Counseling Supervision is considered by most as one of the essential tools for the development of those entering the field of counseling. Counseling Supervisors are considered as the "Gate Keepers" of the counseling profession.
According to the American Counseling Association (2014, p. 12), a primary obligation of counseling supervisors is to monitor the services provided by supervisees. Counseling supervisors monitor client welfare and supervisee clinical performance and professional development. To fulfill these obligations, supervisors meet regularly with supervisees to review the supervisee's work and help them become prepared to serve a range of diverse clients. Supervisees have a responsibility to understand and follow the ACA Code of Ethics. Supervisors document and provide supervisees with ongoing performance appraisal and schedule periodic formal evaluative sessions throughout the supervisory relationship.
To ensure that supervisees are confident in providing quality services to clients, several evaluative methods are utilized. Evaluative methods may consist of but are not limited to self-report, microtraining, interpersonal process recall, and modeling. Audio, video, and web-enhanced technologies may also be used in assessing the work of the supervisee.