Psychotherapy Supervision, 45 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Entry requirements

• Completed psychotherapeutic training and The National Board of Health and Welfare's professional status qualification.
• Work as a psychotherapist for at least 2 years half-time after the professional status qualification. The professional or vocational experience should be confirmed with certificates from the employer.
• English and Swedish corresponding to the level of English and Swedish in Swedish upper secondary education (Engelska 6/B and Svenska 3).

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should, in a theoretically and practically initiated way, be able to:

• demonstrate clinical skills as a professional psychotherapy supervisor, which includes advanced knowledge of resources, limitations and personal style as a basis for continued professional supervising work,
• apply knowledge of psychotherapy supervision in both activities and in an educational context,
• carry out theoretically and empirically based assessments of psychotherapy students and professionals in various types of difficulties;
• account for and critically review clinical supervision in different psychotherapeutic treatment approaches,
• develop advanced skills in the exercise of clinical supervision efforts in a chosen field,
• in a practical way, apply ethical principles and current legislation and ordinances that regulate the actions of psychotherapists and supervisors in the clinical field
• supervise in the psychotherapeutic supervision field
• teach psychotherapy, particularly regarding clinical issues such as assessment, responsibility, confidentiality, etcetera.

Course content

The course intends to give an advanced broadening and competence in clinical psychotherapy supervision, where the student, on completion education, should be able to function independently as a psychotherapy supervisor in both clinical psychotherapeutic and educational activity. The course covers how knowledge of supervision theory, psychotherapy studies, supervision research and clinical consultation are used and manifested in the own supervision, in both clinical activities and in an educational context. The own professional development as a psychotherapy supervisor and important ethics and privacy issues are also covered.

The own experience of activities as a supervisor in the psychotherapeutic field is of fundamental importance to the course, as this constitutes the basis for which theoretical knowledge is reflected and applied.

Particular focus is on:

• practical application of theories and models for psychotherapy supervision and psychotherapy education in the own clinical practice
• the supervision relationship between psychotherapy supervisor and clinically active psychologist/psychotherapist with a background in both theory and empirical research, and specific attention is given to questions concerning the group as a supervision context
• supervision in psychotherapeutic work with problems of more complex nature. Particularly focus will be on reflections on the supervisor's own importance for the supervision process and its outcome, and the consequences of different supervision styles for the supervised.
• knowledge of both views on psychotherapy supervision and education that are specific to a school of thought and views that are general and their consequences for the practical implementation of supervision,
• development of independent qualified skills as a clinical psychotherapy supervisor,
• the importance of knowledge from psychotherapy and supervision studies as well as evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment in the supervision situation.

Teaching and working methods

Clinical supervision in own completed supervision takes place continuously during the entire course. A significant part of the teaching takes place in smaller supervisory groups that are led by an experienced individual with a p completed supervisor education. In addition to the work in supervisory groups, teaching is given in the form of exercises, seminars and lectures. In addition to the scheduled teaching, the student should study independently, individually or in groups. The education also includes that the course participants should individually lead seminars and carry out lectures for one another or for other course groups. Detailed information about the working methods can be found in a separate course document.

Examination

The course is examined in written and oral form. Examination takes place in connection with each semester. Detailed information can be found in the separate course instructions.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it. If the coordinator has instead recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Department