Choosing a hypnotherapy/psychotherapy supervisor
The less experience the therapist has, the more experience the supervisor should have. Supervisors should be sufficiently experienced and qualified in therapy or in a closely related field for others to have confidence in their professional skills. The precise nature of their profession is less important than their skill in therapy and rapport with the therapist concerned. Ideally the supervisor should have some training in supervision. The main focus of the therapist’s work should be taken into consideration: one to one, couples, families, groups etc.
The therapist should comprehend fully the training, methods and theoretical orientation of the proposed supervisor. Though, at times, a therapist may prefer to get differing insights and perceptions from another orientation [eg. T.A. or Gestalt] this can be confusing in supervision. As therapists work from different philosophical backgrounds it is important at an initial interview for the therapist to discover whether the potential supervisor is someone with whom it will be possible to work and learn. Since it is the responsibility of therapists to ascertain the qualifications and experience of a potential supervisor, they should enquire about the therapy training and experience of a supervisor before making a formal contract. Choosing a line manager as a supervisor can lead to difficulties, since a conflict of interests may arise between the needs of the unit of institution and the needs of the therapist. Finally it is essential to bear in mind that ultimately the supervisor must place responsibility to the client over and above responsibility to the therapist.
