Professional supervision has long been recognised as an integral part of practice for psychologists and other mental health clinicians. Outside of student placements and perhaps some within workplace arrangements, supervision is likely to be less familiar to Dietitians (where a culture of mentoring is more common). This is however changing, thanks to the work of Dietitians Supervision Resources Australia, and the mandatory supervision requirements for maintaining Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC) status with the Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders. This blog post will help to clarify what professional supervision is, how it differs from mentoring, and explain why it’s important for Dietitians to include supervision in their professional development plan.
Supervision vs mentoring – what’s the difference?
Dietitians undertake mandatory mentoring (for 1 year) as part of the provisional Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) program. The goal of the mentoring program is to build the mentees knowledge and help brainstorm ideas and find solutions to career challenges. This may provide some crossover with aspects of supervision (e.g. facilitating reflective practice) but Dietitians Australia makes a clear distinction between the two. Once the mentoring program is complete there’s no ongoing requirement for mentoring to maintain APD status, but Dietitians are encouraged to seek out mentoring needed. Mentoring in this capacity may be ad hoc or a longer-term relationship, and there are no requirements for becoming a mentor.
What is supervision?
Hawkins & Shohet provide the following definition of supervision in ‘Supervision and the helping professionals’ (2012):
“Supervision is a joint endeavour in which the practitioner with the help of a supervisor, attends to their clients, themselves as part of their client practitioner relationships, and the wider systemic context, and by doing so improves the quality of their work, transforms their client relationships, continuously develops themselves, their practice and the wider profession”.
Effective supervision is:
a structured and formal process with a clear purpose of developing the learning and growth of the supervisee
outlined by clear boundaries agreed upon by the supervisor and supervisee
dedicated to facilitating reflective practice of the supervisee rather than just providing answers to questions (although there is space for teaching too when needed)
built around providing learning, support, and accountability for the supervisee
a relationship that helps to improve Dietitians competence & wellbeing, improve career longevity, ensure that patients/clients of the supervisee receive high quality and safe care, and that dietetic practice aligns with the professional code of conduct
a skill that requires the supervisor to undertake training and an ongoing commitment to their own growth and development as a supervisor e.g. supervision of their supervision practice
Dietetic supervision at Mind Body Well
Mind Body Well Dietitian Team Leader Tom Scully provides professional supervision (via Telehealth), which is particularly suitable for Dietitians who:
have an interest in, or are already working with people with body image and weight concerns or a history of dieting
are interested in improving their confidence and competence in working with eating disorders or other areas of mental health including mood disorders and substance use disorder
are a Dietitian working within a minoritised community/group that you are a member of and would like a place to discuss the rewards and challenges that this can pose
work with LGBTIQA+ clients and would like to increase your confidence in providing culturally appropriate and affirming care
You can read more about supervision at Mind Body Well and make an enquiry via the link below.