Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................2
STRUCTURE OF A PROCESS RECORDING.........................................3
CONFIDENTIALITY IN PROCESS RECORDINGS ………………………5
SUPERVISOR COMMENTS AND USE IN SUPERVISION.....................6
PROCESS RECORING FORMAT MICRO…………………………………7
PROCESS RECORING FORMAT MACRO…..……………………………9
PROCESS RECORDING FORMAT GROUP ……………………………..11
SKILLS LIST…………………………………………………………………...13
EXAMPLES OF COMPLETED PROCESS RECORDINGS ....................16
1
INTRODUCTION
There are many ways of learning in the Social Work field. You have already
gained knowledge by reading, listening, having discussions, and now, in practice.
A Process Recording is another tool that many in the Social Work profession
have used in their development and education. The purpose of the process recording is
to develop and increase your knowledge about yourself as a practicing professional and
about the work you are engaging in.
Sacred Heart University is committed to the use of the Process Recording as a
learning tool and the use of this tool in supervision during the duration of our student’s
time in field.
Process Recordings allow you to see and assess your skills, techniques,
personal insight, self-awareness, and application of knowledge, as well as gain
feedback from your field supervisor and field liaison. We encourage you to utilize this as
a tool to help you grow. You may choose to keep your process recordings throughout
your time here so you can see your own progression over time.
2
STRUCTURE OF PROCESS RECORDINGS
Process Recordings may look different based on your placement, but the
structure of SHU’s Process Recordings are essentially the same.
Process Recordings have been done in a column format or a narrative format.
We require that SHU students use a column format. Our Process Recording has a
cover page which includes some narrative elements where we ask more information
such as the relationship to the person(s) in the session, context of verbatim dialogue,
pre-meeting work and goals.
SHU uses a 4 column process recording, and students are asked to provide
information for 3 of the 4 columns.
Column 1: Verbatim Dialogue/Content
In this column students are asked to include verbatim dialogue, word for
word, in a dialogue format. For example:
Client: “I am not sure what I am doing.”
Student: “What would be most helpful from me right now?”
Client: “If you could help me fill out these forms, I don’t always read very
well.”
Student: “I am happy to help you with that, and thank you for sharing that
with me about not always reading very well,”
Students may include a particularly challenging or rich interaction with
their client. Students may also choose to use sections of their interactions that
relate to area of student growth, student or client change, themes that the
student would like to explore more such as loss, feelings of hopelessness or
helplessness, areas of growth or leadership by a student.
3
Column 2: Analysis
Students describe the client, interaction or event in terms of attitude, tone,
affect, non-verbal communication, defense mechanisms, etc. Utilize this area to
describe what you are observing and picking up on with your client or interaction.
What is it that you are noticing from your interaction that does not involve direct
language? For example:
Client seemed frustrated as evidenced by furrowing their brow and sighing
deeply. Client tone was harsher than their usual voice, and client had their
first curled into a ball while they were speaking.
Column 3: Self-Reflection
Students describe their experience of the interaction in terms of their own
cognitive and affective responses, non-verbal communication, defenses, etc.
Also, the student identifies the phase of work, skills used or missed opportunity to
use a skill. For example:
I wasn’t sure if I should label their feeling for them. Rather than exploring
their feeling, I asked how I could be helpful. I did not want to assume why
they needed help, and wanted to be able to meet their need. I was able to
paraphrase here. I was also shocked that they can’t really read. I assume
everyone who has graduated high school can do that.
Column 4: Supervisory Comments
This column is where your Field instructor should support strengths, highlight
limitations, clarify use of skills, ask questions etc.
Please see page 6 for more details on this section.
4
CONFIDENTIALITY IN PROCESS RECORDINGS
Students are expected to protect client/consumer/group confidentiality in
accordance with professional practice standards, including HIPPA. All students should
check with their Field Supervisors re: Agency specific confidentiality and HIPPA
policies.
For Process Recordings, this may include, but is not limited to

Removing any references to agency, staff, or volunteer names. You may put in
“staff,” “volunteer,” as a substitute.

Change names and initials of clients and anyone else in the process recording,
or substitute by use of “Client.”

