Quotation About Best Practice In Supervision Social Work Essay

Quotation About Best Practice In Supervision Social Work Essay Koster (2003) stated that supervision leads to a mental and emotional education that can guide practical work, frees fixed patterns of experience and behaviour and promotes the willingness as well as the ability to act suitably, carefully and courageously(p1). This essay will explore Kosters quotation about best practice in supervision, in relation to supervision in the area of counselling. This essay will also identify the benefits and difficulties of supervision, in regards to counselling, that can arise in supervision. Examples from a personal perspective will be presented on how supervision throughout work experience enabled difficult situations to be handled. Furthermore, an analysis of how effectively supervision was conducted throughout work experience, as well as personal suggestions on improvements of supervision in that work setting. Kosters quote does speak truth as supervision can lead to all sorts of positive and negative developments (Pelling, Bowers Armstrong, 2007). In particular he claims that it can lead to mental and emotional education that guides practical work, frees from fixed patterns of experience and behaviours. Supervision in counselling is very vital as it aims to increase self-awareness and enhances professional competence which will guide the supervisee throughout their work in a confident manner (Pelling, Bowers Armstrong, 2007), which is similar to what Koster is trying to state. The goal of supervision is primarily about the supervisees developmental growth and professional awareness (Pelling, Bowers Armstrong, 2007). Which again leads back to Kosters quote about how supervision leads to development; and that development of experience will guide the supervisee throughout their work in counselling. Thorough supervision, the supervisee will grow, reflect and develop in their professional and personal skills. It is through these developments that will alter their behaviour that will eventually guide them through their work to act in a suitable, careful and courageously; throughout their career in counselling. Which in return, is vital for a counsellor as his or her mental and emotional education needs to continually develop, and this can be accelerated through supervision. It can be said that a number of individuals and organisations can benefit from quality clinical supervision. Quality supervision is about making sure the client is not being harmed and is being assisted to accomplish established goals in competently appropriate ways, the receiver of counselling services is the first to benefit (Page Wosket, 1994). The majority of the conversation in supervisory sessions centres on interventions being used for the client and advance to how the supervisee is stressed with various parts of the case. While the supervisor is interacting, clarifying, explaining, educating, supporting and coming up with helpful professional interventions, another person is benefiting from this while interacting back to their supervisor the supervisee. As Pelling, Bowers, and Armstrong (2007) suggests: This is where the supervisees scope of practice, expertise and insight is being intentionally and incrementally expanded. Engaging supervisors in the struggle for understanding is valuable for deep learning to occur. In this sense it is the clinical material that is the teacher, not just the supervisor themselves. Supervision can insulate the supervisee from work-related stress, variously referred as burn-out. (p. 126) In addition, if the supervisee is an apprentice from an educational establishment, the organisation itself benefits with the development of a more proficient and safe practitioner (Pelling, Bowers Armstrong, 2007). This gives the organisation an excellent reputation for supporting and appropriately training the people in their charge in a professional manner, hence supervision being provided by the organisation benefits the organisation with a good positive professional reputation. Last of all, the clinical supervisor gains a great deal from offering supervision. While they support the supervisees, their understanding of clinical work, knowledge, experience, the world and themselves develops a great deal and the sense of fulfilment of being additive to so many is indeed rewarding and satisfying (Pelling, Bowers Armstrong, 2007). Supervision can be a valuable constructive learning tool, but at times difficulties in supervision can make it a negative experience. Moskowitz and Rupert (1983) found in their research, within USA, that supervisees reported that 38% of those surveyed claimed that there had been difficulties and conflict in their supervision that interfered with their learning. Their research further found that there are three major areas of difficulties and conflict that arise in supervision: theoretical orientation, style of supervision and personality issues (Moskowitz Rupert, 1983). Differences in theoretical orientation may lead to difficulties and conflict in supervision (Carroll Gilbert, 2006). In various organisations, supervisees may not have a choice of a supervisor and may perhaps end up getting supervised by somebody who has a different theoretical to their own. For example, a supervisor may be convinced of the rightness of their orientation and is not ready to accept interference that arise from a different school of psychology. These differences in theoretical orientation are a common problem in supervision and it may lead to rifts between the supervisor and supervisee, therefore failing to negotiate differences of this kind (Holloway, 1995). Secondly, difficulties and conflicts may arise in supervision when it comes to the style of supervision. Some supervisors have a formal style whilst others have an informal style of approach (Carroll Gilbert, 2006). There are four unsatisfactory styles of supervision that cause conflicts and difficulties: constrictive supervision; amorphous supervision; unsupportive supervision; and therapeutic supervision (Abott, 1984). In the constructive type, there is limited autonomy. In the amorphous type, there is very little supervisory contribution and the supervisor may have a somewhat laissez faire outlook to the entire process, where whatever happens goes. Unsupportive supervisors are unfriendly and distant and supervisees would not willingly approach them with their difficulties. Therapeutic supervision transforms the supervisee into a patient while the supervisor takes on the position of the therapist often in a persistent and pushy manner that infantilizes the supervisee (Carroll Gilbert, 2006). The last style of supervision that causes conflict