward you are learning from each experience and growing as a result of it.

It is important in counselling supervision that a counsellor feels protected and safe enough to discuss all of their practice. Not just the bits where they have done a fantastic job, but also those events where they walked out of a session scratching their heads or feeling like they’ve done something really silly.

To be able to discuss these issues openly, and without fear of judgement or reprisal is what makes a strong and successful relationship between supervisor and supervisee. If you are seeking a supervisor, whether for the first time or just to freshen up your existing practice view. Please telephone for a no obligation conversation about your supervisory needs.