About Clinical Supervision
CRPO defines clinical supervision as a contractual relationship in which a clinical supervisor engages with a supervisee to discuss the direction of therapy and the therapeutic relationship; promote the professional growth of the supervisee; enhance the supervisee’s safe and effective use of self in the therapeutic relationship; and safeguard the well-being of the client.
Clinical supervision can be individual, dyadic, or group. Group supervision may include structured peer group supervision if the supervision is formal and structured, and includes at least one group member who meets CRPO’s definition of a clinical supervisor.
Structured peer group supervision differs from group clinical supervision, in that the latter is led by a clinical supervisor, whereas the former includes at least one member who would qualify as a clinical supervisor but is an equal participant (not the leader). Structured peer group supervision often occurs in an institutional setting but may be formalized outside such settings.
Informal “peer supervision”, i.e. unstructured discussion of clients with colleagues, is not considered an acceptable form of supervision for registration purposes.
CRPO considers clinical supervision key to the development of a competent professional.