Master of Counselling Practicum & Supervision Handbook
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Master of Counselling Practicum & Supervision Handbook Copyright Wesley Institute 2012 Wesley Institute 5 Mary Street Drummoyne PO Box 534 Drummoyne NSW 1470 Phone: 9819 8888 Fax: 9719 1714 Email: info@wi.edu.au Website: www.wi.edu.au CRICOS Provider Code 02664K ABN 50 360 319 774 071112 3
Table of Contents Tables of Contents...4 Counselling Practicum Checklist..5 General Guidelines and Requirements... 6 Practicum Guidelines and Requirements... 7 Unsatisfactory Performance of Students at Risk 9 Ethical Guidelines...10 Clinical Supervision...13 Emergency Procedures.14 Frequently Asked Questions 15 Appendix..17 4
Counselling Practicum Checklist 1. Students meet all requirements specified under General Guidelines and Requirements on page 6 of Master of Counselling Practicum and Supervision Handbook. 2. Student reads this handbook in its entirety. 3. Student reads Counselling Practicum I and II course unit outlines in their entirety. 4. Student meets with the Professional Experience Coordinator to discuss clinical interests and prospects. 5. Student makes initial contact with field placements, supplies resume and Record of Studies/Official Transcript (if required) and arranges interview with site supervisor. 6. Student contacts Professional Experience Coordinator once practicum placements are confirmed so Wesley Institute s Certificate of Currency (insurance) can be forwarded to site contacts. 7. Student completes Practicum Site Contracts (GSC-F03) after selection of sites and submits forms to Professional Experience Coordinator. If the placement is a paid one, please see the Professional Experience Coordinator. 8. Student completes the Prohibited Employment Declaration at the placement sites (if required) and submits a photocopy to the Professional Experience Coordinator. Completion of the above forms is mandatory and must be submitted to the Professional Experience Coordinator prior to commencement of work at the given placement sites. 9. Student prints attached Practicum Hours Log (GSC-F15) and records clinical counselling hours from commencement of practicum. Logs must be completed daily by the student and signed off weekly by the on-site supervisors. Note: counselling hours MUST be recorded before the site supervisor confirms the completed hours. 10. Student arranges supervision with qualified clinical supervisor within week of practicum commencement. 11. Student attends first class of Counselling Practicum I. 12. Logs are submitted to Professional Experience Coordinator upon completion of required 100 hours of clinical practice each semester. 5
General Guidelines and Requirements The counselling practicums provide an opportunity for the trainee counsellor to perform, under supervision, a variety of counselling activities that a professional counsellor will be expected to perform. The trainee s placement will include all of the following: 200 hours of face-to-face counselling over the course of two semesters with clients appropriate to the program of study including, individual counselling and group work; 54 hours of supervision over the course of two consecutive semesters conducted by a qualified clinical supervisor; the opportunity for trainee counsellors to become familiar with a variety of professional activities in addition to direct service (e.g. record keeping, supervision, referral processes, in-service events and staff meetings. However, please note these professional activities cannot be included in counselling hours); the opportunity for trainee counsellors to develop program-appropriate audiovisual recordings of the student s interactions with clients for use in supervision; completion of all Year 1 units before commencing clinical practice and supervision: Counselling Skills and Practice I Counselling Skills and Practice II Human Growth and Development Attachment and Interpersonal Processes Professional Ethics and Orientation Assessment Tools and Techniques Understanding Health and Wellness Counselling and Personality 6
Practicum Guidelines and Requirements The guidelines for supervision and practicum are in accordance with Wesley Institute s WP-STU-25 Student Placement Procedure. Trainee counsellors are required to adhere to these procedures. During the Placement The trainee counsellor must: Document all activities carried out at their placement on the attached Practicum Hours Log (GSC-F15). Carry their Wesley Institute ID card at all times. Maintain a level of conduct appropriate to a trainee counsellor in a professional setting. Adhere to all rules, regulations, policies and procedures of the placement agency, and all relevant expectations including dress codes. Maintain appropriate confidentiality regarding information gained through the placement, in accordance with privacy legislation as it applies to the agency. Inform the placement supervisor of any absences from the placement. Advise the placement supervisor and Professional Experience Coordinator immediately of any incident or concern regarding their safety during the placement. (See Emergency Procedures). Procedures Whether the placement is organised by the Institute or by the trainee counsellor the procedure is as follows: The trainee counsellor meets with the Professional Experience Coordinator to discuss clinical interests and prospects. The Professional Experience Coordinator contacts the placement supervisor to discuss the requirements of the placement and any oversight that may be provided by the Institute during the placement. The trainee contacts the desired agency, arranges an interview and forwards resume to the site placement supervisor. The placement supervisor interviews the student and discusses placement requirements and how these can be satisfied in the agency. The placement supervisor and student agree on dates and arrangements for the placement, and these are checked and approved by the Professional Experience Coordinator or Head of School. The Professional Experience Coordinator ensures that the student has completed all required documentation (See previous Checklist). 7
