BYE-LAW 5E 

CRITERIA FOR PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION TRAINING COURSE STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION AS A SUPERVISOR OF THE IRISH ASSOCIATION FOR HUMANISTIC AND INTEGRATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY

Supervision Training

1.   As outlined in Bye Law 5c one of the criteria for accreditation as a Supervisor requires that the member has successfully completed a Professional Supervision Training Course.

2.   Such training will be considered acceptable if it involves each of the following:

a)  Trainers hold relevant qualifications and professional registrations/memberships in the practice of Supervision.

b)  At least 100 hours tutor contact over a minimum of 8 months or academic year.

c)  A substantial theoretical component, including a core theoretical model congruent with a humanistic and integrative approach to psychotherapy, as well as a review of other theoretical approaches addressing all developmental phases of  psychotherapeutic practice of:

• Student Associate 
• Pre-Accredited Associate 
• Accredited Psychotherapist

d)  The Purpose, Tasks, Roles and Functions of Supervision in Psychotherapy

e)  Exploration of Ethical and Professional Issues in Supervision:

• The ethical principles that underlie all IAHIP Codes of Ethics and Practice for therapists and supervisors.
• The responsibility of supervisors to be familiar with the IAHIP Codes of Ethics by which their supervisees are bound.
• The obligations of practitioners and supervisors under State Law, including:
• Child Protection legislation
• Data Protection legislation
• Domestic Violence legislation
• Issues of power within the supervisory relationship
• Organisational issues in supervision

f)  Group Supervision Practice

g)  Reflective Practice Skills

h)  Self-directed learning including journaling, required reading, etc.

i)  Experiential aspects of supervision including:

i.   structured supervision of trainee supervisors work

ii.  formal relational contracting and re-contracting in supervision

iii. attunement to core dynamics of the supervision relationship

iv. engaging with developmental and training needs in the supervisory relationship demonstrating competent delivery of ‘feedback’ across the developmental stages

v. engagement with supervisee’s ‘internal process’

vi. development of supervisee’s ‘internal supervisor’

j)  A minimum of 50 hours of supervised supervision practice during the course, made up of

a.  at least 25 hours of supervision skills practice internal to the course under the guidance of course tutors and

b.  at least 25 hours of contracted supervision practice outside of the course (under the supervision of the student’s own designated supervisor), at least some of which external practice should also be presented for supervision on the course

k)  A balance of theory, professional development, skills and supervision modelling that is consistent with the core theoretical model of the course, and

l)  Assessment that includes both written and practical components.

m)  Course training outcomes to be carefully formulated and communicated to demonstrate fulfilment of the following aspects of the supervision role: Supportive, Educative and Normative.

3.   Where a Professional Supervision Training Course is intended to train appropriately qualified practitioners to supervise work with children & adolescents as well as adults – the training programme must include all additional elements specific to child and adolescent practice.                   

Supervision of psychotherapists working with children, adolescents and their families needs to be very clearly defined, as set out according to ICP and EAP standards.

• Non-IAHIP supervisors supervising applicants for registration as an IAHIP accredited supervisor must attest to being familiar with the IAHIP Code of Ethics and Practice for Supervisors.