Competency Based Training for Clinical Supervisors

By Loredana-Ileana Viscu, Ioana-Eva Cădariu and Clifton Edward Watkins Jr

Competency Based Training for Clinical Supervisors builds upon the current competencies schema to design a framework for training programs. The book's authors begin with a practical program curriculum, addressing the challenges of treatment and workplace satisfaction. The next sections are divided based on transversal competencies, including intellectual order, methodological order, personal and social order, and communication order. The last section of the book is dedicated to ethics in both training programs and models for psychotherapy and clinical supervision.

• Presents a practical training program for supervisors that includes program curriculum, requirements, and final evaluation procedures
• Reviews ICT competencies in relation to clinical supervision
• Includes two chapters on ethics in training programs

• Language: English
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Release date: Aug 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9780443192555

Loredana-Ileana Viscu

Loredana-Ileana Viscu is a psychologist and a psychotherapist, a university professor at the Tibiscus University of Timisoara, Romania and a trainer and a supervisor within the Institute of Psychotherapy, Psychological Counseling and Clinical Supervision. Her main professional interests focus on psychotherapy, psychotherapy supervision and training in Integrative Psychotherapy. She is the chief editor of the International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy and the co-author A Guide to Clinical supervision (with Clifton Edward Watkins Jr.). She is a member of the Romanian Psychologists’ College, a trainer and supervision with EAIP (European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy); EAP psychotherapist.

Book preview

Preface

We are happy to share with you our guidebook about the quintessentials of competency-based supervisor training and, in doing so, also present a systematic competency-based program for conceptualizing and conducting supervisor training. Supervision has long played a pivotal, crucial role in counseling/psychotherapy training, yet supervisor training itself has lagged far behind comparatively; that needs to change. Supervisors may well be only as good as their supervision training. Let us embrace and enact the supreme value of supervisor training by forever equipping ourselves to be the best that we can be as supervisors. This book is but one effort to address, and offer our perspective on trying to fill, that void of supervisor training.

This guidebook serves as a complement to our preceding book, A Guide to Clinical Supervision: the Supervision Pyramid (Vîșcu & Watkins, 2021). This time out, we are happily joined in authorship by our wonderful colleague, Ioana-Eva Cădariu. The first two authors hail from Romania and the third author from the United States. Our contact began several years ago by means of email and has since become a continued collaboration by means of ongoing email contact, participation in the International Conference on Supervision in Psychotherapy (organized by Dr. Vîșcu), organizing the journal, the International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy (edited by Dr. Vîșcu) for publication, and working on a number of projects together (e.g., conducting supervision presentations and workshops, coordinating volumes of conference readings, coauthoring articles and our Guide [2021]), with this particular book being the culmination of our latest collaboration.

The idea for this book, as was also previously the case (Vîșcu & Watkins, 2021), was stimulated by Dr. Vîșcu's considerable effort and experience in bringing clinical supervision to Romania and working to make it a reality there. Whereas the first book's (Vîșcu & Watkins, 2021) main focus was on providing supervision services, our main focus here is on the training of supervisors and providing supervisor training—so that those providing those very supervision services are best prepared for such service provision. To reiterate, let us embrace and enact the supreme value of supervisor training; that is what this book is all about at its core.

But of what should such competency-based supervisor training consist? What specific areas should be covered? How should such training most profitably proceed? Is there a logical, step-by-step program that can be followed? What organizational framework best serves as the container for such a supervisor training program? The chapters in this book, drawing upon Dr. Vîșcu's extensive and intensive supervisor training work in Romania, most ably provide answer to those questions. The Competencies Schema (first presented in Vîșcu & Watkins [2021]) serves as the spine that gifts and guides this articulated supervisor training program. And in actualizing that articulation, what you will find within are supervisor training implementation specifics, some examples being: action steps to take, interventions to deploy, forms to use, case studies that demonstrate and describe, and an empirically based rating scale to be employed for evaluation purposes. These chapters, while informed by and honed on work done in Romania, extend far beyond Romania's borders and, we contend, have international relevance (as was the case with our earlier work [Vîșcu & Watkins, 2021]). May you find much use and value in what has been detailed herein; that is our highest hope, our most fervent wish—that in all matters supervisor training, this systematic competency-based program and approach will be of service to you.

