Tips to Advocate Your Needs in Supervision
By Alex Regalado
Navigating clinical supervision can be both rewarding and challenging. It’s an important component of your growth as a therapist or counselor, offering an opportunity to hone your skills and ensure you’re providing the highest standard of care. However, to effectively advocate for your own needs within this relationship is a skill in itself!
If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to express your needs or seek more support from your supervisor, this blog is for you. Here, we’ll delve into actionable tips on advocating for your needs, setting specific goals, and ultimately enriching your supervision experience.
Understanding Your Needs
I have found that one of the best places to start is self-reflection. Take a moment to think about your current supervision sessions. Are there areas where you feel you could use more support or guidance? Perhaps you’re looking to develop certain skills or require more feedback on your case management strategies. Identifying these needs is crucial before you can communicate them.
Communicating Effectively
Effective communication is the cornerstone of a healthy supervisory relationship. When it comes to expressing my needs, I try to aim for clarity while maintaining respect. “I” statements help convey your experiences and needs while steering clear of blame or assumptions about your supervisor’s intentions. For instance, saying “I feel I would benefit from more feedback on my counseling techniques to better my practice” can open a productive dialogue.
Setting Goals
A powerful strategy for advocating for your needs is through goal setting. Discuss your aspirations with your supervisor to establish achievable objectives. This approach not only lays out a roadmap for your professional development but also better illustrates how your supervisor can support you.
Think about your style of goal-setting. Some prefer SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) while others have different formats for identifying objectives. Whichever system you prefer, I think it is important to make it detailed, attainable, and quantifiable. This will allow both you and your supervisor the ability to measure progress.
Seeking Support
Remember, clinical supervision is a collaborative effort. Think of it as a partnership with a common goal. What is that goal? For you to (hopefully) get licensed! That being said, your supervisor is there to support and guide you. One of the best tips I can give is to never shy away from asking for help. If you’re facing challenges with a particular case or feeling overwhelmed, bring it up!
Seeking support is not a sign of weakness; it underscores your commitment to your clients’ well-being and your sustainability in the work we do. As awkward, embarrassing, and uncomfortable as it can be, supervisors prefer confronting these discomforts head-on rather than having a supervisee who feels lost and disconnected.
Building a Positive Supervision Relationship
At the heart of successful advocacy lies a strong, positive relationship with your supervisor. Aim to create a connection grounded in trust, genuineness, and authenticity. A solid relationship not only makes it easier to discuss your needs but also creates a lasting professional connection that can be used throughout our careers.
In fact, I am years into this field and I will still seek out feedback about professional growth from my previous supervisors! Furthermore, practicing building a positive supervisory relationship allows for a better and more effective approach when supervising our own supervisees one day.
Advocating for your needs in clinical supervision is pivotal for your evolution as a therapist or counselor. By understanding and communicating your needs, setting clear goals, actively seeking support, and nurturing a positive relationship with your supervisor, you can make your supervision journey both supportive and enriching. Remember, your growth is a continuous path, and taking charge of your needs in supervision is an important skill in your journey.
Next Steps
Reflecting on all this information, what if you do not currently have or are searching for a new clinical supervisor? Luckily, you are in the right place! Here at Firelight Supervision, our clinical supervisors are familiar with reflection, advocacy, and goal-setting. With their own unique educational and professional backgrounds, each of our trained and experienced clinical supervisors are equipped with tools to help support and guide you through the process of clinical development.
How we can help
Offering both individual and group supervision, we offer a unique collaborative process to help you feel more confident in your clinical work. If you are interested in looking further, check out our clinical supervision services! Here, you can schedule a 20-minute free consultation call. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Author Bio
Alex Regalado is a psychotherapist who specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and other skills! He has experience working in community mental health, hospital settings, crisis centers, and private practice. Follow Firelight Supervision on Instagram and Facebook.