Delete any reference to any information specifying geographical area, such as
street names, businesses, schools or hospitals.

Delete any identifying information that would enable a reader to identify any
clients, other professionals, agencies, or agency personnel.
Also important to remember is that Process Recordings should be completed
outside of your internship hours. In most cases, agency records cannot be removed
from the agency. So if you need to take notes home, ensure that they adhere to
confidentiality requirements and review with your field supervisor any special steps that
need to be taken to ensure that confidentiality requirements are adhered to.
5
SUPERVISOR COMMENTS AND USE IN SUPERVISION
While the process recordings use is to strengthen the student’s sense of skills,
observation, knowledge and insight that is integral to the student’s growth, so is the
feedback they receive from their field supervisor.
We ask that supervisors review process recordings and comment with feedback
for the student. The process recording can be further reviewed and discussed during
supervision.
Supervisors are encouraged to give feedback on strengths and challenges of
interactions, observed behaviors, verbal and nonverbal responses, addressing certain
feelings or behaviors, exploring more in depth student insights, demonstration and use
of skills, issues of ethics, values, diversity and differences, cultural insight, power
dynamics, conflicts, connection to competencies, alternative points of view or
suggestions, and input on ways to help students increase empathy, change perspective,
and deepen relationship with client or others. This can also be an area to recommend
resources or interventions, linking to other levels of practice and the larger field.
Supervisors are also encouraged to ensure that process recordings convey the
substance of the session or contact, as well if the student is clear about the purpose of
the contact or interaction with the client system. Students should also make sure that
their interventions support the achievement of the client, session, program or agency
goal.
Supervisors may want to also see that students are able to focus or partialize
issues, meet client where they are at, and that students are communicating with intent
to clients, as well as balance hearing both verbal and non-verbal communication and
balance empathetic listening with intervention.
6
PROCESS RECORDING TEMPLATE
The following are the templates used for Micro, Macro and Group Process Recordings.
OUTLINE FOR MICRO PROCESS RECORDING
FIELD PRACTICUM
I
IDENTIFYING DATA
Name of client system (individual, family, group, community, organization, or
project)
Date
Which session (#1, #2, etc.)?
Worker
Who present, who absent
Agency
II
PRE-SESSION ACTIVITIES
Preparatory work, meetings, phone calls, research before contact
III
GOAL OF SESSION
Purpose and expected outcomes
IV
NARRATIVE OF INTERACTION Use Narrative Sheets
Include: description of client; what worker saw and did and said; word by word
written account; points raised, discussions, decisions, positions, conflicts, and agreements. Be clear
about the difference between what you felt, thought, and
said.
V
ANALYSIS OF SESSION (or contact)
Did you meet your goals?
What do you think happened?
What went right? What went wrong? Why?
What issues were raised? What contracts were made?
What values were expressed? What dynamics occurred between the people present?
Who played what roles?
What things do you need to watch out for?
VI
GOALS
What are your plans for:
A.
Next session
B.
Collateral work
VII
EVALUATION OF YOUR WORK
What were your interventions?
Evaluate your work with the client system. Strengths? Areas that need improvement?
VIII
QUESTIONS FOR NEXT SUPERVISORY SESSION based on this client contact
7
8
Dialogue
Analysis
Self-Reflection
Supervisory Comments
SW:
Client:
SW:
Client:
This is a narrative of the
conversation with the
client. Student should use
client’s initials to assure
confidentiality.
Student describes the
client in terms of: attitude,
tone, affect, non-verbal
communication, defense
mechanisms, etc.
Student describes their
experience of the
interaction in terms of
their own cognitive and
affective responses, nonverbal communication,
defenses, etc. Also, the
student identifies the phase
of work, skills used or
missed opportunity to use
a skill.
Field instructor should
support strengths,
highlight limitations,
clarify use of skills, etc.
MACRO PROCESS RECORDING TEMPLATE
OUTLINE FOR MACRO PROCESS RECORDING
FIELD PRACTICUM
I
IDENTIFYING DATA
Name Project/Meeting/Task/Event
Date
Who present, who absent
II
PRE-CONTACT ACTIVITIES
Preparatory work, meetings, phone calls, research before contact
III
GOAL OF CONTACT
Purpose and expected outcomes
IV
NARRATIVE OF CONTACT
Identify and describe the macro intervention plan used and how it was
implemented. What was the process? What steps did you take to help formulate
the plan?