We again thank the Elsevier team for working so diligently with us to make this book a reality; you all have once more made this a most enjoyable process for us, and we deeply appreciate that being so. And we would like to close, as we did last time, by particularly thanking one very special person: Cornelia-Ecaterina Cornean, or Neli, translator extraordinaire, and all-around, can-do helper, and organizer. Without Neli, our dear friend, none of this would have been possible this second time around, and we are glad to again readily acknowledge her tireless and impeccable efforts on our behalf and forever express our deepest appreciation to her.

Lore, Ioana, and Ed

Reference

1. Vîşcu L.-I, Watkins Jr. C.E. A guide to clinical supervision: The supervision pyramid. Academic Press; 2021 doi: 10.1016/C2019-0-04076-9 ISBN-10: 0128217170, ISBN 13: 978-0128217177.

Section I

Training program for supervisors

Outline

Chapter 1.1. The competencies schema

Chapter 1.2. Supervision models based on competencies

Chapter 1.3. Competency-based training program for supervisors developed by Vîșcu, Cădariu, and Watkins

Chapter 1.1: The competencies schema

Abstract

This introductory chapter underlines the background on which the entire manuscript is based. The intent is to offer a scaffolding for the curricula, methods, and instruments needed to build and shape a training program for clinical supervisors, starting from the Competencies Schema. The Competencies Schema was first proposed by the authors Vîşcu Loredana Ileana and Watkins Clifton Edward Jr. in A Guide to Clinical Supervision, published in 2021. The competencies on which each chapter of the book is based include transversal competencies: intellectual, methodological, personal, and social and communication.

Keywords

Supervisor transversal competencies; The competencies schema; Training program for supervisors

The foundation of this manuscript is based on the intent of building, shaping, and describing the characteristics, the curricula, the resources, the methods, and instruments of a training program for clinical supervisors in psychotherapy, based on the Competencies Schema belonging to the supervisor (Vîşcu & Watkins, 2021). The proposal for such a program, especially because specialty literature reports more shortcomings in this domain than advances and developments, must start from somewhere. Thus, the training program proposed is a program based on the development and practice of supervisor competencies, which are derived from the transversal intellectual, methodological, personal, and social and communication competencies. We consider the concept of transversal competency to be related to the general competency factor proposed by Callahan & Watkins (2018a,b,c,d)

The difficulty in proposing a framework for a training program for clinical supervisors is the main issue that is discussed by professionals in the mental health field, the main criterion in gaining the supervisor quality being professional experience and seniority. In psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and the promotion of competency-based training have led to a unification of efforts coming from researchers and practitioners to propose a list of competencies that can become the framework of a curriculum for supervisory training programs. Because each therapeutic orientation has its own specificity, it is difficult to identify a common pattern when it comes to competencies developed by psychotherapist and by clinical supervisors, but the place and role of competency training in becoming a psychotherapist and a clinical supervisor was recognized. In the previous manuscript, A Clinical Guide of Clinical Supervision (Vîşcu & Watkins, 2021), we proposed a Competencies Schema for the therapist and for the clinical supervisor, competencies derived from the intellectual, methodological, personal, and social and communication order transversal domains. This Competencies Schema is the scaffolding on which the chapters of this new manuscript are built on.

Thus, the competencies that stand at the basis of each chapter are derived from the following:

- Intellectual order transversal competencies: updating with new information in the supervision domain; solving issues in supervision; learning, research, publishing studies in the supervision domain;

- Methodological order transversal competencies: managing the individual and group supervision session, relational breathing, pedagogical skill, information and communication technology (ICT) competencies;

- Personal and social order transversal competencies: professional engine; professional model; becoming a myth;

- Communication order transversal competencies: flexible communication.

In designing the Competencies Schema (Vîşcu & Watkins, 2021), and making it useful for therapeutic and supervisory practice, we considered that the four transversal competencies are necessary, regardless of professional background. Starting with this general framework, each profession can design specific competencies derived from the four types of transversal competencies mentioned. This Competencies Schema can be considered a professional summary of specific competencies to be developed by the future professional.

