The importance of communication in developing the supervisory relationship

1. The importance of communication in developing the supervisory relationship Sue Fitzpatrick

2. Tools

3. Without tools

4. Clinical Supervision- Communication Proctor (1986), Hughes & Pengelly (1987), Driscoll (2000, 2007)

5. Clinical Supervision Relationships Proctor (1986), Hughes & Pengelly (1987), Driscoll (2000, 2007)

6. The role of the relationship in supervision • Critical to the success of supervision. • Essential in establishing change and learning. • Quality of supervision is affected by the quality of the supervisory relationship – choice. • Provides learning opportunities for supervisor and supervisee as a result of the interaction. • Provides different experience with each individual.

7. What communication skills are necessary to be an effective supervisor • Interpersonal skills • Ability to challenge and give corrective feedback • Supportiveness • Empathy • Emotional intelligence

8. Ability to challenge and give corrective feedback • Usually beginning supervisor more comfortable with supportive interventions • Belief that feedback will create negative relationship • Potential for harm if not challenged especially when clients are involved • Must be able to confront, challenge to achieve supervisee growth • Empathise yes but challenge to push them to do better • Should challenge but should not increase anxiety such that it damages the relationship • Tailor the feedback to the supervisee

9. Interpersonal skills • Essential for building the relationship as well as teaching and modelling. • Intervention techniques both direct and indirect - Direct – Feedback - Indirect – Metaphors, self disclosure, reframing • Ability to work collaboratively

10. Supportiveness • Supportive interventions such as - active listening (attending, paraphrasing, summarising, clarifying) • Encouragement • Empathetic responding • Open body language

11. Empathy • Can help supervisor be both supportive and challenging • Can be conveyed in the context of self-disclosure e.g. “This is a common problem for clinicians, when I was in my first year I was afraid that I was going to kill someone with a wrong clinical decision, it is still sometimes hard to know when to be cautious”

12. Emotional Intelligence • Ability to review and discuss the supervisory relationship itself • Ability to take on feedback about your supervision skills • Need to understand your own feelings as a supervisor to be able to help supervisee understand theirs and that of their clients • Explore the impact and implication of strong emotions on practice (not counselling)

13. Challenging dynamics • What am I noticing? • How does this differ from my usual feelings with this supervisee or in supervision? • What are we not talking about? • What information is implied, not defined or available? • Who is carrying responsibility for the situation and I do think that is reasonable? • What am I feeling right now about the situation? • How am I contributing to the situation? • What can I do differently? (Davys & Beddoe 2010 p176)

14. What helps? • Trust • Supervisor self-disclosure • Specific concise feedback • Style and model of supervision • Availability (time and space)

15. What hinders? • Lack of role clarity • Anxiety • Supervision History • Power (Mcmahon & Patton 2004 p95)

16. Supervision sense • Supervision is like any specialist skill, it requires specific learning, skill-set and updating of knowledge. • Good clinicians don’t automatically make good supervisors. • Have a model of supervision you like. • Model the supervision you wish you had. • Supervisors need supervision.

17. References • Proctor, B. (1986) Supervision: a co-operative exercise in accountability. In : Marken, M., Payne, M (eds).Enabling and ensuring supervision in practice. National youth Bureau, Council for Education and training in youth and Community Work, Leicester, pp21-34. • Hughes & Pengelly (1987) in Driscoll , J. (2000) Practicing Clinical Supervision, A reflective approach. Harcourt Publishers, London, UK • Davys, A., Beddoe, L. (2010) Best Practice in Professional Supervision. Jessica Kingsley Publishing, London UK. • McMahon, C., Patton, W. (2004) Supervision In The Helping Professions – a practical approach. Pearson Education Australia

18. Helpful reading • McMahon, C., Patton, W. (2004) Supervision In The Helping Professions – a practical approach. Pearson Education Australia • Morrison, T. (2006) Staff Supervision in Social Care. Pavilion Publishing Brighton UK. • Proctor, B. (2008) Group Supervision, A Guide To Creative Practice. Sage publications London UK • Davys, A., Beddoe, L. (2010) Best Practice in Professional Supervision. Jessica Kingsley Publishing, London UK. • Hawkins, P., Shohet, R. (2006) Supervision In The Helping Professions 3rd Ed. Open University Press London UK. • Van Ooijen, E. (2003) Clinical Supervision Made Easy. Elsevier Ltd London UK • Campbell, J.M. (2000) Becoming an Effective Supervisor. Taylor and Francis, Philadelphia USA. • Carroll, M., Gilbert, M.C. (2006) On Being a Supervisee. PsychcOz Publications, Victoria Australia.