The trainee counsellor fulfils the agreed responsibilities. The placement supervisor gives the trainee counsellor regular feedback on the student s performance. The placement supervisor gives a written feedback form twice a semester (at mid-term break and at the completion of semester) to the Professional Experience Coordinator on the trainee counsellor s progress. The trainee counsellor s clinical supervisors (internal and external) provide a written report on the student s progress twice a semester (at mid-term break and at the completion of semester). The trainee counsellor provides the Professional Experience Coordinator with an on-going tally of completed counselling and supervision hours twice a semester (at mid-term break and at the completion of semester). The Trainee Counsellor in Supervision at Wesley Institute The student must: Attend class regularly. Present counselling cases during supervision according to formats outlined by the supervisor. Participate in group supervision (see Group Supervision). Present completed logbook to supervisor for signature as required. 8
Unsatisfactory Performance of Student at Risk Procedures to be observed in the case of an unsatisfactory performance or placement breakdown: The placement supervisor or the Professional Experience Coordinator may identify the trainee counsellor as being at risk of failing to maintain satisfactory progress in the unit if the trainee has: o o o failed to maintain satisfactory attendance, and/or failed to perform at a satisfactory standard as specified in the course unit outline, and/or failed to maintain an appropriate standard of conduct. A student identified as at risk of unsatisfactory progress will be notified in writing by the Professional Experience Coordinator who will indicate why they are at risk of failing to maintain satisfactory progress, identify possible remedial action and a timeframe for taking that action, and advise that the placement may be terminated if they continue to be at risk. A student who continues to be at risk after this notification will be referred to the Head of School who may: o o o terminate the placement, and/or approve an alternative placement opportunity for the student, and/or recommend a failing grade for the placement. The Professional Experience Co-ordinator will communicate with the student and placement supervisor as needed. Where a student on placement is involved in misconduct or unprofessional conduct of a serious nature the student may be immediately withdrawn from the placement and failed in the unit. Notwithstanding the above, a placement agency has the right to terminate a student placement at any time. Where a placement is unable to continue due to matters relating to the placement agency, the Professional Experience Coordinator will organise an alternative placement for the student. 9
Ethical Guidelines Trainee counsellors of the Master of Counselling are required to adhere to the following codes of ethical and professional practice of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). PACFA Ethical Principles 1. Counsellors respect the essential humanity, worth and dignity of all people and promote this value in their work. 2. Counsellors recognise and respect diversity among people and oppose discrimination and oppressive behaviour. 3. Counsellors respect the privacy of their clients and preserve the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of their work. 4. Counsellors protect the rights of their clients including the right to informed consent. 5. Counsellors take steps to maintain and develop their competence throughout their professional lives. 6. Counsellors abide by the laws of the society in which they practice. 1. Responsibilities to the client 1.1 Counsellors take all reasonable steps to avoid harm to their clients as a result of the counselling process. 1.2 Counsellors faced with situations which extend the boundary of their competence seek supervision and consider referral to other professionals. 1.3 In the event of harm resulting from Counselling, Counsellors take responsibility for restitution. Professional indemnity should be considered in this context. 1.4 Counsellors promote client autonomy and encourage clients to make responsible decisions on their own behalf. 1.5 Counsellors consider the social context of their clients and their connections to others. 1.6 Counsellors are responsible for setting and maintaining professional boundaries within the Counselling relationship. 1.7 Counsellors avoid any other relationship with their clients which is detrimental to the therapeutic process. 1.8 If a relationship other than counselling is present, counsellors demonstrate careful consideration of ethical issues raised including power imbalance and confidentiality. 2. Exploitation 2.1 Counsellors must not exploit clients, past or present, in financial, sexual, emotional or any other way. 2.2 Counsellors will not accept or offer payments for referrals, or engage in any financial transactions, apart from negotiating the ordinary fee charged for Counselling. 10
