In this final week of preparation for the in-residence component ofthis course, you consider how consultation and supervision are similarand different.
As discussed in previous weeks, a supervisor is ultimatelyresponsible for the quality of care; therefore, the supervisor musthave relevant data to make informed decisions. Many supervisors watchvideotapes of a supervisee’s therapy sessions and give feedback aboutthe supervisee’s techniques, as well as recommendations for treatmentplanning. Clients are aware that the supervisor is ultimately in chargeand directing the provided care.
In contrast, consultation involves a psychologist who is responsiblefor providing treatment and who seeks feedback from a colleague. Theconsultant is aware of information provided only by the treatingclinician in a consultation. This lack of access to information mayresult in less accurate feedback but can provide the consultant someflexibility and creativity that might otherwise be missing if theconsultant was responsible for the treatment. Theconsultant understands that he or she does not have all the factsand therefore must rely on the treating clinician’s good-faith judgmentto incorporate suggestions into the treatment plan. One of the“purest” forms of consulting is the case method of instruction, whereby aworkshop faculty member is asked about a case and provides feedbackonly within the context of that workshop. In such a situation, theinstructor is providing instruction, and this activity is not synonymouswith treatment.
For this Discussion, review the Learning Resources from Weeks 1through 9. Reflect on the challenges you described in last week’sDiscussion and consider strategies you may employ to address thesechallenges. Then, think about a topic, skill, or concept related tosupervision and/or consultation that you are most looking forward toreviewing during the in-residence component of the course and explainwhy.
Write a description of thechallenges you identified in last week’s Discussion. Then, explainstrategies you might use to address these challenges. Finally, explainwhich topic, skill, or concept from this week’s readings and any otherissues or topics that you are most looking forward to reviewingin-residence and explain why.
