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Carroll (2007) One More Time - What Is Supervision
Carroll (2007) One More Time - What Is Supervision
What is Supervision?
EL LL
What does clinical supervision offer contemporary professional life? MICHAEL CARROLL reviews
the changing meanings of supervision over time tracing its history from the late 19th Century
through its travels and adaptation in different countries and professions. Scharmer's work will be
used to suggest that supervision is being challenged to provide a new modern service-creating
the emerging professional future. Ways to understand what that means are explored and
suggestions are given for how we can begin to create a framework for this kind of supervision.
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linical Supervision has been Stage two Supervision now became centered
around for over a century and in on practice, the actual work done
The second phase of supervision
that time has developed substantially. with a view to using that work to
emerged in the 1950s with the
The stages through which it has improve future work. This was a
introduction of other counselling
travelled have been well delineated, major shift in supervision theory and
and psychotherapy orientations
but worth revisiting as a background practice and established a firm divide
in addition to the traditional
to asking the question, 'One more time: between counselling and supervision.
psychodynamic approach. The
What is supervision?' Supervision was centred on practice
type of supervision that emanated
unapologetically and unashamedly,
Stage one from these new developments has
and the rightful subject of supervision
In the early days of Freud there been called 'counselling-bound or
was whatever impacted on that practice
is some evidence that small groups psychotherapy-bound' models of
(e.g., the person of the practitioner, the
gathered to discuss and review each supervision in that their theory and
impact of organisations involved, etc).
others' client work. Supervision was interventions in supervision were allied
By the 1970s supervision had been
informal at this stage. Max Eitington to the counselling and psychotherapy
adopted by the counselling psychology
is thought to be the first to make orientation they espoused. An
fraternity in the US and found its
supervision a formal requirement for observer watching Rogers, Perls or
primary home there for the next
those in their psychoanalytic training Ellis supervising could be forgiven for
twenty years. From the US Universities
in the 1920s. wondering what was different from the
there emerged a wealth of supervision
Alongside its use in psychoanalytic manner in which they supervised to the
theory, models and research. There is
circles, supervision was introduced way they engaged in counselling.
little doubt that the bulk of supervision
as a supportive and reflective space Stage three research has come from, and still comes
for social workers in the late 19th It was in the 1970s that supervision from the USA and, in particular, from
Century in USA. It is difficult to know began to move away from counselling counselling psychology. The emphasis
if there is a connection between the and make a bid for being a more from within counselling psychology
psychoanalytic use of supervision and educational process than a counselling on the 'reflective-practitioner' model
its introduction to other professions, one. This was Stage Three in as the best way to define a counselling
or vice versa. Slowly, the practice of supervision history with the focus psychologist gave supervision its
supervision was adopted by other moving from the person doing the credibility. Supervision was the
helping professions-probation, advice work to the work itself. As a result 'reflection on practice' aspect of the
and welfare programmes, employee social role/developmental frameworks clinical work.
assistance programmes and teaching for supervision became popular.
(Carroll, 1996).
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Though supervision had been rightly, coaching psychology is wary & Patton, 2002), as has New Zealand
in Britain before 1980s (in youth of transferring models of supervision (see O'Donoghue, 2006) and these
work, social services, teaching and pertinent to other professions into countries have brought new and
probation), in the late 1970s and the coaching arena. Pampallis Paisley dynamic ways of thinking about
early 1980s clinical supervision made (2006) asks the key question here: supervision to the supervision table
another journey across the ocean 'whether the existing models ofsupervision (Carroll, 2002). Supervision has also
and discovered a British home. It are sufficientfOr the demands ofcoaching', been adopted by other, seemingly
arrived carrying the US models and and answers it with 'both ... and'. unlikely, professions. The Prison
frameworks through the professions Coaching supervision can borrow Service in England and Wales is
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of counselling, counselling psychology elements and models from supervision introducing supervision (called IPD-
and psychotherapy. Going even as applied to other professions and Individual Professional Development)
for those working in high-risk jobs. A
number of Police Services are realizing
its importance for those in specific
roles such as family liaison officers, and
several Human Resource Departments
have team supervision as part and
parcel of their ongoing development
and support.
further than in the US, the British there is room to look at coaching as 'a
What is supervision?
Association for Counselling and distinctive enough discipline to require
Psychotherapy not only adopted the a particularframe ofsupervision and a This potted and all too brief
new infant, but made supervision particular theory to support this'. Perhaps historical overview of supervision
mandatory and a requirement for all there is a hint here of Stage 4 in the provides a platform to revisit an old
its practitioners. No longer an option development of clinical supervision- question 'What is supervision?' Like all
or a recommendation, BACP was the making sense of the learning theory 'identity questions' this one is asked
first counselling organisation to require that underpins supervision and allowing within developmental contexts-it
all its practitioners members to attend for complexity models that combine is not easy to freeze supervision and
supervision for a minimum of 1.5 hours internal and external, individual and capture it in words that last forever.
a month. This is still the case. collective. This is an adaptation of Rather than ask what supervision is,
As in the USA, counselling Wilber's (2001) Integral Model. perhaps we should ask: how do we
psychology in Britain saw supervision Supervision has journeyed further build on what supervision has been in
as an integral part of training and afield and found its way into other order to provide trainees, professionals
ongoing development and, while countries too. Australia has a growing and professions with what they need to
stopping short of making it a literature on supervision (McMahon do their jobs better?
requirement for those qualified (it is
mandatory for those in training), has
been forceful in recommending its use
and usefulness.
