Telehealth Certification Institute

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TeleSupervision: Finding the Right Fit and How it Works

Ruby Blow, owner and operator of Atlanta-based Development Counts, provides clinical supervision, consultation, and training. Among her many licenses and certifications, Ruby is an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). She has provided services since 2001, and Ruby has increasingly seen a shift in the mode of services to electronic meetings (primarily via video conferencing) rather than in-person.

Finding a good clinical supervisor is not necessarily an easy task for clinicians, especially if they are limited by geography and local availability. Effective and trained supervisors can be found by googling, but more often, "old school" word of mouth may be the best way to locate a supervisor who is a good fit. Being both nationally certified and trained in telesupervision (supervision when in a different location) opens the possibility for clinicians who are seeking a supervisor to find a provider who will further their professional growth and development as well as meet their licensure requirements. Clinical supervisors wanting to learn how to supervise clinicians who provide telemental health services, or how to supervise from a distance are encouraged to take our TeleSupervision course.

Often, the notion of supervision from a distance can be mysterious at first, but clinicians soon find that there are many conveniences to be found in telesupervision. Participants do not suffer from delays or cancellations due to traffic or weather. Personal connections can be established, and body language can be read over video as easily as when in the same location. Group sessions can be held and peer review given without the intricacies of establishing/maintaining a common location for all participants. Supervision does not have to be video-based; it can also be held only with audio. In this situation, it falls to the supervisor to maintain the connection and engagement with all participants, to keep up the conversational flow, and to draw peer-based comments as needed.

Ruby is very excited about the prospect of providing live telesupervision while observing clinical sessions. Assuming that participants are willing and give written consent, then as a supervisor, she would be able to observe in real time and provide immediate feedback and/or suggestions to her supervisee so that any suggestions or guidance can be given right then to further the development of her supervisee and their efficacy with their client. This communication can be done by private chat messaging while on video conference or by "stepping into" a session just as a supervisor might during an in-person meeting.

Supervision is a niche, and finding the right supervisor is a critical step for every supervisee. They shouldn't feel they have to find a local provider with the requisite licensure and years of experience and who is capable of filling that role. Telesupervision broadens the options available to both new providers and mentors alike.

Learn more about Development Counts and Ruby Blow

Details on Ruby's Clinical Supervision for Professional Development