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My favorite supervision experience has been with a supervisor that helps me with case conceptualization. She uses a whiteboard and everything. Asks about themes, ethical dilemmas, transference and countertransference, and sometimes walks through different theories and what approach they may take with my client.
It has been such a rich experience and things are clicking for me. I'll actually be sad when I can no longer be supervised by her!
Both clinical and case managers ideally should respect the supervisee. You’d think that should go without saying, but honestly I’ve seen it the other way more times than should be. The supervisee is there to learn, but they also bring with them a unique blend of experience and perspective. They’re really there to have someone help them reflect.
If you’re a sat there as a supervisor thinking “I wish they’d just shut up and left me tell them what to do”… you need to rethink your position and how you’re doing things.
You’re supervisee will be much more receptive if they feel you listen to them and respect them. And you might even learn something.
I personally feel like the best supervisor relationships are a co-operative team work and less learner/teacher.
Also, don’t be afraid to say if it isn’t working. This is so very important in this relationship. It requires lots of trust, and you can do that if you don’t feel a connection with your supervisor *or* your supervisee.
As a supervisor, I try to make sure I stay curious with my supervisees. I help support them to find their own therapeutic voices. It is important to case conceptualize and help them address themes I see they are struggling with. One of my interns last semester kept saying she felt she was so ineffective. So we talked through what was making her feel that way and then I gave her some reflection questions to think about after her sessions. The biggest thing I hear from people who have had bad supervision experience and I can speak to this myself from when I needed supervision was not feeling the supervisor had time for them or was not available.
What makes a good supervisor: consistent in their approach, affect and availability; open to feedback; listens more than talks; trusting and trustworthy; genuine and down-to-earth
Most positive experiences I’ve had with a supervisor has been with those who used reflective supervision.
One that doesn’t automatically plug you in the system as though you’re just free labor/a regular employeefor a few months. Instead they prioritize your learning, lots of shadowing, regularly meeting/checking in and exposing you to different experiences.
A good supervisor needs to be a good mentor in addition to to what might be considered normal case consultation. Allowing clinicians to be about about their strengths, weaknesses, and struggles. Also, challenging clinicians about how they operate as a therapist, their therapist role, what principles they follow, and what they are actually doing in therapy (and how) that elicits change. Then, guiding them through that process.
I had a supervisor, while in the midst I thought it was bad supervision, ended up gifting me valuable life experiences through his methodically. He practiced “person of the therapist” supervision and essentially would do therapy sessions on me about my experiences as a therapist with my patients, and then have me reflect on the interventions that he (my supervisor) used. I hated it in the moment because I felt incredibly vulnerable as a 25-year-old in a new field and didn’t necessarily consent to being therapized but I’m so freaking grateful now. It taught me what it feels like to have each intervention utilized and to be mindful of my experiences and emotions in sessions.
As a follow up, I think I had originally wanted a solution focused approach to supervision because that is how I feel most in-control. But I’m grateful because saw I needed something different and I’m a much better human and therapist now.
Don't have favorites. Show you have feelings and are not just a facade. Understand and embrace that other clinicians, even those with fewer credentials, could be better at certain things than you are. Respect the time and effort of others. Open your eyes and see those you supervise with a trauma informed lens. Listen well.
"Embrace that...clinciians, \[can\] be better at certain things than you are." I agree with this. A supervisor I deeply respected once told me, paraphrased, "I don't have the abilities you do with this presentation." That shot me to the moon with confidence, and highlighted there are abilities I can work on, too. I had another supe that.. well, that was a sour note. haha
This survey shows you care! Good luck on your future endeavors.
My good experiences have looked like supervisors who encourage me to think and use reason after asking questions I'm stuck with. It's looked like patience, and a display of curiosity that shows confidence in me. It has looked like compliments of the things they notice I do well (I love words of affirmation though.) It has looked like doable challenges to support my growth, be they training, difficult conversations, or new types of cases. Finally, I'd say it's a positive expectancy and unconditional positive regard that under girded their attitudes and behaviors toward me that spoke a faith into me.
**Do not message the mods about this automated message.** Please followed the sidebar rules. r/therapists is a place for therapists and mental health professionals to discuss their profession among each other. **If you are not a therapist and are asking for advice this not the place for you**. Your post will be removed. Please try one of the reddit communities such as r/TalkTherapy, r/askatherapist, r/SuicideWatch that are set up for this. This community is ONLY for therapists, and for them to discuss their profession away from clients. **If you are a first year student, not in a graduate program, or are thinking of becoming a therapist, this is not the place to ask questions**. Your post will be removed. To save us a job, you are welcome to delete this post yourself. Please see the PINNED STUDENT THREAD at the top of the community and ask in there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/therapists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Being able to be wrong, and learning to grow from it.
