Missouri State
University
Counseling Programs
Supervisor Training
Fall, 2007
Program Outline
 Introductions
 Developmental Model of Supervision
 Four Functions of a Supervisor
 Characteristics that Enhance Supervision
 Supervision and Ethics - Boundaries
 Tarasoff and Risk Assessment
 Supervision vs. Psychotherapy
 Attributes of Good Supervision
 Supervisee Evaluation
Introductions
 Who Are you?
 Where are you from?
 Please give a brief “commercial” for your
site.
 Who are you supervising?
 How can we best help you to do your job
as site supervisor?
Developmental Model of
Supervision
 Stoltenberg & Delworth (1987) – an
Integrated Developmental Approach
(four developmental levels across time):

Dependency Stage – trainee doesn’t utilize
supervisor feedback for fear of “doing something
wrong”; completely reliant on supervisor for
direction and decision-making
Developmental Model of
Supervision (cont’d)



Dependency-Autonomy Conflict – trainee makes
strides in independent thinking; still unsure and
dependent upon supervisor
Conditional Dependency Stage – trainee
experiences an increase in self-determination; feels
more confident in work, but some self-doubt
persists
Master Counselor Stage – trainee experiences
competence as a therapist; successfully
incorporates theory and practice
Four Functions of a Supervisor
 Monitor Client Welfare
 Enhance supervisee growth within
stages
 Promote transition from one stage to the
next
 Evaluate supervisees
Core Characteristics that
Enhance Supervision (Sussman, 2002)
 A strong working alliance between supervisor
and supervisee
 An atmosphere of trust and safety
 Shared interest in supervision and an interest
in the learning and development of a
competent therapist
 Provision of a framework for understanding the
theoretical and technical underpinnings of
the treatment process
Core Characteristics that
Enhance Supervision (cont’d)
 Supervisor and supervisee self-
disclosure – permission to acknowledge
mistakes in therapy
 Provision of appropriate supervisor
pacing and leading of supervisee which
provides direction to the time-limited
supervisory experience
Supervision and Ethics Boundaries
 Attention to appropriate boundaries
addresses the majority of areas within
codes of ethics
 Supervisees often need assistance
establishing and maintaining appropriate
boundaries
Tarasoff Decision
 “When a therapist determines, or
pursuant to the standards of his/her
profession should determine, that his/her
patient represents a serious danger of
violence to another, he/she incurs the
obligation to use reasonable care to
protect the intended victim.”
Tarasoff Reporting Checklist
 Remind the patient that he/she signed a
consent form at the start of treatment outlining
instances when you will need to break
confidentiality. Threatening to harm another
person or persons is one of those instances.
 Contact your supervisor immediately.
 Contact the police in the jurisdiction of the
identified victim(s). Give only information
necessary to ensure safety of potential victims
(i.e., your name, patient’s name, content of the
threat)
Tarasoff Reporting Checklist
(cont’d)
 When you have the identified victim(s) name
and phone number, attempt to contact them to
alert them to the potential harm.
 Document all actions (in detail) in the patient’s
chart.
 Send a letter to the identified victim(s) with
pertinent info about your call to them and what
other precautionary measures you took.
 Put a copy of the letter in the patient’s chart;
keep a hard copy for yourself
Tarasoff Reporting Checklist
(cont’d)
 Debrief the event with your supervisor,
team, or other professionals.
 Attempt to repair the therapeutic
relationship with the patient, if possible.
Provide a non-violence behavioral
contract to the patient if involvement is
continued.
Risk Assessment: Things
Associated with High Risk
 Intent (specific plan; means)
 History (previous acts of violence; Hx of
homicidal threats; childhood antisocial
behavior; abuse Hx; recent provocation)
 Behavior (tension/agitation; bizarre
behavior)
 Personality Characteristics (poor impulse
control; aggressiveness; mood lability)
Risk Assessment: Things
Associated with High Risk (cont’d)
 Diagnosis (drugs/alcohol; paranoia;
delusions; mania; antisocial personality)
 Demographic Factors (being male; low
SES)
From R. Williams, “Clinical Supervision: Framework for Success”
Supervision vs. Psychotherapy
 While good supervision can be
therapeutic, it is not therapy
 Codes of ethics emphasize the boundary
between the two
Attributes of Good
Supervision
 The capacity to enhance the trainee’s
self-confidence through support,
autonomy, support
 The capacity to model a strong
working alliance
 Provision of an environment to give and
provide useful evaluations
 Trainer has knowledge of multiple
formats of supervision
Attributes of Good
Supervision (cont’d)
 Supervision is adaptable and flexible
(adaptable over time)
 Excellent communication, from case
conceptualization to theoretical
underpinning to interpersonal clarity
 Contains a sense of equilibrium and a
sense of humor
from Falender & Shafranske (2004)
Supervisee Evaluation
 The Counselor-Trainee Progress
Assessment
 Done repeatedly throughout a student’s
program
 Assesses a wide domain of skills and
relates them to standards