Clinical supervision is the practice of reviewing cases with another experienced professional to safeguard intervention quality and protect the practitioner. Not a junior luxury: a good practice for the entire career.
Supervision formats
- Individual: 1-to-1 with senior. Maximum depth. High cost.
- Group: 4-8 psychologists with a supervisor. Medium cost.
- Peer / intervision: 3-5 psychologists without external supervisor. Low cost.
Frequency
- Newly licensed: every 1-2 weeks first year.
- 2-5 years: every 2-4 weeks.
- Senior: monthly + intervision.
Pricing
- Individual: €60-120/session.
- Group: €30-50/person.
- Peer: €0.
How to choose a supervisor
- Training in your approach.
- 10+ years of clinical experience.
- Training in supervision.
- Compatible style.
Supervision session structure
- Case presentation (10-15 min).
- Hypotheses and feedback.
- Action plan.
- Closing.
Confidentiality and ethics
Patients must know in general terms that their case may be subject to anonymous supervision. Include it in informed consent.
Typical mistakes
- Going without a concrete clinical question.
- Seeking validation instead of learning.
- Skipping supervision when most burnt out.
- Mixing with personal therapy.
Preguntas frecuentes
Common questions about clinical supervision.
Is supervision mandatory?
Legally no, but recommended by most Colleges and almost essential when starting.
Do I tell patients I supervise their case?
Yes, in general anonymous terms, ideally collected in the informed consent.
Does online supervision work?
Yes, except for very delicate cases. Online saves commute.
Reasonable rate for individual supervision?
€60-120/hour with experienced supervisor.
Can I deduct supervision as a professional expense?
Yes, as self-employed it's tax-deductible.