Clinical Supervision
Clinical Supervision
I offer individual clinical supervision to Youth Offending and Probation professionals.
Experience
I have completed The Essential Supervision Skills™ BPS (British Psychological Society) Approved Certificate course in Clinical Supervision. The BPS is one of the primary national leads in determining national recommendation on clinical supervision across a range of groups.
I have worked in Youth Offending Services in London for ten years both as a Senior Practitioner and Practice Manager, working with highly complex, risky and vulnerable clients and their families. I have supervised and supported practitioners to manage those in the highest risk categories including MAPPA cases, sex offenders, high profile gang members and those with acute mental health concerns.
How clinical supervision differs from line management supervision
Due to the demands of the role and extensive statutory expectations, typically line management supervision pays attention to task completion and compliance with statutory responsibilities, often not having the scope or space to provide adequate reflection on the emotional impact of the work.
Clinical supervision provides consultative support within a relationship in which practitioners can reflect on professional and personal issues and the interaction between them, with the overall aim of protecting clients and improving the ability of practitioners to provide a quality service. As an impartial third party, I aim to assist practitioners to reduce the risk of serious oversight as well as provide an opportunity to reflect on their own feelings, thoughts, behaviour and relationships with clients. It also helps practitioners move forward when they feel ‘stuck’ with a client as well as to understand the relational dynamics at play and to process difficult and traumatic events.
Clinical supervision is primarily a reflective space and not designed to generate ‘tasks’ nor is it designed to check upon task completion and therefore should not be a replacement for, nor be in conflict with the line management supervision. However, there will be occasions whereby the insights gained in supervision may have an impact upon how the case is managed which may lead to tasks such as reviewing an intervention plan as an example. I am conscious that there is no confusion regarding the lines of accountability or authority and would suggest discussion prior to the work commencing to agree the parameters of the role and mechanisms for involving line management oversight where necessary. Should all parties agree it is of use, a supervisee and their line manager can attend together to consult on a case they are stuck on.
What kinds of things can clinical supervision deal with?
• Managing difficult feelings towards a client (anger, dislike, over-identification)
• Coping with anxiety due to high risk and vulnerability of a client
• Support when there is a serious incident or death
• Self-care and stress management
• Issues of difference and anti oppressive practice
• Noticing where we may be inadvertently caught up in replaying the negative relational
patterns of our clients
• Vicarious trauma
• Appropriate use of power (both role related and structural power in terms of gender,
race etc).
• Transference and countertransference issues
• Understanding how our biases, values and beliefs get into the work in helpful and unhelpful ways.
• Teaching of therapeutic principles which benefit the professional relationship such as emotional regulation, empathy etc.
• Relationship issues, personal and workplace
• Managing boundaries with high risk and manipulative offenders.
• Managing conflict.
• Managing endings
• Awareness of attachment relationship in how we interact with clients to facilitate improved attachment patterns and emotional regulation.
• Identification of strengths and weaknesses
• Identification and support around ethical issues and the creation of ethical
watchfulness
• Offering a perspective outside of the client and organisation system.
Clinical Supervision Online
Working online means that practitioners can book sessions at their convenience and in accordance with their schedule. Organisations can purchase blocks of sessions which can be allocated to specific practitioners according to individual requirements and booked at the convenience of the practitioner, including at short notice as the need arises. Sessions can be undertaken online at home or at work. Click here for more information about working online.
Confidentiality
Client confidentiality is safeguarded. Individually identifying information (such as full name) is not revealed, and information shared in supervision is itself protected under a contract of confidentiality and normally may not be shared outside the supervision relationship.
The role of Clinical Supervisor is independent from the organization and as such, I do not routinely share information revealed within sessions to the wider management, excepting in circumstances where a safeguarding /risk to others /fitness to practice issue has emerged. The limitations around confidentiality will be clearly outlined in the supervision contract. In general, thoughts and feelings expressed in clinical supervision are confidential except if indicative of serious mental health problems. Any disclosures relating to behaviour which constitutes breach of professional codes or organizational policy as well as issues relating to risk to self or others will be disclosed.
Fees
Hourly rate of £65 for ad hoc sessions.
I offer discounts for blocks of sessions booked together (although these can be taken at any time within three months of purchasing).
10 sessions = £550
20 sessions = £950
Introductory offer - new clients can book three trial sessions for £100.
Contact me to discuss the needs of your organisation.