Counselor Supervision

Counselor supervision is the care provided to practicing counselors in order to assist them to provide credible and professional services to their clients. A clinical counseling supervision service has three key components which are: - Education, Normative and Restorative.

Education component
It evaluates the knowledge and skills level of the practitioners. The supervisor noting deficiencies would coach, train and empower the counselors or make recommendations for further training or acquisition of skills. This evaluation is an on going activity carried out either directly or indirectly.

Normative Component
The normative component of supervision refers to adherence to an ethical code of practice. The counselor has a responsibility towards the client, self and the community. When ethical and legal dilemmas are presented, the practitioner ensures safety for all parties concerned. In supervision, the counselor supervisor evaluates whether the counselor is able to work within counseling professional boundaries in regard to his/her competence levels. This entails high levels of personal genuiness and professional knowledge.

Restorative Component
This is a way of responding to how the practitioner who is engaged in intimate therapeutic work with clients is necessarily allowing him/herself be affected by distress, pain and fragmentation of the client.

It looks at the danger of personalization, overwork and also accumulated stress. In supervision the counselor supervisor helps the supervisee as a person and as a practitioner to remain effective and healthy.