Online CPD courses from the American Psychological Association worth exploring

The American Psychological Association has put a wide range of CPD courses online at reasonable rates. They cover many aspects of psychology and psychotherapy, including supervision. Prices I saw ranged from $20 to $120. You can do online courses, buy recordings of workshops or do mini-courses based on tests in the APA Monitor on Psychology which is free online and well worth checking out.  They give credits rather than specifying a number of hours but I would imagine that a reasonable statement of hours would be accepted by accrediting bodies such as the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I'm planning to try out a little course they have on complicated grief at $20 to see how their system works. But I have a book to finish writing by the end of November so must defer until then. I will write more about this when I've checked it out. Meanwhile, if you're up against a CPD deadline you could do a lot worse than explore what they have to offer.

Link to this resource

10 opening questions therapists ask

The always useful PsychCentral blog has an article by US-based therapists Dennis O'Grady listing 10 introductory questions therapists ask. Here are the short versions (for the longer versions use the link below):

1. What brings you here?
2. Have you ever seen a counsellor before?
3. What is the problem from your viewpoint?
4. How does this problem typically make you feel?
5. What makes the problem better?
6. If you could wave a magic wand, what changes would you make happen in your life?
7. Overall, how would you describe your mood?
9. What would it take to make you feel more content, happier and more satisfied?
10. Do you consider yourself to have a low, average or high interpersonal IQ?

Link to this resource

Strike when the iron is cold - Irvin Yalom's advice to counsellors

Strike when the iron is cold - give feedback to clients about a behaviour when they are behaving differently.

That's one of fifty pieces of advice for counsellors from Irvin Yalom, compiled by Renee Baker for her blog.

Another: Use your own feelings as precious and valuable information.  If a client bores you for example, then they may likely bore others as well.  Use that.  Say to the client, “I notice I have been feeling disconnected from you, somewhat distanced…is your feeling similar?…let’s try and understand what is happening.”

I think supervisors will find the list of great help in working with supervisees (especially students and beginners) and, indeed, in their own counselling work.

Link to this resource.

APA warns against untrained and unknowledgeable supervisors

Too many clinical supervisors in psychology are untrained and unknowledgeable, according to the American Psychological Association. Many supervisors believe no special training is required to enable them to do the job well and that they will pick up the necessary skills "by osmosis," according to an article in the APA's Monitor on Psychology. The APA has issued guidelines in an attempt to improve matters.

Although clinical supervision of psychologists may differ somewhat from the supervision of counsellors and psychotherapists, the APA view may ring a bell with those who feel supervision they received was less than good.

A link to the APA guidelines is at the end of the Monitor article.

Link to this resource

Academic references on supervision

Published in 1990, "References on supervision in clinical and counseling psychology", has references to more sources on, or relevant to, supervision than you are likely to consult in a lifetime. The article is from Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. It is published by the American Psychological Association.The authors are William N Robiner  and William Schofield of the University of Minnesota Medical School. The link is to a PDF file.

Link to this resource

Philosophy of Clinical Supervision

"From this history of clinical supervision, our belief is that a large source of failure in clinical supervision stems from the lack of clarity about the supervisor's philosophy of clinical supervision."

So write Francis A Martin and William "Cris" Cannon in their article "The necessity of a philosophy of clinical supervision".  Both are practising counsellors and are involved also in counselor education.

The article has many suggestions on how to refine one's own philosophy regarding supervision both as a supervisor and supervisee.

The paper is part of a project sponsored by the American Counselling Association. This is a link to a PDF file.

Link to this resource

CFA guidelines on how to report child protection concerns

Here is a link to the Child and Family Agency's guidelines on reporting child protection concerns. The page has two links, one for professionals and the other for families and the public.

Link to this resource

IACP to insist on Garda vetting for all members from late 2014

In a statement issued through its newsletter on 18th June, the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy announced that it will introduce a mandatory scheme of Garda vetting for all members from the end of this year, 2014. Below is the IACP statement:

Pursuant to the NATIONAL VETTING BUREAU (CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE PERSONS) ACT 2012, the IACP will introduce mandatory Garda Vetting for all IACP members (all membership categories) in late 2014. (date to be confirmed).

 

All categories of membership of the IACP will be dependent on individuals obtaining Garda Vetting.

 

National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, provides a statutory basis for the use of Garda criminal records in the vetting of persons applying for employment working with children or vulnerable adults.

 

The Act also provides for the use of “soft” information, (which is referred to as “specified information” in the Act) in regard to vetting.

 

This is information other than criminal convictions where such information leads to a bona-fide belief that a person poses a threat to children or vulnerable persons.

 

Vetting procedures are already a requirement under the Children First National Guidelines.

 

The primary purpose of the Act is to put the procedures that have been developed to vet these applications into law, to provide for the use of soft information and to ensure those working with children or vulnerable adults are properly vetted.

 

The Garda Central Vetting Unit will become the National Vetting Bureau under the provisions of this Act and will have a substantially expanded role under new legislation.

 

The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 makes it mandatory for persons working with children or vulnerable adults to be vetted, whereas at present, this is done on the basis of a voluntary code.

 

The Act will also create offences and penalties for persons who fail to comply with its provisions.

 

The schedule to the Act lists in detail the types of work or activities that require vetting.

