I use psychoeducational interventions to address most individual problems. I believe there are stages of change and development for adults as well as children. I also believe our development best involves clarifying and choosing personal vision. I assist clients and colleagues to clarify and change vision and personal mission, and to empower ourselves in the process.

Fredric’s systematic method of clinical supervision is based on the collaborative construction of individualized learning plans using a supervisee-centered developmental model. Fredric prefers individual supervision sessions, but will offer group supervision as well.

Fredric subscribes to a developmental model with three levels of supervision: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. The beginning of the supervision relationship occurs with meetings to build trust, followed by collaboration in designing the Supervision Plan. This will include identifying learning needs and goals important to the Clinical Social Work Associate, as well as to Fredric. Within each level Fredric notes a trend for supervisees to begin in a rigid, shallow, imitative way and move toward more competence, self-assurance, and self-reliance for each level. Particular attention is paid to (1) self-and-other awareness, (2) motivation, and (3) autonomy. For example, typical development in beginning supervisees after designing the initial Supervision Plan would find them relatively dependent on the supervisor to develop diagnostic impressions of clients and establish plans for therapy or treatment. Intermediate supervisees still tend to depend on supervisors for an understanding of difficult clients, but would chafe at suggestions about others. Resistance, avoidance, or conflict is typical of this stage, because supervisee self-concept is easily threatened. Advanced supervisees function much more independently, seek consultation when appropriate, and feel responsible for their correct and incorrect decisions.

These levels each include three processes (awareness, motivation, autonomy), and Fredric will challenge the supervisee to highlight content of eight specific growth areas for each supervisee. The eight areas are: intervention, skills competence, assessment techniques, interpersonal assessment, client conceptualization, individual differences, theoretical orientation, treatment goals and plans, and professional ethics. Helping supervisees identify their own learning needs, strengths, and growth areas enables them to be responsible for their development as Clinical Social Workers.

Because many Social Work Associates view themselves as “eclectic,” Fredric’s developmental model of supervision is designed to be employed with multiple therapeutic orientations. Fredric can effect three supervisory roles with three areas of focus. He sometimes might take on a role of “teacher” when he directly lectures, instructs, and informs the supervisee. At other times he may act as counselor when he assists supervisees in noticing their own “blind spots” or the manner in which they are unconsciously “hooked” by a client’s issue. When Fredric relates as colleague during co-therapy he might act in a “consultant” role. Each of the three roles is task-specific for the purpose of identifying issues in supervision. He will not allow an unethical reliance on dual relationships. For example, the purpose of adopting a “counselor” role in supervision is the identification of unresolved issues clouding a therapeutic relationship. If these issues require ongoing counseling, Fredric will refer supervisees to work with their own therapists.

Clinical Social Work Associates who early on adopt a particular brand of therapy oftentimes believe that the best supervision is analysis of practice for true adherence to particular theoretical paradigms. The situation is analogous to the sports enthusiast who believes the best future coach would be a person who excelled in the same sport at the high school, college, and professional levels. Psychoanalytic processes in Supervision occur in stages, and during the opening stages the supervisee and supervisor would eye each other for signs of expertise and weakness. This leads to each person attributing a degree of influence or authority to the other. The mid-stage is characterized by conflict, defensiveness, avoiding, or attacking. Resolution leads to a “working” stage for supervision. The last stage is characterized by more silent supervision, encouraging supervisees in their tendency toward independence. Supervisees also can engage in behavioral rehearsal in supervision sessions prior to working with clients.

In Summary, Fredric will provide a challenging and safe supervisory relationship. The goal of supervision is to stimulate growth of clinical competence within a task-directed structure. Fredric’s methods address a variety of learning styles, use multiple supervisory roles, and communication skills, The Supervisee will enhance the clinical skills of listening, analyzing, and elaboration. As with any model, the Clinical Social Work Associates’ own personal model of supervision will continue to grow, change, and transform as he/she gains expertise, experience and insight.