Sill, when one decides to become a clinical supervisor, one must first earn a bachelor's degree in psychology or in another behavior-related program. A master's degree is also helpful, and a Ph.D. is compulsory in certain countries. In other countries, training provided by universities is not enough; one must enroll in training programs offered by different providers in order to become psychotherapists. These programs for clinical supervisors are scarce. In addition, the general knowledge is that the clinical supervisor starts one's career as a psychologist or psychotherapist and was a supervisee during one's becoming. All over the world, the main criterion for becoming a supervisor is foremost professional experience and seniority.

The American Psychological Association offered a definition of clinical supervision as a distinct professional practice and also guidelines that help in the describing of competent supervision (American Psychological Association, 2014, 2015). Nowadays, one can also find clear parameters for the clinical supervision provided (such as the number of supervision hours per week, in face-to-face format, individual or group, etc.). While training for psychotherapists is full of guidelines, less guidance is offered when speaking about training programs for supervisors.

For almost a decade, professional associations have pointed out that the experience criterion alone is not enough to become a supervisor, and training is needed in this regard. Advances in this field of study are stuck because it is difficult to reach a common denominator in terms of listing competencies needed to become a supervisor, on how to assess and evaluate these competencies, and on what tools should be used in assessing competencies. Papers and studies in the field of supervision have contributed to the clarification of some partial aspects, each of them better underlining the supervisor and supervision's place and role in the professional field.

In this regard, the training program for supervisors in psychotherapy that we propose is a program based on the development of competencies; each supervisor competency is listed in the Competencies Schema (see Fig. 1.1.1), and the chapters detailed in this manuscript represent descriptions of the supervisor competencies resulting from the Competencies Schema.

Each chapter thus represents a competency from the Competencies Schema, described according to our points of view, offering theoretical landmarks, topics for reflection for trainers and supervisor trainees from the training program for supervisors, and the minimal list of references. Thus, what is approached from a theoretical point of view, referring to each competency, are landmarks in the training of supervisors, landmarks from our practice as supervisors. Each training provider who proposes a training program for supervisors and who takes into consideration the Competencies Schema as a starting point is free to adopt the themes proposed, to add and contribute with new topics that best suit the therapeutic orientation of all participants.

Figure 1.1.1  The competencies schema. Source: Vîşcu & Watkins, 2021, p. 11

Another guiding idea for this manuscript is that in a training program, both the trainer and the supervisor trainee learn, gain information, develop, actively participate in training modules or courses proposed as parts of the training program, contained in the training program curriculum, or in this case are presented as chapters, which address both the trainer and the supervisor trainee.

We all learn, and we promote the idea of learning for all professionals: the trainer, the supervisor's supervisor, the therapist, and the client. We go even further in the idea that perhaps not only the supervisor did not receive proper training in becoming a supervisor, but also the one faculty who teaches and trains the future supervisor did not receive training in presenting information and knowledge as part of a training program.

No one was born educated and here, at the top of the training iceberg, we need professional humility to recognize that supervisors have invested more or less in their training as trainers of adult learners.

Another important aspect that we wish to emphasize, before moving forward with the presentation of a framework for a training program for supervisors, is that a clinical supervisor should not offer support only to the supervisee coming from the same therapeutic orientation as the supervisor; through one's knowledge and practice, the supervisor ideally should go beyond the therapeutic school and practice.

This leads us to the supervisor's effort to discover, to use new means, methods and tools of supervision, other than those established by one's therapeutic orientation, to be flexible in selecting theory, methods, and means used in the supervision process. Even if we the authors practice supervision in integrative psychotherapy, our desire is for the program proposed to support or become a crucible for ideas used in designing other training programs for most supervisors and colleagues, coming from other therapeutic orientations. Shouldn't supervision be a common ground in offering resources and using these resources into our practices, regardless of the therapeutic orientation?

Reference

2. Callahan J.L, Watkins Jr. C.E. Evidence-based training: The time has come. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. 2018;12:211–218.

3. Callahan J.L, Watkins Jr. C.E. The science of training I: Admissions, curriculum, and research training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. 2018;12:219–230.

4. Callahan J.L, Watkins Jr. C.E. The science of training II: Prepracticum and practicum training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. 2018;12:231–244.

5. Callahan J.L, Watkins Jr. C.E. The science of training III: Supervision, competency, and internship training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. 2018;12:245–261.