Wider applications and contexts
In the past 10 years supervision
has annexed further territory. Called,
at times, 'Inter-Vision' in mainland
Europe, it has become a profession
in its own right with supervisors
trained in coaching, individual and
group supervision and organisational
consultancy and is applied across
professions e.g., in hospitals, social
services and in private organisations.
Currently, coaching and coaching
psychology is reviewing its stance
vis-a-vis supervision. Few coaching
conferences pass without supervision
at least getting a mention, if not
center stage-the latest conference in
December 2006 in London introduced
its draft copy of Guidelines [or Coaching
Psychology Supervision. However, quite Illustration: Savina Hopkins - www.savinahopkins.com
competitiveness, our perfectionism, to go and visit him as a human and stances: 'Most transformation programs
our drivers and our fear. We may have compassionate response to their satisfy themselves with shifting the same
to commit 'small murders' (Zuboff & relationship together. oldfurniture about in the same old room
Maxmin, 2002) where we leave aside In the light of the above emerging (Levell). Some seek to throw some ofthe
our cherished loyalties to an approach, reality, there could be four ways to oldfurniture away (Level 2). But real
a value, an orientation. This connects tackle this: transformation occurs when we redesign
to Ignatius' sense of indifference-I am 1. 'Solving a problem' approach: the the room itself(LeveI3). Perhaps even
truly not invested in anyone outcome, supervisor could prescribe or advise. blow up the old room (LeveI4). It requires
anyone way of doing my work, any 'In the light ofy our approach and ethical that we changethe thinking behind our
one theory or framework. I let go. In codes it would seem that best thing to do thinking' (p, vi).
supervision we try to give up our 'pet' is not visit him.' This problem solving Am I saying one type of supervision
theories that could be prisons rather approach is based on the past and is better than another? No, all are
than freedoms. learning from the past. It simply asks: needed. What I am saying is that we
Stage 4: Letting come what is a helpful solution to the present may have overlooked number four.
problem in the light of past experience?
Having changed our way of seeing Summary
2. A second approach would be to
and making meaning, we now wait. We In summary, and adapting the work
create a bigger picture that lets all of us
are attentive to the moment, to what of Otto Scharmer (2005), there are
understand the issue from a theoretical
is emerging. We watch, we notice, we four types of supervision based on four
and ethical theory perspective. In the
observe, we listen. We grasp. It's there. ways of thinking and learning:
'problem-solving stage' there is no need
Don't deny it. Allow it to speak. Say it. 1. Retro-supervision: Back to the
to understand. Now there is. We make
We stay with an open heart, an open past supervision. Retro-movement
sense of the issue theoretically and act
mind, an open will. In supervision we supervision or Fundamentalist
accordingly. Again, Eleanor decides
wait patiently, creatively-we do not supervision is based on the premise
not to visit. In this stance, we move
need the quick fix or the solution that that we have found the truth and it
from problem to principle and think
helps us be less anxious. is eternal.
systemically about the various stake-
Stage 5: Capture the vision holders in the counselling field. 2. Status-quo supervision stays within
3. In the third approach the a way of working that is helpful. We
As we begin to envision what seeks
supervisor helps Eleanor reflect on have a well worked out theory and
to emerge, we also begin to attempt
the assumptions that lie behind her approach and supervision helps us
to say it, to capture it in a form of
practice. She reviews what is behind maintain that approach and be creative
communication that focuses it. Often
her thinking, articulates the mental within certain parameters.
we struggle to find the words. In
models that keep her doing what she 3. Reflective Supervision maintains
the conversation called supervision
does. She takes responsibility for her that we have an approach and we use
we begin to find those words that
ethical practice, looks in detail at the experience to teach us how to adapt it
make the difference, the healing
relationship and reviews what is being and be flexible within this approach.
conversation that begins the journey
asked of her from within the helping 4. Transformational Supervision asks
from words to actions.
process. Eleanor decides to visit her us to let go of old ways of individual
Stage 6: Implement it and collective thinking and behaviour
client in hospital. The third approach
And finally we work out the is now moving into Scharmer's stages. that lead us. We are open to the
emerging future in a commitment and Eleanor is not getting tied into the future and its requests and prepared
a plan ofimplementation. We act to past, but is liberating herself to listen to go with its demands. We think
make it work. Supervision ends with carefully to the ethical and human systemically, we reflect widely, we
'what will we do differently next time'. demands of the situation. change ourselves and our ways of
4. In the fourth approach, seeing as the beginning of working
An example
supervisor and supervisee move into with others.
The following example of Eleanor, a
openness to the emerging future. Conclusion
counsellor, will not bring us through all
They dialogue in an atmosphere of
the details of the stages above, but will Supervision, like individuals, has a
mutual influence and vulnerability,
truncate them to four possible ways of past, a present and hopefully a future.
each open to discovering themselves.
AUTHOR NOTES
MICHAEL CARROLL Ph.D. is a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy,
a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and a BACP Senior Registered Supervisor. As a counsellor,
supervisor, trainer and consultant to public and private organisations, he specialises in employee
well-being. Michael is Visiting Industrial Professor in the Graduate School of Education, University of
Bristol and winner of the 200 I British Psychological Society Award for Distinguished Contributions
to Professional Psychology. Publications include: Training Counselling Supervisors (1999),Counselling
Supervision in Context (1999), The Handbook of Counselling in Organisations (1997), Counselling Supervision
(1996), Workplace Counselling (1996), Integrative Approaches to Supervision (2001) and On Being a
Supervisee: Creating Learning Partnerships (2006).
Comments: MCarrl949@aol.com For recent articles on Supervision and more information
visit Michael Carroll's website at www.supervisioncetre.com