Graduate Peer Supervision
Portland State University
Helen Gordon Community Clinic
Portland State University
Helen Gordon Community Clinic
After two terms counseling clients at the Helen Gordon Community Counseling Clinic, I was given the opportunity to supervise two of my graduate peers as they counseled clients of their own.
Before supervision began, I attended a training under the leadership of Dr. Russell Miars, who taught us the theory and skills necessary to supervise our peers successfully.
Under the continued leadership of Dr. Susan Halverson-Westerberg, I observed a graduate student counselor and client(s) via live videotaped sessions. After the three 50 minute sessions ended, I met with my peer to discuss how the sessions went, what skills I had seen applied, and what skills or theory might be applied in upcoming sessions. At the end of each term, I completed an evaluation of the peer whom I had observed and shared my feedback on their progress.
It was a unique and informative experience, from which I discovered that providing feedback to a peer can be similar to counseling clients. I also absorbed many new techniques and nuances of theory to add to my own practice as a counselor!
Before supervision began, I attended a training under the leadership of Dr. Russell Miars, who taught us the theory and skills necessary to supervise our peers successfully.
Under the continued leadership of Dr. Susan Halverson-Westerberg, I observed a graduate student counselor and client(s) via live videotaped sessions. After the three 50 minute sessions ended, I met with my peer to discuss how the sessions went, what skills I had seen applied, and what skills or theory might be applied in upcoming sessions. At the end of each term, I completed an evaluation of the peer whom I had observed and shared my feedback on their progress.
It was a unique and informative experience, from which I discovered that providing feedback to a peer can be similar to counseling clients. I also absorbed many new techniques and nuances of theory to add to my own practice as a counselor!