1. Vîşcu L.-I, Watkins Jr. C.E. A guide to clinical supervision: The supervision pyramid. Academic Press; 2021 doi: 10.1016/C2019-0-04076-9 ISBN-10: 0128217170, ISBN 13: 978-0128217177.

Chapter 1.2: Supervision models based on competencies

Abstract

The concept of competency is definer and related to the field of psychology. The core competencies of clinical psychologists are underlined, in order to offer an introduction to supervisory and supervisor competencies and to supervision models based on competencies. Thus, this chapter summarizes the supervision models proposed by specialized literature and offers an introduction to competencies needed to be developed in a training program for supervisors.

Keywords

Core competencies; Supervision models based on competencies; Supervisor competencies; Training for supervisors

1.2.1. Competencies in supervision

The concept of competency was not assimilated only in the field of psychology (Sumerall et al., 2000), this concept being used in business, education, medicine, and even engineering. As a pedagogical initiative, the competence paradigm has been the driver of changes in different levels of training in psychology. Changes in pedagogy, psychology, and other fields require an alignment of training, supervision, and practice standards, involving the clarifying of competencies to be taught and developed.

In specialty literature, the term competence has been used as synonymous with the skill concept, has left room for many questions but also left space for the creation of competency models (Gonsalvez & Calvert, 2014). An accreditation of a training program in education and psychology, from the American Psychological Association (APA) perspective, takes into account the ability of institutions to document the extent to which graduates acquire skills essential to the profession.

In 2003, the APA Board of Educational Affairs set up a task force to identify and define competencies and measurement tools for those competencies. The work team offered different models of competency assessment, and the APA accreditation commission introduced in 2007, on the basis of the team report, the need for doctoral, postdoctoral, and apprenticeship training as well as the need to assess students' competencies during the training period.

The British Psychological Society (BPS) emphasized in the training of clinical psychologists the need to develop basic competencies by achieving learning outcomes. Thus, the learning outcomes will demonstrate the following at the end of the training program:

- knowledge of theory and practical evidence in psychology;

- observance of professional ethics and deontology in psychology;

- proof of clinical competencies as a psychologist and being a research practitioner;

- personal and professional development.

The core competencies of clinical psychologists are referred to as transferable competencies that include: reflective clinical practice; case conceptualizations; effective clinical evaluations; communication competencies, professional competencies, research and learning competencies, and offering services competencies, among others (Gonsalvez & Calvert, 2014).

Supervisors are often surprised by the rapid social changes that are reflected in therapeutic practice and implicitly in the practice of supervision, hence the feelings of confusion and ambivalence (Gonsalvez & Calvert, 2014), and the need to describe competency-based supervision models, useful for psychologists in gaining theoretical understanding and reasoning necessary to apply the principles in supervision practice.

Until recently, the specialty literature identified three main categories of supervision models:

- supervision models derived from psychotherapy and adapted to the context of supervision, examples being supervision in CBT (Milne & James, 2000), psychodynamic supervision (Watkins, 2018), narrative supervision (Crocket, 2002), and supervision of family systems (Olsen & Stern, 1990);

- social role models of supervision, which emphasize the roles of the supervisor as counselor and consultant. These roles alternate in supervision. One of the most well-known models is the Discrimination Model proposed by Bernard and Goodyear (Bernard, 1979; Bernard & Goodyear, 2009);

- developmental models that emphasize the transition from the novice supervisee to the expert therapist (Stoltenberg, McNeill & Delworth, 1998; Watkins, 1995). Developmental models have dominated theory, training, and practice in supervision, allowing description based on the supervisees' changing needs as they develop competencies and self-confidence, consistent with the needs of each developmental stage (Bernard & Goodyear, 2009; Watkins, 1995).

Models of supervision based on competencies are added to the three models of supervision mentioned, with origins in pedagogy and education/training. In a narrow sense, these models are based on the systematic and careful building of competencies or learning outcomes for specific supervision situations or contexts. Broadly speaking, competency-based supervisory models are based on a specific goal of practice and study subjects.

The supervisory competency-based approach explicitly identifies the knowledge, skills, and values that assembled to form a clinical competency and develops learning strategies and evaluation procedures to meet criterion-references competence standards in keeping with evidence-based practices and requirements of the local clinical setting (Falender & Shafranske, 2007, P. 232).