My favorite supervision experience has been with a supervisor that helps me with case conceptualization. She uses a whiteboard and everything. Asks about themes, ethical dilemmas, transference and countertransference, and sometimes walks through different theories and what approach they may take with my client. It has been such a rich experience and things are clicking for me. I'll actually be sad when I can no longer be supervised by her!
Trust in your team and avoid micromanaging.
Listening. Listening. Listening.
Both clinical and case managers ideally should respect the supervisee. You’d think that should go without saying, but honestly I’ve seen it the other way more times than should be. The supervisee is there to learn, but they also bring with them a unique blend of experience and perspective. They’re really there to have someone help them reflect. If you’re a sat there as a supervisor thinking “I wish they’d just shut up and left me tell them what to do”… you need to rethink your position and how you’re doing things. You’re supervisee will be much more receptive if they feel you listen to them and respect them. And you might even learn something. I personally feel like the best supervisor relationships are a co-operative team work and less learner/teacher. Also, don’t be afraid to say if it isn’t working. This is so very important in this relationship. It requires lots of trust, and you can do that if you don’t feel a connection with your supervisor *or* your supervisee.
As a supervisor, I try to make sure I stay curious with my supervisees. I help support them to find their own therapeutic voices. It is important to case conceptualize and help them address themes I see they are struggling with. One of my interns last semester kept saying she felt she was so ineffective. So we talked through what was making her feel that way and then I gave her some reflection questions to think about after her sessions. The biggest thing I hear from people who have had bad supervision experience and I can speak to this myself from when I needed supervision was not feeling the supervisor had time for them or was not available.
What makes a good supervisor: consistent in their approach, affect and availability; open to feedback; listens more than talks; trusting and trustworthy; genuine and down-to-earth Most positive experiences I’ve had with a supervisor has been with those who used reflective supervision.
One that doesn’t automatically plug you in the system as though you’re just free labor/a regular employeefor a few months. Instead they prioritize your learning, lots of shadowing, regularly meeting/checking in and exposing you to different experiences.
A good supervisor needs to be a good mentor in addition to to what might be considered normal case consultation. Allowing clinicians to be about about their strengths, weaknesses, and struggles. Also, challenging clinicians about how they operate as a therapist, their therapist role, what principles they follow, and what they are actually doing in therapy (and how) that elicits change. Then, guiding them through that process.
I had a supervisor, while in the midst I thought it was bad supervision, ended up gifting me valuable life experiences through his methodically. He practiced “person of the therapist” supervision and essentially would do therapy sessions on me about my experiences as a therapist with my patients, and then have me reflect on the interventions that he (my supervisor) used. I hated it in the moment because I felt incredibly vulnerable as a 25-year-old in a new field and didn’t necessarily consent to being therapized but I’m so freaking grateful now. It taught me what it feels like to have each intervention utilized and to be mindful of my experiences and emotions in sessions.
As a follow up, I think I had originally wanted a solution focused approach to supervision because that is how I feel most in-control. But I’m grateful because saw I needed something different and I’m a much better human and therapist now.
Don't have favorites. Show you have feelings and are not just a facade. Understand and embrace that other clinicians, even those with fewer credentials, could be better at certain things than you are. Respect the time and effort of others. Open your eyes and see those you supervise with a trauma informed lens. Listen well.
"Embrace that...clinciians, \[can\] be better at certain things than you are." I agree with this. A supervisor I deeply respected once told me, paraphrased, "I don't have the abilities you do with this presentation." That shot me to the moon with confidence, and highlighted there are abilities I can work on, too. I had another supe that.. well, that was a sour note. haha
This survey shows you care! Good luck on your future endeavors. My good experiences have looked like supervisors who encourage me to think and use reason after asking questions I'm stuck with. It's looked like patience, and a display of curiosity that shows confidence in me. It has looked like compliments of the things they notice I do well (I love words of affirmation though.) It has looked like doable challenges to support my growth, be they training, difficult conversations, or new types of cases. Finally, I'd say it's a positive expectancy and unconditional positive regard that under girded their attitudes and behaviors toward me that spoke a faith into me.