2.3 Sexual relations between the client and the Counsellor can never be acceptable and constitute unethical behaviour. This is not restricted to sexual intercourse and includes any form of physical contact, whether initiated by the client or the Counsellor, which has as its purpose some form of sexual gratification, or which may be reasonably construed as having that purpose. 2.4 Counsellors should consider that the deeper the involvement with the client s emotional life during Counselling, the less likely is the possibility of a subsequent equal relationship following termination of therapy. Counsellors must seek professional supervision should any attempt to build a relationship with a former client be considered. 3. Confidentiality 3.1 Counsellors treat with confidence any personal information about clients, whether obtained directly or by inference. This applies to all verbal, written, recorded or computer stored material pertaining to the therapeutic context. All records, whether in written or any other form, need to be protected with the strictest of confidence. 3.2 Clients must not be observed by anyone other than their Counsellors without having given informed consent. This applies both to direct observation and to any form of audio or visual transmission or recording. 3.3 Counsellors and Supervisors are responsible for protecting the client s rights of confidentiality in the supervisory context by ensuring that shared information is disguised appropriately. 3.4 Exceptional circumstances may arise which give the Counsellor good grounds for believing that the client will cause serious physical harm to others or themselves. In such circumstances, the breaking of confidentiality may be required, preferably with the client s permission, or after consultation with a Counselling Supervisor. 3.5 Any breaking of confidentiality should be minimised both by restricting the information conveyed to that which is pertinent to the immediate situation and by limiting it to those persons who can provide the help required by the client. 3.6 Agreements about confidentiality continue after the client s death unless there are overriding legal considerations. 3.7 Special care is required when using specific Counselling situations for reports and publication. The author must have the client s informed consent should there be any possibility of identification of the client. 4. Contracts 4.1 Counselling activities are to be undertaken only with professional intent and not casually and/or in extra professional relationships. 4.2 Contracts involving the client should be realistic and clear. 4.3 When a client is incapable of giving informed consent, Counsellors obtain consent from a legally authorised person. 4.4 Any publicity material and all written and oral information should reflect accurately the nature of the service offered and the training, qualifications and relevant experience of the Counsellor. 4.5 Counsellors are responsible for communicating the terms on which Counselling is being offered. 11
5. Responsibilities to self as counsellor 5.1 Counsellors have a responsibility to themselves to maintain their own effectiveness, resilience and ability to help clients. They monitor their own personal functioning, and seek help or refrain from Counselling when their personal resources are sufficiently depleted to require this. 5.2 Counsellors do not counsel when their functioning is significantly impaired by personal or emotional difficulties, illness, alcohol, drugs or any other cause. 5.3 Counsellors have regular suitable supervision and use such supervision to develop counselling skills, monitor performance and provide accountability for practice. 12
Clinical Supervision Wesley Institute upholds PACFA s Supervision Training Standards 2012. The following Standards regarding Clinical Supervision were developed by PACFA and are currently followed. 1. Introduction 1.1. Supervision is a formal, collaborative process between supervisor and supervisee, which monitors, develops and supports supervisees in their clinical role. Supervision is an essential component of any training program. 1.2. Supervisors must play more than an administrative role during supervision and seek evidence of clinical competence by their supervisees. 2. Principles 2.1. Methods of supervision include live interviews, audio/video tapes, process/case notes. Supervision may be conducted either in one-to-one or small group settings. Groups should not normally be larger than six participants. 2.2 Client consent should be sought as a precondition for taped or live interviews. 2.3 Supervision should include a clear supervisory contract with an approved supervisor. 2.4 The level of supervision should be appropriate to the level of complexity of the course being offered. 3. Supervisor Credentials 3.1 As supervision presumes a level of competence beyond the most basic, supervisors should have a minimum of 5 years clinical experience 3.2 Satisfy the requirements of the PACFA Supervision Training Standards, including the successful completion a supervisor s training course of at least 39 hours duration. 3.3 External clinical supervisors must complete The Supervisor s Information Sheet stating counselling qualifications, membership of professional associations and supervision training. 13