The competency-based model of supervision (CBMS) starts from the premise that complex and integrated competencies can be usefully examined as conscious elements along with their combined and interactive effects. The practitioner's competency is a concept similar to a matrix of dimensions or areas of competence, which in turn are divided into other discrete competencies. Different competencies are manifested at different levels, involving complex thinking, reasoning, skills, and behaviors positioned in different areas.

Designs of training programs might include desired competencies. CBMS is similar to approaches based on objectives and goals in designing study subjects. These are also taken into account in the design of supervision programs: objectives, tasks, activities, and evaluation methods. From a practical point of view, supervisors who rely on such competency-based supervision programs will build a competency-based development plan before supervision begins (Gonsalvez & Calvert, 2014); the objectives are (SMART): specific, measurable, appropriate and achievable in the development of supervisees, relevant and recommended by forums in a specific country, and time-bound.

Boswell et al. (2010) underpinned the fact that basic (fundamental) competencies and functional competencies are relevant for all integrative efforts in the practice of psychotherapy:

a. The core competencies represent the fundamentals of what psychologists do (Rodolfa et al., 2005). The following core competencies are important for an integrative model:

- Reflective practice—For an integrative therapist coming from an assimilative orientation (the term assimilative refers to an incorporation of new and foreign concepts, exogenous interventions, within an existing or preexisting scheme), who through reflexivity becomes conscious when a particular intervention or a relational style is inefficient for the client;

- Awareness and practice of methods of scientific knowledge—The integrative therapist tactfully uses therapeutic interventions that are based on an adequate foundation of scientific and methodological knowledge (Sharpless & Barber, 2009). To achieve an integrative assimilation, the competent integrative psychotherapist should be flexible in at least two therapeutic orientations, including theories of pathology and therapeutic change;

- Establishing a working alliance—Seen as a common factor in any therapeutic approach. A competent integrative psychotherapist is aware that developing a positive working relationship is an important principle of change, as it facilitates the implementation of techniques and provides the opportunity for transformative and corrective experiences. The competence in establishing a positive working alliance also includes: supporting the facilitative factors of the alliance (Ackerman & Hilsenroth, 2003); continuous assessment of the working alliance; the detection of an alliance rupture (conflict identification, use of repair methods for the alliance rupture with the therapist's ability to analyze the alliance from different perspectives);

- Cultural/individual diversity—The integrative therapist performs treatments according to the client's needs (Beutler, Consoli, & Lane, 2005), knowing the client's differential characteristics in relation to the therapeutic process and outcome and the cultural differences (Sue et al., 2009). Appreciation and knowledge of individual differences are important in making treatment and intervention decisions (Hill & Knox, 2009). The integrative therapist chooses one's therapeutic interventions according to the client's characteristics, the variables of the therapeutic process, being at the same time aware of the needs, styles, and coping strategies of each client;

- Interdisciplinary goes beyond the integration of theoretical orientation and offers new directions of research in psychotherapy and supervision.

b. Functional competencies are based on the core competencies mentioned above and refer to: knowledge, competencies, and values, all of which are necessary for an integrative therapeutic practice. The areas considered important in integrative practice are: interventions, research evaluation, and supervision.

1.2.2. Aspects related to the competence assessment during supervision training

The information resulting from the competencies literature, the competencies gained during the training of supervisors, is more theoretical than empirical. The number of empirical investigations that have examined the structure of competencies has suggested the presence of a factor of general competence (overarching competency) (Callahan et al., 2017), and this feature is missing from the conceptualizations of contemporary theories.

Callahan and Watkins (Callahan & Watkins, 2018) mention that supervisees:

- claim that they acquire assessment competencies during the first years of doctoral training (Kamen et al., 2010) the attention offered to developing this competency after this period is decreased in intensity;

- consider that competencies related to intervention, research, and empathy take a long time to build and develop. These competencies are already acquired when starting a supervision program;

- consider that supervisory competencies come to the surface much later in training or even after training.

Supervision training programs evaluate their curriculum, but who is the assessor and when is the evaluation performed? This raises the issue of designing tools for evaluating training programs, assessing the competencies of supervisors but also those of training supervisors.

