Supervision is an essential and required practise for counsellors who are accredited in the UK.
Supervision is a valuable method of “checking in” with an experienced and trained counsellor who can offer there support for counsellors ensuring they keep grounded, maintain skilled and moral boundaries, develop their knowledge and understanding, as well as encourage their own self-care to avoid “burnout”. Counselling Supervision is at the core of ensuring counsellors provide safe, ethical and consistently proficient counselling.
It is suggested that a supervisor be experienced or trained within the style of work being administrated by the supervisee (e.g. operating with PTSD, grief, kids & youngsters etc.)
Supervision is essential to how practitioners sustain good practice throughout their working life. Supervision provides practitioners with regular and ongoing opportunities to reflect in depth about all aspects of their practice in order to work as effectively, safely and ethically as possible. Supervision also sustains the personal resourcefulness required to undertake the work.
BACP Ethical Framework
As a regulation the BACP recommend 1.5 hours of supervising per month or every 8 sessions for counsellors. That said, a counsellor’s level of expertise and type of client work could have an effect on what proportion of supervising is needed. The amount of hours and frequency of supervising should be discussed the supervisor.
Concerns regarding any area of the counselling work being administrated ought to be discussed at supervising where further support or advice can be given. Supervisors can offer clear tips to their supervisees on what actions should be taken in times of crisis, emergency or if the supervisor isn’t available.
It is advised that a record of supervision hours is kept as proof in case of audit, applying for association accreditations or applying for counselling work.
For further Information and resources for practitioners and supervisors, please see the BACP website.
I am an experienced and empathic counselling supervisor, and registered member of the BACP based in Heaton Moor and Levenshulme and offering counselling Supervision for Stockport and South Manchester area. Please get in touch if you are looking for a supervisor.