Emergency Procedures Counselling trainees must ensure that while working at their practicum sites they follow best practices where crisis and emergency situations (particularly involving suicidal or homicidal ideation and/or intent) are concerned. There are a number of key points clinical, ethical and legal in nature to bear in mind. Trainees should obtain phone numbers of their clinical supervisors where the latter can be reached in the event of an emergency. Inform clients in advance of emergency procedures to follow when you are unavailable, such as calling 000, calling a local crisis hotline such as Lifeline (13 11 14), or going to the nearest emergency room. Seek supervision whenever you are uncertain about any situation. If it is an emergency situation and the client is in your office, then make every effort to contact your supervisor before taking action with that client. If your supervisor cannot be reached, contact one of the other site supervisors. (See the decision tree below for more detailed information). If a supervisor cannot be reached and you are uncertain what to do, then dial 000. You may consult informally with experienced counsellors at your site, but your site supervisor and your clinical supervisor MUST be kept abreast of any and all emergencies. Your supervisor will routinely inquire about any clients on your caseload who are perceived to be at risk for suicide or harm to others. Be prepared to discuss these cases as a matter of priority during supervision. Treatment plans must be reviewed with your supervisor BEFORE they are presented to clients. NEED Emergent Client presents threat of immediate harm to self or others No Urgent Client appears distressed but without threat of immediate harm to self or others No Routine Client is requesting the need for help with a non-emergent problem. Yes Yes Yes CONTACT Contact clinical or site supervisor immediately. Dial 000 if neither can be reached. Assess potential for increased risk. Contact clinical or site supervisor at first opportunity. Assess potential for increased risk and treat following standard protocols. 14
Frequently Asked Questions Will I be assigned a placement or do I obtain my own? The Professional Experience Coordinator will assist you in obtaining a placement. Trainee counsellors are also welcome to investigate practicum and internship possibilities on their own but they must be approved by the Professional Experience Co-ordinator or Head of School prior to the start date. When can I begin my placement? You can begin your placement after the given commencement date and all completed and signed paperwork is in the possession of the Professional Experience Coordinator. Trainee counsellors may begin seeing clients prior to the first Counselling Practicum class, if they have enrolled in COMH502 Counselling Practicum I and arranged for an approved external or internal supervisor to supervise until classes begin. External or internal supervisors may require payment for these extra supervision sessions, and trainee counsellors are responsible for these arrangements. You may not begin your placement/internship, nor begin logging clinical hours until the given commencement date and all forms are completed, signed and submitted to the Professional Experience Coordinator. Who will supervise me? The Graduate provides 27 hours of group supervision per semester for trainee counsellors enrolled in Counselling Practicum I and II. Some placements also provide on-site individual supervision. At no time should trainee counsellors see clients without being under the supervision of a qualified supervisor. It is essential that you commence clinical supervision within one week of commencing practicum. Must the supervisor at my external placement site be a Professional Counsellor? Yes. All supervisors, both internal and external, must be accredited professional counsellors or psychologists who meet PACFA or APS standards for supervisors. Who will supervise me during semester breaks? Trainee counsellors must arrange for appropriate supervision during semester breaks if they see clients. If supervision is not available at the placement itself, then trainee counsellors must make other arrangements (including, if needed, payment) to retain a qualified supervisor. Client needs should always be the main priority. It is neither acceptable nor good professional practice to take holidays without making these prior arrangements. You must notify the Professional Experience Coordinator of same. How many hours must I spend at my placement? Completion of the two Counselling Practicum I and II course units require a total of 200 logged hours of counselling practice and this can be completed in a maximum of two placement sites. Most internship sites may want a 12-month commitment from the student. 15
Can I be employed at a paid counselling or mental health job and count that as my placement/internship experience? Trainee counsellors are not usually paid for their counselling practice. However, if a paid internship position is obtained, trainee counsellors may complete their hours at that site with the written permission of the Head of School. Trainee counsellors who are currently employed in a counselling field may continue existing supervision arrangements as long as they do not constitute a dual relationship. Is telephone counselling acceptable to complete my 200 hours of clinical practice? No. Trainee counsellors must complete 200 hours of face-to-face counselling. Is group work acceptable to complete my 200 hours? Trainee counsellors may complete 20 hours group work per semester. Can I work at my church? A placement is not possible at a student s home church because of the nature of dual relationships. Can I include pastoral care in my 200 hours of clinical practice? No. Pastoral care is not seen as counselling. Can I pray with my client? Exercise extreme caution in response to a client requesting prayer due to ethical considerations. See PACFA Guidelines for additional information. If praying with a client, do so at the end of a session.. 16
Appendix Practicum Policy and Forms Practicum Policy (PO-COU-01) Practicum Site Contract (GSC-F03) Trainee Counsellor Log Book (GSC-F09) Practicum Audio/Videotape Consent Form (GSC-F16) External Supervision Information Sheet 17