Examining Supervisor Impairment From the Counselor Trainee's Perspective

Abstract

Although there is a growing body of literature on counselor impairment, the topic of supervisor impairment has surprisingly been overlooked. The author explores the implications of working with an impaired supervisor at various levels of counselor development and discusses some of the critical factors that may influence how a supervisee decides to handle this problem. In addition to discussing the misuse of power by the impaired supervisor, other factors (e.g., the nature and severity of the supervisor's impairment) are also discussed. The author presents an ethical decision-making model that can be used to guide the counselor trainee through the arduous process of determining a viable course of action.

Snapshot of Clinical Supervision in Counseling and Counselor Education

“…Nevertheless, Cobia and Pipes suggested supervisors take on mandated supervision cases with great caution, given the lack of empirical support and potential legal risks. Muratori (2001) examined another difficulty situation: supervisees who believe they are working with an impaired supervisor. Muratori discussed the range of impairments (e.g., burnout, substance abuse, sexual exploitation) and emphasized that assessing the nature and severity of the impairment is key to determining an appropriate course of action.…”

Establishing priorities in the supervision hour.

“…These standards for the conduct of psychotherapy as well as methods of supervision must be clear. The components of such a contract have been reviewed elsewhere (Bordin, 1983; Muratori, 2001).…”

“…At the most basic level, therapist deviation from the agreed-upon framework creates a readily observable phenomenon that can be a part of the development of supervision themes. While it is much less frequently discussed and bears much more work, supervisor impairment can be a threat to the functionality of the supervisory relationship (Muratori, 2001). This is an area that can be particularly difficult because of the supervisor's investment in her/his role as well as the extent to which the supervisee may legitimately depend on the mentorship and professional support of the supervisor.…”

The licensing of behavior analysts: Protecting the profession and the public.

“…The recognition of the impact impaired health care professionals have on the community has been extensively researched (Briton & Rapisarda, 2007; Muratori, 2001), and licensing has been identified as an effective mechanism to deal with such individuals. A study conducted at the Menninger Clinic concluded that “Licensing and regulatory agencies can take proactive steps to identify professionals with social and emotional vulnerabilities who may be at greater risk for unethical and negligent behavior” (2004).…”