During the last few months I have been mulling over issues around online supervision of and in organisations. What are the differences from supervising a f2f practitioner? It is a multi-faceted role in many ways. Supervisors can add value to an organisation as they are often in a unique position ‘on its edge’, and yet have insight into what is going well and less well systemically. They often have information about how a particular part of the organisation is functioning and the impact of changes on employees’ morale and stress levels. However, offering useful insight and feedback without breaking confidentiality is a delicate balance. This is so when a supervisor is employed in a f2f context, and I would maintain that working online brings other practical issues as well.
Often supervisors begin to work in or with organisations by happenstance. Maybe they know someone in the organisation, or may be a supervisee has moved in to counselling within a business. So what are the types of supervision which you may be providing?
This article first appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of TILT Magazine ~ Therapeutic Innovations in Light of Technology.
Click here to read the entire PDF version of the Dilemmas in Online Workplace Supervision article.
Anne Stokes is based in Hampshire, UK, and is a well-known online therapist, supervisor and trainer and Director of Online Training Ltd. She can be contacted at anne.stokes4@btinternet.com.
Access TILT Magazine archives: http://issuu.com/onlinetherapyinstitute/docs