V
ANALYSIS OF CONTACT
Did you meet your goals?
What do you think happened?
What went right? What went wrong? Why?
VI
GOALS
What are your plans for the next step or contact?
VII
EVALUATION OF YOUR WORK
Was the objective accomplished? Why or why not? Is there anything you would do
differently to change the outcome?
VIII
QUESTIONS FOR NEXT SUPERVISORY SESSION based on this contact
9
Content of
Contact
Analysis
Self-Reflection
Supervisory
Comments
As detailed as
possible,
describe or
report on an
item, activity,
comment,
interaction or
meeting.
Student
describes the
interaction in
terms of
attitude, tone,
affect, nonverbal
communication,
defense
mechanisms,
etc.
Student
describes their
experience of
the interaction
in terms of their
own cognitive
and affective
responses, nonverbal
communication,
defenses, etc.
Also, the
student
identifies the
phase of work,
skills used or
missed
opportunity to
use a skill.
Field instructor
should support
strengths,
highlight
limitations,
clarify use of
skills, etc.
10
GROUP PROCESS RECORDING TEMPLATE
OUTLINE FOR GROUP PROCESS RECORDING
FIELD PRACTICUM
I
IDENTIFYING DATA
Name of client system (individual, family, group, community, organization, or
project)
Date
Which session (#1, #2, etc.)?
Worker
Who present, who absent
Agency
II
PRE-SESSION ACTIVITIES
Preparatory work, meetings, phone calls, research before contact
III
GOAL OF SESSION
Purpose and expected outcomes
IV
NARRATIVE OF INTERACTION Use Narrative Sheets
Include: description of client; what worker saw and did and said; word by word
written account; points raised, discussions, decisions, positions, conflicts, and agreements. Be clear
about the difference between what you felt, thought, and
said.
V
ANALYSIS OF SESSION (or contact)
Did you meet your goals?
What do you think happened?
What went right? What went wrong? Why?
What issues were raised? What contracts were made?
What values were expressed? What dynamics occurred between the people present?
Who played what roles?
What things do you need to watch out for?
VI
GOALS
What are your plans for:
A.
Next session
B.
Collateral work
VII
EVALUATION OF YOUR WORK
What were your interventions?
Evaluate your work with the client system. Strengths? Areas that need improvement?
VIII
QUESTIONS FOR NEXT SUPERVISORY SESSION based on this client contact
11
Group Dialogue
Analysis
Self-Reflection
Supervisory Comments
SW:
Client XX:
SW:
Client XY:
Client XX:
Client XY:
Client XW:
SW:
This is a narrative of the
conversation with the
client. Student should use
client’s initials to assure
confidentiality.
Student describes the
client in terms of: attitude,
tone, affect, non-verbal
communication, defense
mechanisms, etc.
Student describes their
experience of the
interaction in terms of
their own cognitive and
affective responses, nonverbal communication,
defenses, etc. Also, the
student identifies the phase
of work, skills used or
missed opportunity to use
a skill.
Field instructor should
support strengths,
highlight limitations,
clarify use of skills, etc.
12
SKILLS LIST
As a part of your Self-Reflection, we ask you to label or name some of the skills you are
using. This assist you in seeing how your knowledge is being used and translating to
your work. Additionally, it will assist in developing a wider professional language. This is
by no means an exhaustive list, but some common skills used in our profession. The
following is a list of skills for you to reference:
Anticipatory Planning: Planning an idea and putting it into action
Active Listening: Nodding, making eye contact, paying attention to what
Assisting: Making phone calls, completing an application
Advocating: Ensuring clients’ access to rights and entitlements
Clarification: Asking the client to give more information on a statement to clarify for the worker
(“I am having difficulty keeping the two women straight, which person is the one you enjoy
spending time with?”)
Confrontation: The worker pushing against a person’s denial (“I understand that you believe
your daughter does not have a drug problem, but the test is positive, and she needs to go to
rehab.”)
