Social Work Supervision Theory and Practice

Back in college and graduate school, many of us proudly announced “There’s nothing like a good theory!” While I don’t run through hallways of skilled nursing centers or assisted living communities screaming about theories, they are very helpful when it comes to social work supervision. Theories act as frameworks and help us make sense out of what would normally be an overwhelming amount of information. Facts alone cannot speak for themselves. They need to be interpreted through theories. You may be a good supervisor, but without a conceptual model or theory to work within, you may not be fully emerged in the process of supervision.

3 Models of Supervision

Which of the following models of supervision sounds like one you use most? Models grounded in psychotherapy theory, models that are developmental in nature or social role models? Allow me to briefly describe each one, then decide.

Models grounded in psychotherapy theory include methods that are psychodynamic, person-centered, cognitive-behavioral, systemic and constructivist. Here, supervision becomes a teaching and learning process that focuses on the relationships between supervisee, client and supervisor. You also rely on genuineness, empathy and warmth. There must also be profound trust between the supervisee and supervisor.

Developmental approaches to supervision focus on how the supervisee changes as they gain training and supervised experience. The goal is to move towards competence through stages of growth, step-by-step. Each stage is different from one another and may be characterized as progressively more difficult. You and your supervisee works towards independence and competence.

Supervision relying more on social role models provide the supervisor-supervisee greater flexibility. It can involve teaching, administration and therapy. Roles may change throughout the process of supervision. This model includes counseling skills, professional roles, emotional awareness, and self-evaluation. Some of the tasks in this model are monitoring and evaluating, instructing and advising, modeling, consulting, supporting and sharing.

Which Model Fits Your Style of Supervision?

Most likely, you use bits and pieces of each model as you conduct your supervisory roles. Social work supervisors are likely to be eclectics or integrationists. Norcross and Napolitano in 1986 differentiated between the two using a culinary metaphor. They state “The eclectic selects among several dishes to constitute a meal, the integrationist creates new dishes by combining different ingredients”. Which one fits your style of supervision? After years of supervising, you have probably selected many methods to form your own brand of supervision. Once you have become an expert in supervision (practiced for 7 or more years), you are most likely an integrationist. This is actually a hallmark of an advanced supervisor and practitioner.