POINT
Internal Supervision: Benefits for Both the Supervisee and Organization RHONDA JOHNSON, PHD, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S
Supervision is a state licensing requirement for novice therapists, as well as those pursuing the Registered Play Therapist credential, and provision supervisee and the organization.
The Registered Play Therapist Standards state: “It is the supervisor’s obligation to identify gaps in knowledge and/or skill sets, to provide recommendations for remediation when necessary, and to protect the for play therapy practice include: 1) knowledge and understanding of play therapy, 2) clinical play therapy skills, 3) and professional engagement in play therapy (APT, 2023).
A key factor that inhibits a supervisor identifying gaps in knowledge and/ or skills is the supervisee’s self-awareness and willingness to self-report (Cook et al., 2020). Self-awareness is the “recognition of personal issues, as case conceptualization” (Borders and Brown, 2022). When supervision is provided internally, a supervisor can rely more heavily on evidence of skills versus self-awareness or self-report to assess the ongoing development of a supervisee. Evidence of skills can be obtained in supervision sessions as well as outside of supervision sessions through informal interactions in coworker relationships, formal and informal engagement with clients and caregivers in hallways and wait rooms, and access to progress notes and treatment plans. When concerns arise, in-person or one-way mirror options for intensive intervention or supervision may be less time intensive and more cost effective for within-agency supervisors.
Providing supervision internally also allows for full knowledge of the culture, the values, the policies, and the processes of the organization
THE MIDDLE GROUND Supervision within an Agency/Practice has Risks that
can be Balanced with Variety and Boundaries ROBYN REYNA (RAUSCH), LPC-S, RPT-S
Effective supervision is a key component to mental health practitioners’ continuing professional development (Martin, Copley, & Tyack, 2014). There is controversy over whether supervision is best provided within an agency or from external supervisors.
The greatest concerns about within agency supervision are centered on the dual relationship where the supervisor is both a safe learning guide for the supervisee as the clinical supervisor, as well as a task managing evaluator in the role of the administrative supervisor. Dual relationships create problems when they undermine trust through power differentials, and when they create competing goals (Martin, Copley, & Tyack, 2014). Considering the within agency supervisor’s role in employment and
differ from those of the supervisee. In addition, within agency supervisors need to balance agency task management with therapist growth and development, potentially creating competing goals for supervision.
Despite these concerns, nearly every article on dual relationships in supervision suggests that they are unavoidable. In fact, 36-51% of counselors are engaged in the administrative-clinical dual relationship (Blalock, Ybanez- Llorente, & Morman, 2021). Even if we eliminate the administrative-clinical dual roles, these dyads likely will still have dual social relationships such as involvement in the same conferences, professional networks, and communities (Woodard & Edmondson Grimes, 2018).
It is possible that these administrative-clinical dual relationships persist
in connection with the competency goals that are being developed in the supervisee, leading to a strengthened opportunity for an effective supervisory alliance (Bright and Evans, 2019). Formulating goals that are (Borders and Brown, 2022). By keeping both the organization’s goals and the supervisee’s goals in mind, the supervisor can build an effective supervisory alliance, while identifying a path for growth in competencies. for a supervisee, especially regarding theories accepted by the organization and guidance in life-threatening and/or reportable circumstances without awaiting a response from an external supervisor.
may not have oversight of their supervision. When providing supervision, a supervisor “relies upon their experience to evaluate and educate the supervisee” (Bernard and Goodyear, 2013). Supervisors outside of the practice may not be prioritizing familiarity with standards and guidelines of the Association for Play Therapy, may prioritize their own personal needs over the needs of the supervisee, and may not set effective limits on their number of supervisees based on personal considerations, and may be professionally isolated by their chosen setting (Borders and Brown, 2022).
including
increased effectiveness competency, in monitoring skill pursuing goals that complement both the supervisee and the organization, and oversight for supervision.
18 | PLAYTHERAPY December 2023 |
www.a4pt.org
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