Do you ever wonder what the purpose of supervision is, beyond a licensing requirement?  

There are models of counselor supervision that provide guidance on this, such as the Discrimination Model, which outlines three roles:

1. Teacher

This role comes from a more practical approach, possibly reminding you of graduate classes. This is a helpful approach when learning how to write a progress note or the basics of a theory. Having a good fit with a supervisor will lead you to feel open to learning, not lectured at or shamed. 

2. Counselor

These discussions might feel more personal, with the focus possibly being on your internal experience of a session. This would be an appropriate time to talk about your personal reactions to a session/client because they could be helpful to your client (or informative to you about your own experiences). With a good-fit-supervisor, the counselor role can help you identify how much of this is yours or theirs, but not necessarily what to do with it if it is yours–this is what your personal therapist could help with. Supervisor-as-counselor could also include talking through self-care strategies, like an ideal work schedule (which should include breaks!) or how to decompress at the end of the day.  

3. Consultant

This role feels more like a peer with a different perspective. Your supervisor might bring up other ways to see a client situation to give you new options to consider or to confirm what you’re already doing. By considering another perspective, and staying grounded in what you know about your client, you can continue to ensure you are providing the most thorough treatment possible.

Different career stages require varying amounts of each role, with each one being entirely developmentally appropriate and helpful at the right time. 

Are there role(s) or approaches you are more or less comfortable with? 

How have your supervision needs shifted over time? 

How do your needs change as you experience different client issues? 

If these are things you’d like to process with a supervisor, please reach out! I am able to supervise in DC, MD, VA, and NC and I would love to work with you.