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The practice of supervision is also part of the professional development of Gestalt practitioners. In particular supervision is a well established professional practice and practicing counsellors and psychotherapists are required to receive supervision in order to maintain their level of GANZ membership. Supervision is a mandatory requirement of most professional associations within the counselling and psychotherapy field and for the most part is written into a contract where a counsellor is employed. Gestalt therapists in private practice are required to organise their own supervision.
Supervision is the process where by a counsellor or psychotherapist can speak to someone about his or her practice of psychotherapy in order that the therapist may inspect and reflect on his or her practice, make contact with how the therapeutic work with clients is impacting on him or her and seek counsel on a variety of practice and ethical issues. A Gestalt therapist is an active participant in the therapeutic process and therefore the therapist is responsible for developing his or her self-awareness, theoretical understanding and practice skills.. This will be achieved through the joint processes of ongoing professional development, regular supervision and personal therapy.
Supervision is a learned discipline separate from counselling or psychotherapy. Supervisors need to be experienced in their practice and clear in their understanding of their role as supervisor. It is the task of the supervisor to challenge practice, notice any burn out in the supervisee, present alternative ways of working, offer theoretical constructs that could add value to the way a supervisee understands his or her work and inform a supervisee of any changes in the industry or development in the professional associations of GANZ and PACFA.
Supervision may be received in three processes, namely, individual, group and peer supervision. Peer group supervision and group supervision are not to be seen as a substitute for individual supervision. In order to maintain GANZ membership Gestalt therapists need to engage in a minimum of 10 hours of supervision linked to their practice in the previous 12 months.
Peer group supervision takes place when three or more experienced counsellors and/or Clinical Members share the responsibility for providing each others' supervision within a group context. Typically members will consider themselves to be of broadly equal status, training and/or experience.
Group supervision with an identified qualified supervisor(s) takes a variety of forms. For example, at one end of the spectrum the supervisor, acting as a leader, will take responsibility for apportioning the time between the counsellors present and then concentrate on the work of individuals in turn. At the other end of the spectrum counsellors may allocate supervision time between themselves and use the supervisor as a technical resource.
Many Gestalt therapists have the experience, knowledge and education to take on the role of supervisor. GANZ is currently developing a set of minimum standards for supervisor training consistent with emerging development in the wider field of counselling and psychotherapy practice.