and difficulties is known as personality issues. This is when there is a personality clash between the supervisor and supervisee which can result to a rupture in the supervisory alliance (Carroll Gilbert, 2006). These ruptures are often caused by confusion in communication, for example the supervisor may misinterpret something the supervisee has said in a negative way. Furthermore, the rapture may be simply be caused by the supervisees own defensiveness. An example would be that the supervisee may act defensively when the supervisor gives feedback, therefore causing a strain in the supervision relationship. Supervision is a valuable tool for a supervisee when they are having difficulty dealing with their client in an effective professional manner. Whatever the problem is, in regards to the well-being of the client, the supervisee can discuss these issues throughout supervision in order to uncover helpful interventions in dealing with the matter (Wosket, 1999). An example from work experience in which supervision enabled to deal effectively with a difficult situation, is when there was a client who brought up an issue that was difficult to handle. The reason the issue was difficult to handle is because there was limited knowledge in that area and there was no confidence in dealing with the matter. So in order to deal with this dilemma, it was brought up to the attention to the supervisor throughout the supervision session. Throughout the supervision session the supervisor, listened to the dilemma and asked explorative questions, made encouraging statements and shared self- disclosure. She also in return, working the supervisee, came up with interventions to put together in order for the supervisee to handle the struggling case. The supervisor clarified the problem to the supervisee and explored potential explanations and interventions for the supervisee to consider. The supervisee filled in the gaps of the knowledge and asked the supervisee to reflect and explore options on how he will put the explored interventions in to action. The supervisor also used modelling and role-plays to show the supervisee on how they might be able to assist their client. So through supervision, the supervisors challenges and confrontations facilitated the supervisees critical reflection and learning, hence this gave confidence to the supervisee to handle and deal with their difficult situation. A concise breakdown will currently be offered on how efficiently supervision was carried right through work experience. Supervision was conducted effectively because the supervisor followed a significant process in order for supervision to function at its best. The initial supervision session is when the supervisor clarified what the supervisee has done in the past in regards to practice and supervision, and asks where they would like assistance. When it came to the daily supervision sessions, it was noted at times that the supervisor would follow a process right from beginning to end. When the supervisee had an issue, it would be looked thoroughly. Issues discussed in supervision included: intervention strategies and future plans; counsellor professional development; supervisee client alliance and boundaries; client issues and goal setting; supervisor supervisee relationship; ethical and legal issues; and so on. Once the issue were discussed, the supervisor would ask a series of structured questions in order to gain clarification, as well as allowing the supervisee to reflect and offload. Such helpful questions included: What are you feeling and views about the issue?; Where do you feel most confused?; what kind of help would you like?; and what are the key details I need to know about the case?. Furthermore, during supervision the supervisor and supervisee took notes during sessions to have an ongoing record of plans, themes, struggles, clients discussed, learning and progress. Once the issue was discussed and the supervisor asked her questions, the supervisor would then encourage the supervisee to: understand the problem; find links among the information; develop a treatment plan to put into practice; and create a working proposition (Carroll Gilbert, 2006). Towards the end of every supervision session, the supervisor would give feed back as well as ask for verbal feedback back from the supervisee. The supervisor would ask something as simple as How was our session for you today? or Was this session valuable or unbeneficial to you today? Summing up, supervision was conducted effectively because the supervisor followed a valuable process throughout the sessions. Apart from following an effective process, the supervisor herself was encouraging, respectful, genuine, empathetic, and self-disclosed, which as a result added further to the effectiveness of supervision. From personal experience, the supervision that took place during work placement cannot be faulted. However, there is lack of knowledge of how the other supervisors function in their role, as during placement only one supervisor was given to work closely with. Focusing purely on the supervisor provided with, her name being Amy, she was nothing but professional, educated and friendly. One could suggest that Amy is the ideal supervisor as throughout work placement she always showed respect, genuineness, empathy and was always encouraging. She was also concrete and showed a great deal self-disclosure throughout supervision. As stated, Amy would be the ideal supervisor as her supervision qualities match what Carifo and Hess found in their research in what makes an ideal supervisor. Carifo and Hess (1987) found that the ideal supervisor is a person who shows respect, empathy, genuineness, concreteness and self-disclosure in his or her dealings with supervisees (p.247). So as one can see, supervision cannot be faulted as it was nothing other but a positive learning experience, with the help of a true professional supervisor who knew how to function in her role. Therefore, it is too complex to come up with suggestions for improvements for supervision in the work setting because it just worked to well in order to suggest any changes. Supervision may have its benefits and difficulties, but it is those experiences a supervisee needs to experience in order to develop their mental and emotional experience. It is these developments and experiences that allow the individual to be able to learn and handle future challenges in their area of counselling. With the right supervisor, as well as having regular supervision sessions that are conducted effectively, it will consequently transform the supervisee into a stronger counsellor who is willing to learn, act suitably, carefully and courageously; throughout their counselling career.