In a training program (in therapy and supervision) supervisor trainees become aware of the competence deficits of colleagues (Gersten et al., 2013), if they are of an interpersonal nature such as narcissism, sexism, and aversion (Rosenberg & Pace, 2006) or if they are ethical issues: breach of confidentiality, frustration, conflicts, and ethical dilemmas (Asay & Lal, 2014).

Moreover, supervisor trainees who become aware of the competency issues of their colleagues claim that it causes them anger, frustration, conflict, and ethical dilemmas (Fleming, Oliver & Bolton, 1996). When they encounter problematic situations in colleagues, gossip is observed, discussions with others (Rosenberg & Pace, 2006) or withdrawal, ignoring these concerns or even a confrontation with these colleagues (Mearns & Allen, 1991). Trainers should take a firmer stance when there is a lack of competence (Mearns & Allen, 1991).

Training and supervision programs recommend the building of self-care competencies, which are necessary in all areas. Diffusion and mindfulness techniques as ways of disconnecting or distancing oneself from stress have determined that trainees show a greater appreciation of the course and a greater satisfaction with life. Acquiring self-care competencies for the therapist and supervisor is not an easy task, but it also helps prevent burnout and increase self-care and care for clients and for supervisees (Rosenberg & Pace, 2006).

Competency assessment, in training programs for therapist and analogically in supervision training programs, is accompanied by anxiety. A training program aims to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, competencies, and skills; thus the issue of using tools to assess what has been acquired with the help of the training program arises.

A supervisor uses the role of gatekeeper with a supervisee, so how will trainers exercise this role during a supervision training program and at the end of the program? What tools will they use? How relevant are self-assessments as evaluation tools?

The evaluation of competencies in a training program will be done in two ways: involving the supervisor trainee and the trainer; what tools will be used? Are the characteristics of such instruments respected: for example, validity and fidelity?

References

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Chapter 1.3: Competency-based training program for supervisors developed by Vîșcu, Cădariu, and Watkins

Abstract

Starting from the guidelines proposed by the European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy (EAIP) for the accreditation of diploma supervision programs, a description of a training program for supervisors is presented, keeping in mind the supervisor competencies from the Competencies Schema. Thus, the scaffolding of a curricula is proposed, for a training program for supervisors, which could represent the starting point for training suppliers.

Keywords

Curricula for diploma supervision programs; Supervisor competencies; Training program contents; Training program outcomes

1.3.1. Framework of a Training program for supervisors in agreement with the European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy

The following framework follows the lines proposed by the European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy (EAIP) in the application forms for the accreditation of diploma supervision programs (http://www.euroaip.eu/). Thus, by completing an adaptation of this adapted application form, the intent is to underline the key contents of the diploma supervision program described in this material.

The first part of the application demands includes introductory information regarding the name of the organization asking for accreditation, the location of the organization, the website, and of course, the name of the person signing the application and what position this person holds within the organization.

The second part of the application demands information on the name of the training course submitted for accreditations. The program proposed by us would thus be a course for the obtaining of a supervision diploma in integrative psychotherapy. In Romania, for example, all programs (regardless of their objective, if they address psychotherapists or supervisors) may be accredited by a National Awarding Organization (e.g., The Romanian Psychologists College or the Romanian Federation of Psychotherapy) before an accreditation is demanded at an international level.

Other information provided refers to the manner in which supervisor trainees can register for this program and how many trainees are already enrolled in this program, if it has already been accredited at a national level.

The third part of the application demands a description of the program history and philosophy and the program curriculum. Thus, in the following, the scaffolding of the competencies-based program for supervision is presented according to the information demanded by EAIP:

1.3.1.1. Description of the supervision training program

a) Briefly describe the integrative philosophy that informs your integrative psychotherapy training course

    The supervision training program proposed is based on the learning-based supervision model (Vîşcu & Popescu, 2017; Vîșcu, 2018a, 2018b) and on the supervisor training standard (Vîşcu & Watkins, 2021; Vîșcu, 2018a, 2018b).

    The learning-based supervision model is based on adult learning as a common factor, on the learning alliance and on the learner's characteristics and needs.

