302 – Shame in Supervision

In Episode 302 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly are back with this week’s three topics:

• Firstly in ‘Ethical, Sustainable Practice’, we look at reducing shame within supervision.
• Then in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Erene Hadjiioannou on pre-trial therapy.
• And lastly, we look at how to manage next level overwhelm in your counselling training.

Reducing Shame in Supervision [starts at 02:56 mins]

Your supervision should be a space for you to bring any questions or concerns you might have about your practice.

In this section on shame in supervision, Rory and Ken discuss things you can do both as a supervisee or supervisor to create an open and judgement-free environment:

• Your supervisor is a colleague in practice.
• There should be no fear of being shamed or scolded in supervision – there is only learning from mistakes.
• You might subconsciously be doing what you believe will gain approval from the other party instead of being completely open and honest.
• Can you be your true self within supervision?
• As a supervisor, can you normalise these mistakes by discussing your own experiences?
• Ask a supervisee directly about clients they have – this will help to avoid any hidden clients.
• To reduce shame in supervision, keep in mind that supervision should be a consultative process – you are just trying to make sense of what’s going on.
• Always remember that your supervisor is on your side.

Pre-Trial Therapy Considerations [starts at 24:38 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Erene Hadjiioannou on pre-trial therapy and the considerations that have to be made.

The key points of this discussion include:

• When working with any client who may go through the legal system (e.g. victims of sexual/domestic violence), you should take extra care with your contracting and your note taking.
• Notes can be requested long after working with the client.
• Remember you are not the one on trial – you are aiding colleagues in the legal field.
• Notes should factual – there should be no opinions or speculation.
• Clients should understand through contracting that notes are being taken and may be requested.
• If you have any anxiety or stress, take this to supervision.
• It’s important that you are able to be there for the client – you have to be the present person in the room.
• A client may not be familiar with the legal process. If you make yourself well informed, you can better support your client.
• Learn the terminology.
• Know what choices you and your client have.

Managing Next-Level Overwhelm in Your Counselling Training [starts at 45:00 mins]

When it comes to moving into the next level of your studies, you may experience feelings of overwhelm. In this section, Rory and Ken go through some ways to help cope with these feelings:

• It’s not wrong to feel overwhelmed.
• Humans are naturally a bit reluctant to change.
• It may evolve into feelings of anxiety.
• Take a moment to breath.
• Go back to your ‘why’ – why are you doing this training? Why are you on this path?
• Remember that you are good enough.
• Recognise that you don’t need to know everything about the next course e.g. who will be there, what’s expected of you – you’ll find this out when you arrive.
• With overwhelm comes transference.
• Write down your accomplishments – force yourself to recognise your own accomplishments.
• Nerves can feel very similar to excitement – alter your thinking to shift from ‘I’m really nervous’ to ‘I’m really excited’.

Links and Resources

• Counselling Skills Academy
• Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision
• Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide
• Counsellor CPD
• Counselling Study Resource
• Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide
• Counselling Tutor Shop
• Facebook group
• Website
• Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner’s Guide
• Online and Telephone Counselling Course