ABSTRACT
In order to engage effectively with, and make positive use of, support and supervision, both supervisors and supervisees will need to bring specific skills, attitudes and qualities to the process. Getting the most from support and supervision, as the title of this chapter suggests, requires more than simply setting time aside to sit together in a room and discuss aspects of the supervisee's practice. This ‘working alliance between a supervisor and a counsellor’ (Inskipp and Proctor 1993: 313) should represent a robust, open, supportive and challenging relationship between two professional practitioners. A commitment to the process and an understanding of what it sets out to achieve are vital to ensure that the supervisee, supervisor, and, most importantly, the client, benefit. At the very least, it demands an understanding by both parties regarding the function and purpose of supervision, the process of supervision, the principles of reflective practice, and the development of specific interpersonal skills to enable effective engagement and purposeful interactions to take place. No mean feat!