    The supervisor's training standard is based on transversal competencies of an intellectual order, of a methodological order, of personal and social order, and of communication order; these transversal competencies (common to other professional fields, not only psychology) lead to the development of competencies characteristic to psychotherapist and supervisor competencies:

• The supervisor competencies derived from the intellectual order transversal competencies:

- Updating with new information in the supervision domain;

- Solving issues in supervision;

- Learning, research, and publishing studies in the supervision domain;

• The supervisor competencies derived from the methodological order transversal competencies:

- Managing individual and group supervision session;

- Relational breathing;

- Pedagogical competencies;

- Information and communications technology (ICT) competencies;

• The supervisor competencies derived from the personal and social order transversal competencies:

- Professional engine;

- Professional model;

- Becoming a myth;

• The supervisor competencies derived from the communication order transversal competencies:

- Flexible communication

    The research on supervision in integrative psychotherapy is represented by relevant studies realized by the trainers of this diploma program.

b) Give an overview of the course curriculum indicating the overall structure of hours/references/modules/practice

    The curriculum proposed includes the following modules/theme:

A. Modules proposed to be studied by the course trainers and by the supervisor of supervision. Each module included the objectives proposed, topics for reflection, and a minimal references list:

- Clinical supervision;

- Training of clinical supervisors;

- Educational principles and educational corrective experiences in the training of supervisors;

- Supervisor of supervision—as an agent of transformation in the training program for supervisors;

- Supervision models;

- Supervision in major therapeutic orientations.

B. Modules proposed for supervisor trainees, according to the four competencies domains: 13 modules of 15 h each:

• Transversal domain of an intellectual order:

M1 Clinical supervision;

M2 Supervision models;

M3 Supervision in major therapeutic orientations;

M4 Research in supervision;

• Transversal domain of a methodological order:

M5 Managing the individual and group supervision session;

M6 Relational breathing—the repair of the supervision relationship;

M7 Pedagogical competencies—educational principles and educational corrective experiences in the training of supervisors;

M8 Use of ICT in professional and supervision development.

• Transversal domain of a personal and social order:

M9 Professional engine—the training of clinical supervisors;

M10 Professional model;

M11 Becoming a myth—the trainer of supervisors—as agent of transformation in the training of supervisors;

• Transversal domain of the communication order:

M12 Flexible communication.

    The last module proposed is the Professional Ethics one, dealing with Ethical models in psychotherapy and clinical supervision and Ethics in training programs.

    For each module proposed, objectives are included, together with reflection themes, which can be used as practical exercise during the time period established for the supply of each module. The minimal references list is provided, so that supervisor trainees may also obtain the minimal resources for their learning and professional development.

c) This course covers supervision in work with children and adolescents? Yes/No

d) The expected learning outcomes of the training

    The outcome of learning is:

• Knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts of the supervision theory, of supervision models and the possibility to apply them in the practice of supervision;

• Establishing and repairing a supervision alliance in interaction with the supervised therapist or with the supervision group;

• Identifying supervision needs and learning styles of supervisors;

• Respecting the principles of adult learning and adapting supervision to the characteristics of adult learning;

• Adapting to ICT and using ICT means in supervision;

• Creating and assuming the supervisor identity in psychotherapy;

• Assuming the supervisor's and the supervisee's responsibilities;

• Observance of the principles of ethical practice and humility in supervision;

• Raising awareness and respect for cultural diversity and the ability to model this for supervisors.

1.3.1.1.1. Program ethics

a) Do you have a code of ethics and professional practice? (Please include a copy with this application) Yes/No

b) Do you have diversity and equality procedures which approach issues referring to the training of supervisors? (Please include a copy with this application) Yes/No

c) Do you have an appeal procedure?

d) Do you have safeguarding procedures for the supervision training program? (Please include a copy with this application) Yes/No

e) Are there any ethical complaints outstanding against your organization or any of the individual trainers? Yes/No

1.3.1.1.2. Program demands

a) What are the entry requirements for the supervision training program?

    The entry requirements include the following:

• A qualification in integrative psychotherapy, minimum 5 years as integrative therapist or counselor;

• Three/5 years (according to the Romanian Psychologists' College) after obtaining a practical qualification in psychotherapy, in accordance with the relevant NAO/EWO expectations

    Supervisors must meet the following criteria:

• Be a member of EAIP/state of origin of the association and holders of EAIP certificate for psychotherapy.

