Beck / Bannink Handbook of Positive Supervision
1., 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61334-465-1
Verlag: Hogrefe Publishing
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark
for Supervisors, Facilitators, and Peer Groups
E-Book, Englisch, 216 Seiten
ISBN: 978-1-61334-465-1
Verlag: Hogrefe Publishing
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark
This clearly written, practical handbook describes an innovative and successful approach to individual, group, and peer supervision that is suitable for use in any environment (clinical, corporate, educational, health, governmental, community): positive supervision.
Positive supervision focuses on what actually works instead of on problems and on supervisees’ strengths rather than on their deficits. The task of supervisors using this approach is – unlike the more traditional problemsolving
– to create solutions with their supervisees and to teach them to apply the same approach when working with their own clients.
Essential reading for all supervisors, this book introduces a new form of supervision, based on positive psychology and solution-focused brief therapy, that is shorter, more positive and hopeful, and more cost-effective than traditional methods.
Autoren/Hrsg.
Fachgebiete
Weitere Infos & Material
[2][3]Chapter 1
Supervision Never do for learners what they can do themselves or for themselves Anonymous In this chapter some definitions of traditional supervision models are described. These models are all based on the problem-solving paradigm, with the purpose of first analyzing what is wrong and then solving it (mostly about the problems supervisees have with their clients). The supervisees will usually get advice from their supervisors who position themselves as experts and teachers. In the new vision of positive supervision the problem-solving paradigm is replaced by the solution-building paradigm. The supervisors usually don’t give advice, but ask questions to invite their supervisees to discover and use their own expertise. This positive vision can be used both in individual and group supervision, as well as in peer supervision. Moreover, in this way supervisees may become familiar with this positive paradigm, which they may use in working with their own clients. Differences between the questions used in traditional and positive supervision are discussed, as well as a questionnaire for supervisors. Advantages and disadvantages of individual and group supervision are outlined and arguments are given to better listen to the wishes of supervisees than has hitherto been the case. Traditional Supervision: Definition and Role of the Supervisor Bernard and Goodyear (2009, p. 7) provide a common neutral definition of supervision. The term neutral means that they are not clear whether supervision is about solving problems or building solutions. Their definition reads: Supervision is an intervention provided by a more senior member of a profession to a more junior member or members of that same profession. This relationship: [4]• is evaluative and hierarchical; • extends over time; • has the simultaneous purpose of enhancing the professional functioning of the more junior person(s), monitoring the quality of the professional services offered to the clients that she, he, or they see; and serving as a gatekeeper for those who are to enter the particular profession. According to Bernard and Goodyear, there are major similarities between the process of psychotherapy and supervision. They state that the centrality and the role of the interpersonal relationship are similar in both processes. The outcome of psychotherapy seems to me, however, to be different from that of supervision. In psychotherapy the relationship is terminated when the clients are functioning better, while in supervision the relationship as colleagues remains. Below I list some other definitions of supervision I found on the Internet, sometimes problem-focused, sometimes neutral. Problem-focused means that supervision is about analyzing what is wrong and then fixing those problems: • Systematic guidance: learning from the problems the supervisee is faced with in his work (problem-focused). • Steering, managerial superintendence (neutral). • Reflection on (own) work experiences to achieve better functioning (neutral). The most quoted definition of professional counseling supervision is that of Inskipp and Proctor (1995): A working alliance between a supervisor and a counselor in which the counselor can offer an account or recording of her work; reflect on it; receive feedback, and where appropriate, guidance. The object of this alliance is to enable the counselor to gain in ethical competence, confidence and creativity so as to give her best possible service to her clients. (p. 11) Inskipp and Proctor (1993) suggest that supervision has three main roles; the normative, i.e., a review of supervisee practice in line with professional and ethical norms; the formative, i.e., a learning component designed to stretch the supervisee’s boundaries; and the restorative, i.e., a supportive element designed to monitor and maintain supervisee self-care. These definitions also clarify the difference between supervision and peer supervision: in supervision there is a more experienced professional who guides and supports the supervisee, creating insights; in peer supervision participants are all equals. In the above definitions supervision is a learning experience under the guidance of a supervisor (one is supposed to learn from practical problems), which methodically discusses the personal learning questions that one has with regard to his or her work. It gives insight[5] into which situations may cause problems, what causes are involved, how to deal with the situation, and what the alternatives are. Supervisees explore and recognize patterns and search for deeper motives and beliefs that influence their actions. According to Beunderman and Van der Maas (2011, p. 23) the supervisor is – at least in mental health care – a: • teacher: teaching the profession and method to the supervisees, building on their knowledge and skills; • didactic person: knowing how to transfer knowledge so that the supervisees can put it into practice; • expert: having knowledge of “the state of the art” of the profession and its methods, keeps practical, scientific, and theoretical knowledge up to date, and carries out the professional standards; • theorist: explaining the background of the method or the profession, has greater breadth and depth of understanding of the subject matter, and can devise links between different fields as well as between theory and practice; • personal coach: discussing with the supervisees their strong points and weaknesses, personal traits and skills that have an influence on the execution of the profession, the use of the method, and the relationship with the client; • assessor: assessing the performance of the supervisees with regard to the technical and methodological aspects of their field. Watkins (1997) also indicates that the supervisor has different roles and that the success of the supervision depends primarily on the supervisor’s correct estimation of when and how to apply the changing roles of mentor, teacher, and colleague. The problem-solving paradigm has become popular in the medical and mechanical world and in business, government, education, psychotherapy, coaching, and (conflict) management. The focus is on what’s wrong, on pathology. Diagnosis of the problem is the first step. The next step is finding the causes of the problem, using the cause-effect model (the so-called medical model or mechanical model). The problem-solving model is very straightforward: identify the cause and remove it. And indeed analyze the problem, find the cause and put it right, is a simple and attractive idiom. It makes sense and it is action-oriented. But unfortunately is it inadequate for a number of reasons: • In a complex interactive situation we may never be able to isolate one cause; • There is a danger in fastening on to a particular cause, because it is easy to identify, ignoring the rest of the...