 

These include:

 

• Childcare services

• Schools

• Hospitals and health services

• Residential services or accommodation for children or vulnerable persons

• Treatment, therapy or counselling services for children or vulnerable persons

• Provision of leisure, sporting or physical activities to children or vulnerable persons

• Promotion of religious beliefs

 

The Gardaí have also interpreted the new legislation to apply to any persons whom may have any indirect / potential or possibility of contact with children or vulnerable adults.

 

This means that any situation where there may be children or vulnerable adults, any persons whom could come into contact with them, no matter how passing, must be vetted.

 

Garda Vetting will become a requirement for IACP membership.

 

Individuals will not be given membership until after they have received Garda Vetting.

 

The IACP is currently developing criteria, policies and procedures regarding Garda Vetting and once complete all members will be notified.

 

IACP recommends that all members familiarise themselves with The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012.

 

To view the act please click on the link below:

 

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2012/en/act/pub/0047/

The law on sexual offences in Ireland

A comprehensive and clear outline of the law on sexual offences in Ireland, including the law on underage sex, can be found here on the Citizens Information website. This website  provides an authoritative outline of rights, entitlements and laws for citizens.

David J Powell: Six steps to ethical decision-making in counselling

1. Identify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.
2. Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession). 
3. Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.
4. Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.
5. Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.
6. Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.

These steps are from David J Powell's article, Ethics in Counseling: A Complex Issue in the US magazine, Counselor. Well worth reading.

Ethics In Counseling: A Complex Issue

 

 

Identify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.  

Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession).   

Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.  

Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.  

Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.  

Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.  

- See more at: http://www.counselormagazine.com/2012/Jul-Aug/Ethics_In_Counseling/#sthash.Pnttzmib.dpufIdentify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.
Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession). 
Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.
Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.
Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.
Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.
- See more at: http://www.counselormagazine.com/2012/Jul-Aug/Ethics_In_Counseling/#sthash.Pnttzmib.dpu

Identify the ethical issues and conflicting values and duties.  

Identify the multiple stakeholders affected (clients, coworkers, the agency, the community, the profession).   

Identify possible actions, participants and alternatives.  

Examine the reasons for and against each action, including the macro-ethical principles, micro-ethical codes of practice, legal principles, standards of practice and care, your personal values, and agency policies and procedures.  

Consult with supervisors and colleagues about what options are preferred.  

Make a decision, document the actions (if it is not in writing, it didn’t happen), and monitor and evaluate the results of the decision.  

- See more at: http://www.counselormagazine.com/2012/Jul-Aug/Ethics_In_Counseling/#sthash.Pnttzmib.dpuf

Free ebook of ethical dilemmas

You have been counselling a married couple and, during separate sessions, you learn that (unknown to the wife) the husband is staying only for the sake of the children and that one of the children (unknown to the husband) has a different biological father. What should you do? This is one of the situations in the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors Counselling Dilemmas eBook. Each dilemma is followed by the views of two counsellors. Useful for supervisors (and counsellors) who want to hone their "dilemma" skills.

Link to this resource (pdf file, via counsellingconnection.com)

Children First Bill 2014 has been published but impementation is some time away

This Bill, when enacted,will put the Children First guidelines on a statutory basis. I strongly suggest you read the Bill yourself rather than relying on secondhand accounts.

Note that the Bill must go through various stages and change before it is passed by the Oireachtas and signed into law by the President. After that, as I understand it, the various sections of the legislation must be brought into operation separately by the Minister - this is unlikely to happen as soon as the Bill is signed into law because the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is anxious that training first be put in place throughout the country on how to apply the legislation.

In other words, the implementation of this proposed legislation could be quite some time away.

Meanwhile, members of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy are expected to operate according to the Children First guidelines published by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and which have been adopted by the IACP.

Links to resources:

Children First Bill 2014 (pdf)
Explanatory Memorandum, Children First Bill 2014 (pdf)
Children First Guidelines 2011

Giving trainee counsellors what they need

Trainee counsellors like supervisors who are knowledgeable, genuine, respectful and supportive but can get supervisors who undervalue or ridicule them, according to this article from the American Psychological Association, by Melissa Dittmann Tracey.

Link to this resource

Therapist countertransference and supervision

In this Australian video from IP Communications, the therapist's countertransference is noted by his supervisor and discussed.  The video begins with with the client/therapist role play, continues with the client's views on the session and then (about 6 minutes in) goes into the supervision session. Time: Just under 20 minutes

Link to this resource

Supervision resources from Stephen Power

A page of links to supervision resources by Limerick-based psychotherapist Stephen Power whose experience in therapy and mental health both in Ireland and in the UK, in academic settings and in practice, is broad and deep.

Link to this resource

Models of supervision

Models of supervision can be grouped under headings such as

Psychotherapy based
Developmental
Integrative

This (pdf) article by Kendra L Smith Phd lists models under these headings. She points out that good counsellors don't necessarily make good supervisors without further training. She also notes that the "master-apprentice" approach to supervision can run into challenges because skills are not as easily transferable as the phrase suggests.

Link to this resource

What's your agenda? Questions supervisors ask

In this brief post on her Health Psychology Consultancy blog, Dr Nicola Davies lists ten questions supervisors ask supervisees. Here they are:

What will be in the best interest of the client?

Is that decision in keeping with what is best for the client?

What benefit will that be to the client?

What is your agenda?

What is your rationale for that?

What are the possible options?

How did that make you feel?

How does this client make you feel?

What advice would you give someone in your position?

Are you being non-directive?

Link to this resource