Who Moved My Cheese? Essay -- Book Reviews Spencer Johnson

Change is one of those unique subjects that can be perceived differently by any one individual. You might ask three people what their personal definition of change is and receive three different answers. Some people offer very little resistance to change, they consider it the spice of life; it prevents stagnancy and maintains excitement through diversity. Some people view change like the U.S. viewed Russia during the cold war, as an inevitable threat that we must constantly monitor and prepare for. Other people react to change like an ostrich reacts to danger. They just stick their head in a hole and pretend it doesn't exist. Change is constantly happening all the time to everyone in someway or another. Whether or not change is accepted does not alter the fact that it exists however the way you accept change can alter the way you exist. The book titled, Who Moved My Cheese?, written by Spencer Johnson, M.D. is a parable that reveals how change is dealt with differently by individuals. In this story there are four characters, two mice named Sniff and Scurry and two "little people", named Hem and Haw, who are about the size of mice but act and think much like humans. These four characters are in a maze searching for cheese. The cheese is a metaphor for the things that make you happy in life like a successful career, happy marriage, financial security, materialistic possessions etc. The maze represents where you might be looking for these things for example your company, home, or town. Change plays a key element in this parable. Change happens when the four characters run out of cheese, which was once abundant at their location in the maze. Each of the characters reacts a little differently to this change, some reactions ... ... than not people much like Haw find that their fears are of lesser threat than they have imagined them to be. Many times fear is only a self-contrived obstacle that prevents personal progress. Whether or not change is accepted does not alter the fact that it exists however the way you accept change can alter the way you exist. Hem's existence was obviously negatively affected by his inability to accept change. The mice quickly moved on to a better existence after accepting change without hesitation. Haw learned that his hesitation to acceptance of change caused him precious time without cheese. As Haw learned in the parable, accepting change, anticipating change, being aware of change and enjoying change can lead to living a happier and more prosperous life. Works Cited Johnson M.D., Spencer. Who Moved My Cheese? New York: G.P. Putman's Sons, 1998,2002

