UC0008 - Ethically Responsive Clinical Supervision: What’s the Relationship Got to Do with It?

Course Description

Supervision is the central pedagogy of the helping professions (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019). Moreover, research suggests that the vast majority of clinicians will take on a supervisory role over the course of their careers (Ronnestad & Skovholt, 2003). Even though most licensed professionals will supervise, considerably less enter their careers with systematic competency-based training in supervision (Hutman et al., 2021). Although state licensure boards have increasingly recognized supervision as a distinct specialty area that requires specific training and preparation, their focus has been largely on the logistical components of supervision, including, but not limited to, supervisor qualifications to supervise, the length and frequency of supervision sessions, format, and record-keeping/documentation considerations (Hutman, 2022). As such, the relational aspects of supervision have received less attention. Given that researchers have consistently identified the supervisory relationship as the major predictor of a variety of positive supervision outcomes (Hutman & Ellis, 2020; Inman et al., 2014), it behooves clinical supervisors to equip themselves with the tools needed to establish and maintain productive and positive supervisory relationships with their trainees. In so doing, they are more likely to fulfill their ethical responsibilities to both promote supervisee development and protect client welfare (Hutman, 2022). This workshop will center the supervisory relationship as the primary vehicle for ethically responsive supervision practice. Attendees will be introduced to theory and research around the supervisory relationship and learn how it influences ethical clinical training and practice. Attendees will also learn how to develop a relationally-informed supervision informed consent. Time for discussion and experiential learning will be allotted.

Learner Outcomes

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:  

1. Describe three supervisor roles consistent with the supervision and ethics literature 

2. Describe two primary ethical responsibilities of supervisors 

3. Describe at least one limitation of the extant ethical codes for supervision and training 

4. Describe at least one strength of the competency-based framework as it relates to supervision and training relative to the ethical codes. 

5. Define the components of the supervisory working alliance 

6. List at least three supervisory outcomes that are associated with the quality of the supervisory working alliance. 

7. List one major distinction between the supervisory working alliance and the therapeutic alliance from an ethical standpoint. 

8. Develop a relationship-centered supervision informed consent process.

Notes

Continuing Education 

• Psychology credits: 3 CEUs  
• SW, MFT & PC: 3 CEUs 

CORA Services is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for Psychologists. CORA Services maintains responsibility for the program and its content. 

The PA Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors has approved the credit hours for this conference. 

CORA asks that participants attend the entire workshop and complete the evaluation form. Partial credits will not be awarded. Late arrival or early departure will preclude awarding of CE credits.

Note: This workshop has been designated as providing hours towards the ethics training CEUs required by psychologists