    In other words, the psychotherapist must:

1. Hold an experience of at least 3 years after obtaining the psychotherapist qualification.

2. Hold and experiences of at least 5 years in working with clients as psychotherapist, or the equivalent of approximately 1.600 h, which includes working with an average of eight clients per week during a period of 5 years.

b) How long (in hours) is the taught component of your course?

    The course consists of 12 theoretical modules of 15 h/module each (180 h, including the evaluation at the end of each training module). Participation takes a hybrid form: face-to-face and online and at least 70 h without contact.

    The 70 contactless hours include the preparing of the following:

1. A mini case study and commentary on the case study—10 h;

2. A short workshop/presentation for the group (on a supervision topic)—30 h with a related study.

3. 30 h of supervision.

c) How many hours of live supervision are included in the training program (supervising the supervision of supervisees that the supervisor trainees see in their own practice)?

    Minimum 30 h—20 h are proposed for group live supervision and 10 h for individual live supervision (with a client therapist). This supervision of supervision will be done with a supervisor other than the training supervisor!

d) How many hours of clinical supervision do supervisors from the training program have to do?

    Minimum 50 h of supervision of supervision: 30 h of group supervision (2 workshops of 15 h each) and 20 h of individual supervision.

e) How many hours of psychotherapy practice must the supervisor trainee have completed up to the qualification/accreditation point)?

    He/she should hold at least 5 years of experience working with clients as a psychotherapist or the equivalent of approximately 1600 h, which means an average of eight clients per week over 5 years (according to EAIP criteria).

f) What are the final criteria for graduating from the supervisor training program?

    Supervisor trainees must complete:

• at least one study/article published in the specialized journal;

• at least one book chapter published in a volume of studies;

• at least a participation at an international conference, symposium, and congress in psychotherapy/supervision;

• a mini-case study focusing in particular on contracting and other aspects of supervision;

• a mini workshop prepared and presented (4 h)/group presentation on a relevant topic for supervision. This is assessed live on relevance/structure/creativity/ability to connect theory and practice/evidence of personal experience and reflexivity and reading relevant literature;

• a final case study/transcript/video with comments on a supervision session. And, with the presentation of the status of the respective case + the client relationship diagnosis sheet + the supervisor's reflective analysis sheets + supervision instruments. This file is assessed according to the knowledge of the theory of supervision, to their ability to put into practice their competency to reflect on their supervision practice in a confident and ethical manner and on what they have learned, proving having read and assimilated supervisory literature.

1.3.1.1.3. Procedures of final evaluation

a) How is the theoretical component (on the four categories of competencies) of the training program assessed in the final evaluation?

    The evaluation supposes the elaboration of a published study/or research.

b) How is the practical component of training program assessed in the final evaluation (the candidate's competencies as a supervisor)?

    The practical component is also assessed through the final case study/transcript and through the report/recommendation of the supervising supervisor.

c) How is the clinical component of the training evaluated in the final evaluation (the supervisor trainee's own clinical work with clients)?

    The clinical component is assessed through the final case study/transcript. As mentioned, there is also a requirement to record the hours of supervision and recommendations from the supervising supervisor.

d) Who is involved in these evaluation procedures? Do you also have an external evaluation?

    All written papers/requested materials are evaluated by two trainers. Supervisors of supervisors are often external, and in the event of a dispute or where the two evaluators disagree, an external evaluator, who does not know the candidate, is requested to join the evaluation process.

1.3.1.1.4. Program faculty

a) Director of the supervision training program (includes qualifications and copies of documents)

b) Names and qualifications of the main trainers (includes copies of certificates)

1.3.2. The supervisor's competencies from the competencies schema (Vîşcu & Watkins, 2021)

A. The supervisor's competencies derived from the intellectual order transversal competencies:

1) Updating with new information in the supervision domain = to be in constant connection with what is new in the field of supervision in general and with what is new in the field of supervision in the therapeutic orientation;

• How is this done? The clinical supervisor:

- is concerned about their continuous professional development, being interested in new editorial appearances;

- is a subscriber to specialized journals;

- during each supervision session, they suggest to the supervisee editorial titles or at least one article, appropriate to the supervisee's