Supervision

Odysseus

I'm just curious as to what type and amount of supervision clinicians get here.
My understanding is that within the HSE most psychologists’ supervision is internal, that is carried out by their line manager or similar, is this correct?

I get 90 minutes of individual and 90 minutes of group supervision supplied by the HSE, on top of this I have a fortnightly sessions with my psychoanalyst APPI supervisor, I would like to make it weekly but since I don't currently do private work I cannot afford it.

For those whose organisation supplies it, do you get to pick your own? In my service there is a small cohort of supervisors, and we change supervisor’s approx every 2 years. I was lucky there was one analyst on the list, I stayed with her for eight years, but she retired last year. She trained as a group analyst, but at least when I spoke of Freud she knew what I was talking about.

So my new supervisor in the HSE knows little of how I work, I am trained in many forms of therapy so it's helpful there, but no too much with the bulk of my work.

So what way does it work out for you guys and girls?

elfan

Good question Odysseus,
I am a trainee psychologist in a clinical forensic mental health hospital in the UK. I get formal supervision for one hour every week (as per BPS and HPC policies). However I get informal supervision pretty much everyday and I find this is far more useful as I can pretty much ask anything I like and the whole thing is less structured. Supervision is something I think about quite a bit because it appears to be very different for other course trainees depending on what their supervisors sub discipline or therapeutic modality is. Some describe supervision as being 'managerial in nature' or 'like a counselling session', furthermore the trainees end up specialising in CBT/psychodynamic therapy etc., depending on their supervisors background. I do not think enough attention is paid to supervision given how important it is.

Odysseus

elfan wrote: »

Good question Odysseus,
I am a trainee psychologist in a clinical forensic mental health hospital in the UK. I get formal supervision for one hour every week (as per BPS and HPC policies). However I get informal supervision pretty much everyday and I find this is far more useful as I can pretty much ask anything I like and the whole thing is less structured. Supervision is something I think about quite a bit because it appears to be very different for other course trainees depending on what their supervisors sub discipline or therapeutic modality is. Some describe supervision as being 'managerial in nature' or 'like a counselling session', furthermore the trainees end up specialising in CBT/psychodynamic therapy etc., depending on their supervisors background. I do not think enough attention is paid to supervision given how important it is.

Is it carried out by a line manager or the like. We have had to fight very hard to ensure our supervisors are external and have notthing to do with the HSE apart from supervision.

I would not like to talking about my transference issues with my boss or someone who may be on a interview panel at a later stage. Also sometimes clinical issues are in direct conflict with organisational issues and off course a manager with be more inclined to side with the organisation.

sambuka41

I'm not working in a clinical capacity, but in social care we have to attend supervision. Its always with a manager, which is very frustrating as they do end up representing the organisation's side of things a lot. Trying to help by explain why or how something is working but it doesn't help if you disagree!!!

The problem I have found, and again its not in a clinical supervision so probably not exactly the same type of supervision, but in my last job I passed my manager by very early on. She stopped being of any real benefit to me as her solutions or advice was limited. That old thing of just because they are managers doesn't mean they have more experience, ideally yes but not always. But as she was a direct line manager, it became very difficult to say anything, or change supervisors so I was left kind of on my own.

Odysseus

sambuka41 wrote: »

I'm not working in a clinical capacity, but in social care we have to attend supervision. Its always with a manager, which is very frustrating as they do end up representing the organisation's side of things a lot. Trying to help by explain why or how something is working but it doesn't help if you disagree!!!

The problem I have found, and again its not in a clinical supervision so probably not exactly the same type of supervision, but in my last job I passed my manager by very early on. She stopped being of any real benefit to me as her solutions or advice was limited. That old thing of just because they are managers doesn't mean they have more experience, ideally yes but not always. But as she was a direct line manager, it became very difficult to say anything, or change supervisors so I was left kind of on my own.

The problem with managers doing supervision is that the always have the organisation in mind; whereas an external supervisor will always have the client positioned in the primary place. I

I have no problem with line management in relation to my position with the organisation, my performance etc, but not clinical issues. Even when it's related too your clinical like a reporting issue I'm happy with that; but either wanting to review my cases or explore the transference that is occurring with in a case if different. It is very hard to challenge policies when a line manager tries to position themselves as a clinical supervisor.

Also there are often tine where you need to explore issues around your manager, or where there is a cross over between your own issues that may be provoked through your work. I get on well with my line manager, but I would not like her to have knowledge of some of the clinical issues I bring to supervision.

We have had to fight repeatedly over the years to keep supervision external it one of those areas that management see as causing too much. Then you get the usual lines that doctors, nurses, etc don't have this, and any supervision they have is internal. However, they don't have to do the work we have too.


I also dislike the fact that I think we are down to three of four supervisiors for the 14 or so therapists in the Addiction Services in my area. Having to change every two years can be a good thing, it's a very long time with someone your not working well with, but as I said i another post I fought to stay with the same person for over 8 years, but I would still like to be seeinhg her as it worked well.