The Ultimate Supervision Toolkit: Practical Tools for Every Step of the Supervisory Journey

CPD

Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

Handouts

Speaker

Ashley Charbonneau, LCSW, LAC Related seminars and products

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Ashley Charbonneau, LCSW, LAC, is the founder of Enso Counseling and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Addiction Counselor with deep expertise in treating trauma, substance use, and problematic sexual behavior. Since launching her private practice in 2016, Ashley has specialized in individual therapy for adolescents and adults navigating abusive relationships, trauma histories, and complex sexual behaviors. Her clinical work is grounded in a commitment to both survivor healing and offender accountability, and she brings a restorative justice lens to her practice.

Ashley has extensive experience working with individuals impacted by the criminal legal system, including both victims of abuse and individuals who have committed various offenses. She believes that creating a world without future victims requires informed, courageous conversations across systems – incorporating the perspectives of survivors, offenders, and clinicians alike.

She has served as an SOMB Treatment Provider, Evaluator, and Clinical Supervisor since 2014, and is an Approved Clinical Supervisor supporting clinicians in providing ethical, trauma-informed care. Ashley is currently pursuing her PhD in social work and remains deeply committed to advancing the field through both practice and mentorship.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ashley Charbonneau maintains a private practice and has employment relationships with Nova Counseling, the Metropolitan State University, and KNU For Kids Foundation. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ashely Charbonneau is a member of the CO Chapter NASW, Colorado Society for Clinical Social Work, and EMDRIA.

Objectives

1. Identify evidence-based strategies to effectively initiate the supervision process, set expectations, and establish a strong working alliance.
2. Apply tools to help supervisees in developing their professional self by building competence, confidence, and ethical decision-making skills.
3. Employ structured techniques to help supervisees enhance their clinical skills, integrate theoretical knowledge, and build expertise in specialised areas.
4. Integrate tools and techniques to address difficult situations in supervision, including managing conflict, addressing ethical concerns, and providing constructive feedback.
5. Utilise practical frameworks to evaluate both supervisor and supervisee performance, ensuring continuous improvement and adherence to professional standards.
6. Develop strategies for terminating supervision, providing a meaningful and reflective conclusion that supports supervisee independence.

Outline

I. Starting Supervision

• Setting Up Supervision
  • Establishing the supervisory relationship and building rapport.
  • Defining roles and responsibilities.
  • Tools: Supervision contract template and session agenda checklist.
• Basic Expectations
  • Documenting hours for licensure or certification.
  • Setting supervision goals and aligning them with supervisee needs.
  • Reviewing caseloads to prioritise learning opportunities.
  • Tools: Supervision documentation templates and goal-setting forms.
• Documenting Supervision
  • Best practices for record-keeping to meet ethical and legal standards.
  • Tools: Supervision session log template.

II. Creating a Supervision Trajectory

• Designing a Developmental Path
  • Understanding supervisee growth stages.
  • Setting milestones and benchmarks for clinical and professional progress.
  • Tools: Supervision roadmap template and developmental trajectory planner.

III. Fostering the Learning Environment

• Trauma-Informed Care in Supervision
  • Principles of trust, transparency, and safety in the supervisory relationship.
  • Strategies to prevent retraumatisation in supervision discussions.
  • Tools: Trauma-informed supervision checklist.
• Building a Collaborative and Structured Environment
  • Encouraging supervisee engagement and open communication.
  • Tools: Feedback loop worksheet and collaborative goal-setting template. 

IV. Self-Care and Burnout Prevention

• Prioritising Well-Being in Supervision
  • Supporting supervisees in developing sustainable self-care routines.
  • Identifying early signs of burnout or compassion fatigue.
  • Tools: Supervisee self-care plan template and burnout risk checklist.
• Modeling Resilience
  • Strategies for supervisors to manage their own stress and workload.

V. Helping Supervisees Become Experts

• Promoting Specialisation and Expertise
  • The importance of focusing on specific clinical interests.
  • Strategies for supporting supervisees in identifying and developing their niche.
  • Tools: Career trajectory worksheet and specialisation development plan.

VI. Handling Difficult Situations in Supervision

• Navigating Conflict in the Supervisory Relationship
  • Strategies for addressing and repairing conflicts with supervisees.
  • Tools: Conflict resolution guide and repair scripts.
• Managing Supervisee Resistance
  • Understanding and addressing barriers to learning.

VII. Remediation and Evaluation

• Developing Effective Remediation Plans
  • Identifying performance concerns and setting clear improvement goals.
  • Tools: Remediation plan template and performance tracking form.
• Evaluation Types and Processes
• Summative vs. formative evaluations.
• Using evaluations to assess competency and growth.
• Tools: Competency assessment form and supervisor evaluation checklist.

VIII. Termination After Evaluation

• Ending the Supervisory Relationship
  • Best practices for termination after evaluation.
  • Ensuring supervisees feel prepared for independent practice or future supervision.
  • Tools: Termination checklist and transition plan template.
• Reflecting on the Supervisory Process
  • Encouraging feedback from supervisees to improve supervision practices.
  • Conducting self-evaluations to enhance future supervisory roles. 

IX. Conclusion and Resources

• Pulling It All Together
  • Implementing the supervision toolkit in practice.
  • Encouraging reflection and ongoing learning for supervisors and supervisees.
• Access to Resources
  • Templates, checklists, and updates included with the course.

Target Audience

• Counsellors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Psychotherapists
• Psychiatrists
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Addiction Counsellors
• Other Mental Health Professionals