A solution-focused approach to mental health supervision

nicholas-triantafillou

Abstract

In recent years, an increased number of child and family serv- ices agencies have undertaken extensive training programs for their staff in brief solution-focused therapy. As mental health workers begin to apply a solution-focused approach to their work, there is a growing need for current supervisory practices to incorporate these new approaches so that they are consistent with the therapy models being employed. Mental health super- vision, however, has been an administrative practice primarily focused on mental health worker developments and has lacked the client-focused approach necessary to adapt solution-focused methods. This paper introduces solution-focused mental health supervision as a new vision for supervisory practices that will have the flexibility to facilitate mental health worker develop- ment along with a more direct therapeutic role. It is suggested that when a solution-focused supervisory process ensures the definition of supervisory goals in terms of concrete client conceptualizations of goals and solutions, client outcomes significantly improve. Data from a small exploratory study in a children’s mental health agency are included here as prelim- inary support for this theoretical position. These theoretical concepts have been used to develop practical guidelines for the implementation of solution-focused supervision.

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