Contracting: Clearly defining the issues a goals of treatment
Description: Asking client’s for more details during a session (“Tell me what happened when
you yelled at them?”)
Developmental exploration: A worker talking with a client about their childhood to see how and
if it is affecting them today
Education: Sharing knowledge or hypotheses with a client
Empowering: A worker telling a client that they are capable of completing a task
Encouragement: Giving realistic hope
Encouraging problem solving: helping and encouraging a client to solve a problem on their
own
Establishing goals: Working with client on identifying things to work on
13
Exploration of behaviors: Exploring the client’s behaviors (“What did you do when your
daughter told you she was moving out?”)
Exploration of thoughts: Exploring the client’s thoughts (“What do you think about your
daughter’s decision to move in with her friends?”)
Exploration of feelings: Addressing the way a client feels
Expressing empathy: Putting yourself in your clients shoes; imagining what it is like to be
placed in the clients’ situation
Focusing/refocusing: Bringing the client back to the subject
Identification of feelings: Labeling a client’s feelings (i.e. “it seems that you were infuriated with
your boss.”)
Introduction: Introducing yourself, the agency and having clients introduce themselves.
Limit setting: Setting boundaries
Normalizing: Making the client feel that they are not alone in a situation (“I think many people
would be upset to find out they were lied to.”)
Paraphrasing: Repeating back what the client says in other words
Partializing: Breaking the problem down into smaller pieces
Pattern dynamic reflection: Looking at a client’s long time patterns and what contributes to that
Positive reinforcement: A worker giving praise or positive reward (i.e. “That is awesome you
passed your drivers exam! Congratulations!)
Probing: Asking general questions to the client
Provide feedback: Giving a response to a client
Reaching for feelings: Asking client how they are feeling
Reassurance: Similar to encouragement but you are verifying the client’s
Reflection of body cues: Addressing the client’s hand gestures, physical body gestures etc.
Reflection of feeling, meaning and/or words: Using the same exact words the client is using
14
Reframing: Looking at the client’s situation in a different aspect (“Is it possible that your boss is
always checking up on you because they want you to be successful? Or because of their own
issues with control?”)
Rehearsing: The worker rehearses with a client on what he or she is going to say or do in a
given task
Role playing: The worker and clients acting out roles
Self-disclosure: Sharing personal information with a client about yourself. They may ask you
and you answer, or you may feel it is appropriate for the therapeutic relationships to disclose a
personal story
Summarizing: Recapping the intervention towards the end of the session with a client
Sustaining: Engaging a client to find our more information
Termination: The process of ending the therapeutic relationship
Ventilation: When a client is expressing their emotions
Visualization: Imagining with a client how things will be
15
EXAMPLE: MICRO PROCESS RECORDING
FIELD PRACTICUM
I
IDENTIFYING DATA
Individual Session 10/11/18
Session #4
Client (CC) and Student SH
II
PRE-SESSION ACTIVITIES
Phone call with psychiatrist
III
GOAL OF SESSION
To explore feelings of anxiety and develop more coping skills
IV
NARRATIVE OF INTERACTION see attached
V
ANALYSIS OF SESSION (or contact)
Did you meet your goals? Yes, we did come up with coping skills to try. I think it
went well, CC was very open and engaged easily. We were ale to explore how her
anxiety is impacting other areas of her life too.
VI
GOALS
What are your plans for:
A. Next session- to continue exploring patters on anxiety
B. Collateral work- none at this time
EVALUATION OF YOUR WORK
What were your interventions? Engaging, sustaining, reframing, contracting
Evaluate your work with the client system. Strengths? Areas that need
improvement?
VII
VIII
QUESTIONS FOR NEXT SUPERVISORY SESSION based on this client contact
How do I best support this client when her anxiety seems logical
Dialogue
SW: Hi CC, how are
you today?
16
Analysis
Self-Reflection
Engaging with client, I
like CC, I look
Supervisory
Comments
Dialogue
Analysis
Client: I am doing
okay, thanks and
yourself?
SW: I am doing
pretty well thank
you. Glad it is
starting to feel like
fall out!
Client: I don’t know
if I am glad about it
SW: How come?