Charles Baudrelaire: the Swan

Main theme: Criticism of industrialization and the destruction of Paris Mode of Characterization: presented with melancholy Mood: somber, disheartened, nostalgic Tone: saddened, negative, slow, nostalgic Form: French lyric poem Alienation: The narrator, whom we assume is Baudelaire himself highlights how he was become and alien in his own city. The urban renewal and industrialization has replaced familiar sights and landmarks he had loved.The swan is a symbolically a projection f himself, like the swan he too had been taken from his native land and home. Baudelaire also plays on our understands that not only is he similar to the swan, but so too the orphans; separated from their parent's, and lost sailors and captives never to return to their true home. Allusion / Greek Mythology Baudelaire relies on the allusion to Greek mythology, with the outcome of projecting his despair at the destruction of his city.Much of the understanding of the text derives from the readers understanding of Greek mythology. The lyrical poem open with â€Å"Andromeda, I think of you! Thus Baudelaire is comparing his feelings of loss and devastation with Andromeda, who according to Greek mythology had her husband killed in the war between Troy and Greece. Not only did she had to deal with the loss of her husband in the war, but her beautiful city.Therefore Baudelaire impels via implication that he feel Just as devastated as she would, as bother their beloved cities are destroyed. Allusion / Reference to Ovid and Swan Song Baudelaire also utilizes a reference to Roman poet Ovid. Ovid wrote of the swan song which is a swan's finale gesture or effort before death. Baudelaire employs this motif o highlight his melancholy psyche that Paris is now dead, â€Å"And one old Memory like a crying horn†. Thus he reiterates his melancholy and negative feelings towards to modernization of Paris.Swan is also a symbol of purity and elegance, much like Baudelaire Paris, the swan's death and aban donment, is used to represent that Paris has been abandoned as the â€Å"silent air† indicates a lack of life. Criticism of Destruction / Development / Industrialization Imagery Bothersome, Baudelaire relies heavily on vivid imagery to demonstrate the extensive destruction particularly, the environmental destruction incurred by the arbitration. Endearing swan act as a criticism of the arbitration which would have displaced many animals and destroyed their homes.The survival of the animals seems grim as there was a â€Å"†¦ Waterless stream† which highlights the environmental damage the arbitration incurred. Baudelaire also criticisms the destruction of Paris and the urban development. He remarks â€Å"a town alas, Changes more quickly than man's heart may change† which suggests that modernity and arbitration is too fast paced for human development. Thus the reader is encouraged to mourn the loss of old Paris.

amu soci111 observation paper - 1149 Words

NORM BREAKING OBSERVATION 1 Norm Breaking Observation NORM BREAKING OBSERVATION 2 Abstract Utilizing the research of Henslin (2013), and the my own norm breaking experience, this paper reflects understanding of how social norms define the society that they are applied to. Also identified, are the ways that subcultures react to certain norm breaking differently as well as reactions to deviance through use of folkway and sanctions. This paper examines the experience I encountered while observing reactions to my norm breaking experiment of bathing in a tourist destination waterfall. Keywords: norms, folkway, deviance, subculture, sanctions NORM BREAKING OBSERVATION 3 Sunday 15 June 2014, traditionally associated with Father’s†¦show more content†¦As all they did was shrug, no dirty looks that I saw, this norm breaking can be considered a folkway. The Reaction due to Subculture There is a subculture of hiking in America. A subculture is a small group that has different values and behaviors relating to those values then the larger society that they are a part of (Henslin, 2013). Since the number of hikers in 2013 was 34.54 million according to statista (Number of Hikers, 2014) out of 317.3 million Americans in 2013 (United States Census Bureau, 2014) that certainly constitutes a small subsection of Americans. The subculture of hikers values appreciation for nature, which is what could be ultimately lead to such positive feedback from the norm breaking. NORM BREAKING OBSERVATION 6 References Henslin, James M. Sociology: A DowntoEarth Approach. 12th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013. VitalBook file. Bookshelf. Number of hikers and backpackers in the USA, 2013. (2014, January 1). Statista. Retrieved June 22, 2014, from http://www.statista.com/statistics/227421/numberofhikersandbackpackersusa/ United States Census Bureau. (n.d.). Population Clock. Retrieved June 22, 2014, from