Practical Supervision: How to Become a Supervisor for the Helping Professions

As a supervisor, how do you best support growth, learning and improved practice? This book is designed to equip all those in the helping professions who are starting out in supervision with the theoretical, practical and psychological base needed for effective practice. Covering everything you need to know, from how to build a trusting and respectful relationship with your supervisee, to offering effective feedback and shaping a supervision session, this book will help you support and encourage those engaged in emotionally demanding tasks. Particular attention is devoted to the ethics of supervision and reflective practice, as well as to the challenges of supervising and appraising trainees. Practical suggestions for using creative methods and working with unconscious processes, and short exercises to support learning and development are included throughout. Concise and jargon-free, this introduction to supervision is ideal for new supervisors in social and health care, early years services, psychology, coaching and therapies of all kinds, as well as students on supervision training courses.

Table of Contents:
Foreword. Brigid Proctor and Francesca Inskipp. Preface. Acknowledgments. 1. Introduction: starting with yourself. 2. Beginning to supervise. 3. Knowing your relationship style. 4. Attending to tasks and skills. 5. Shaping a supervision session: choices of focus. 6. Giving and getting feedback. 7. Supervising trainees. 8. Using creative methods. 9. Working with unconscious processes. 10. Putting ethics into practice. 11. Using communications technology. 12. Supervising people in different contexts and roles. 13. Exploring group supervision. 14. Supporting your development. 15. Ending and moving on. References. Index.

About the Author :
Penny Henderson, Jim Holloway and Anthea Millar have worked as counsellors and therapists for many years and have extensive experience of supervision training. All are BACP Senior Accredited practitioners and Anthea has a master's degree in Supervision and Training from the University of Birmingham. All three authors are co-directors of Cambridge Supervision Training which runs accredited Certificate and Diploma programmes.

Review :
We found new gems and many timely reminders in the pages of this book. It will serve as a very useful and accessible reference source for practitioners at all stages of development... In short, Practical Supervision will help us all to grow into the truly reflective practitioners we are urged to be and wish to become. I enjoyed this book. It is well structured, very accessible and, as the title suggests, practical, both for new and experienced supervisors. I particularly valued the frequent reflection points which encourage and challenge the reader to apply the text to their own practices. The need for effective supervision of the highly stressed and often demoralised staff working in health services is clear, and this book will go a long way towards helping that need to be met. Not only is it an invaluable reference tool for all supervisors, but it should also be required reading for all senior managers because it contains gems of useful general guidance. While the book is concise and a pleasure to read, it is so packed with goodies that taking it all in is daunting on one go! It is especially useful where it offers concrete examples to illustrate its wise guidance and advice. I recommend it without reservation to all those undertaking supervision. This book is an invaluable and essential tool to any supervisor – from beginner to more experienced – it captures the essence of supervision covering a range of contexts and roles and encouraging reflection. Interestingly written, it talks to the reader and the 'case examples' make it come alive. It will most certainly become the must-have supervision book. This is a cracking little book and a solid recommendation for readers involved at any level in supervising practitioners... Henderson et al have really grasped the dynamics of this unique aspect of practice and explained the process in a highly accessible and well-structured publication... As an experienced supervisor I enjoyed the refreshing, clear approach which often summarised more extensive publications about supervision. It is a very useful title for novice supervisors, and a reminder for those with experience; it would also make for an introductory course reader into supervision... Practical Supervision is a valuable addition for those readers who oversee and support staff working with complex casework.