Client: It means
Winter is not far
away
SW: How do you
feel about Winter?
C: I don’t like it
all!!!
SW: Tell me a little
bit more about not
liking Winter at all
C: Mostly, driving
in the snow. I get
very nervous when I
have to drive in the
snow.
SW: I would
imagine a lot of
people feel that way.
C: Really?
SW: Sure, I know it
makes me nervous
C: So nervous you
stay home?
SW: Well,
sometimes.
C: Really?
SW: If it is really
bad and I don’t
think I can manage
it, then I stay home.
CC looks well dressed forward to our
and smiling, she
sessions.
always engages easily
with me
Engaging
17
She sounds bothered
about it by her tone
She was emphatic
about this! Her hand
gestures were very
prominent.
CC is picking at her
nails.
Self-Reflection
I did not see that
coming for some
reason…it is fall in
New England…I
assumed everyone
likes that.
Wow…taken by
surprise at her
intensity.
Exploring
I don’t blame her, I
can relate.
Supervisory
Comments
You can tell, you
engage easily with
her.
While I agree with
you about fall, it is
important to
remember we cannot
look at the world
through only our
lens. Not everyone
will feel the way we
feel.
Why were you
surprised? Let’s talk
about this in
supervision.
Normalizing
She looks surprised
Self disclosure…I
hope it is appropriate!
It was. You are
disclosing something
not too personal and
apprporaitely. Just
make sure it is useful
to the client and not
making it about you.
She sounded
embarrassed, said this
while keeping her
head down.
Oh…maybe? I am
getting nervous this
can spin out of
control.
What made you feel
this way?
Dialogue
C: Maybe our
definitions of really
bad are different.
SW: Maybe, want to
tell me about yours?
C: As soon as there
is a coating on the
road, I call out of
work. I will not
leave the house until
all roads are cleared
and I will go in late
and leave early
because of black ice.
SW: How does this
impact your job?
C: They are willing
to let me work from
home, because I
have been there for
so long, they are a
little more willing to
work with me.
SW: Has this
impacted other areas
of your life?
C: It makes it
difficult to socialize
in the Winter. I
won’t go anywhere
after it gets dark if
we have had any
kind of bad weather,
or when the weather
warms up and snow
melts because of
black ice. My
friends get mad at
me.
SW: How do you
know they are mad
at you?
18
Analysis
Self-Reflection
Supervisory
Comments
Exploring
She ontinues to have
her head down, will
not make eye contact
That is extreme!! That
must be really hard to
manage.
She finally looked up
at me
Probing. Not sure why
I asked that, maybe I
should have asked
more feeling related
questions?
That must be limiting
for her.
Why did you go
there? Let’s think
about it and discuss
more.
I feel relieved to hear
that.
Probing
She seems a little
more relaxed, she is
making eye contact
and sitting back in her
seat.
That is sad if her
friends do that. Maybe
she is paranoid?
She put her head
down again when she
said this.
Why were you so
worried about her
job?
Good question?
Maybe you could
have asked, “How
does this affect your
life?” instead of
asking about work
before.
Maybe? Or anxious?
Clarification
Good question!
Confrontation?
Head is still down,
speaking softly.
You are doing great
work here!
Dialogue
Analysis
C: They have not
said it, but I can
hear it I their voice.
SW: Is it possible
that is your anxiety
talking to you? That
maybe, they are not Tearful.
mad at you?
C: Wouldn’t you be
mad?
SW: Do you think
She is really sad, she
your friends would? is really crying now.
C: I think anyone
would.
SW: Would you?
C: Maybe
SW: Are you mad at
yourself in these
times?
C: Kind of.
SW: Why are you
kind of mad at
yourself?
C: Because I want to
go out, I want to
have fun, but I
just…can’t
SW: That must be
frustrating and sad.
C: Yes
SW: Would you like
to try to practice
some skills that
might help?
C: Yes.
19
Self-Reflection
Supervisory
Comments
Exploration
Excellent question.
I feel so badly for her.
Inference of Feelings.
It is hard to sit with
people’s pain
sometimes, but
important to lean to
do so.
Could you have asked
her to pull for a
feeling?