How to get the most out of supervision

You will get more out of supervision if you know what you want to achieve during the session. It can also help to prioritise the issues you wish to discuss, so you can address the most pressing topics first.

When presenting cases ensure you provide adequate details and allow sufficient time for your supervisor to ask further questions to assist with treatment formulation. You will also want to allow time for content (skills and knowledge) and reflection (your own responses and associated learning), both of which play an important role in your development as a psychologist.

Whether you are struggling to find content to bring to supervision, or you find you have too many questions to address during your session, it can be helpful to keep a notebook handy and jot down any questions or challenging situations that may arise during the week. You can then prioritise these in order of importance before meeting your supervisor.

Supervision provides an opportunity to debrief and access support and guidance with both new and ongoing cases. While it is important to celebrate our wins and share success stories, the greatest learning will ultimately come from your most difficult and challenging experiences, or when things don't quite go as planned. This is often what we need the most support with, especially early on in our careers.

Mistakes are inevitable, especially in the early days, but when given time for processing and reflection, these can also be translated into valuable learning experiences. Your supervisor will recognise, and relate to, the range of challenges that you will face in your clinical work, and can to assist you to navigate these as well as suggesting ways to increase your skills and knowledge in particular areas.

I appreciate that this is easier said than done, however the more open you are about any issues you are struggling with the more likely you are to get the support and assistance you need. Training to be a psychologist generally entails a very steep learning curve, which can be understandably overwhelming at times.

While supervision should most certainly be distinguished from personal counselling, issues relating to self-care, burnout prevention and vicarious trauma will inevitably arise, and will need to be addressed. Life can also present personal challenges and struggles, and at such times it can be helpful for your supervisor to be aware of these so that they can support you to make the most appropriate decisions within your professional work.

Remember that we are most effective when our own needs are met, so taking care of yourself, which includes accessing support when needed, will help you to become a more effective therapist.

Reflective practice involves looking back on your work to understand your therapeutic process better. Use supervision as a space to reflect on your cases, considering not just what happened, but why it happened and how it affected you and your client. This can help identify areas for improvement and strengthen your therapeutic skills.

After each supervision session, take some time to reflect on what was discussed. Consider how the insights gained can be integrated into your practice and what steps you can take to address any challenges identified. You can include some of these reflections in your weekly reflective practice journal.

Make a conscious effort to implement strategies and techniques learned during supervision into your practice, and try to do this as soon as possible while the information is fresh in your mind. Even if it initially feels awkward or clunky initially, remember everyone has to start somewhere, and the more you practice new techniques the more confidently you can integrate these into your sessions and treatment plans. Experimenting with new approaches can expand your therapeutic toolkit, refine your therapeutic style and better meet your clients' needs.

Getting the most out of supervision requires a proactive and reflective approach. By presenting challenging cases, preparing for sessions, being open to feedback, and allowing yourself to be vulnerable, you can maximize the learning opportunities supervision offers. Remember, the goal of supervision is not just to solve immediate problems but to foster ongoing growth and development as a therapist.