Supervision

CAP is pleased to invite you to our 2024 annual meeting and professional development day with a focus on the topic of supervision, with speakers, clinicians, and experienced supervisors from Alberta and beyond. 

No matter where we are in our professional trajectory, from emerging to experienced psychologist, we each have experiences with supervision. The Spring 2024 issue of The CAP Monitor, with its focus on Supervision, laid the framework for this upcoming PD day, and I would encourage all of us to review it before the meeting this September. How fortunate we are to have leaders in the ethics and teaching of supervision in Alberta! 

As in our past three years, CAP is pleased to offer this session online and at no-cost to regulated members to help remove barriers and increase access to this evidence-informed, interesting, and important continuing education opportunity. I look forward to “seeing” you online on September 20th, 2024!

The College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) invites all psychology students, registered provisional psychologists and registered psychologists to the September 20, 2024, Annual Meeting and Professional Development Event (AMPD). As Registrar and CEO, CAP is proud to offer this free virtual continuing educational event. This year’s event is dedicated to clinical supervision.  We are very pleased to have internationally recognized clinical supervision expert Dr. Michael Ellis as our keynote speaker. His topic is “Competency-Based Clinical Supervision: Basics & Managing Ethical Risks”.

Dr. Ellis will be followed by a panel presentation that is also focused on clinical supervision. Three Alberta leaders in clinical supervision; Drs. Jeff Chang, Erica Dunn and Kevin Wallace will present on Supervision Contracting, Creating High Quality Supervision and Common Supervision Complaints. Registered Provisional Psychologist Ms. Brecken Tulloch will offer Supervisee Perspectives on Supervision. Opportunities for questions and answers will be available throughout the event.

CAP’s Spring 2024 issue of the CAP Monitor is also dedicated to clinical supervision. CAP views supervision as a dynamic, professional activity that is critical to the professional development of all psychologists. Engaging in high quality supervision creates a positive, mutually rewarding experience for all parties. High quality supervision also serves a strong public protection role.

AMPD attendees may count 4.5 hours toward their continuing competence requirements. A certificate of attendance will be available for those who attend virtually on the day of the event. For those who are unable to attend, a recording of the event will be available on CAP’s YouTube channel at a later date. Those who watch the recorded event may also claim five hours towards their continuing competence requirements by completing a Self-Declaration Form.

We hope you will join us on Friday September 20, 2024, as we listen and learn together as a psychology community.

MICHAEL V. ELLIS, Ph.D., ABPP, ACS received his Ph.D. from the Ohio State University and a M.S. from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is a Professor Emeritus in the Division of Counseling Psychology at the University at Albany (https://www.albany.edu/education/faculty/michael-v-ellis). Viewed through the lens of diversity, oppression, and privilege, his teaching and research interests include clinical supervision, therapist and supervisor training, clinical judgment, and research methodology, psychometrics, and statistics. He has authored numerous articles, book chapters, and monographs, and has served on several peer-reviewed journal editorial boards. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Counseling Psychology and the Society of Counseling Psychology, and the American Psychological Association (APA). In 1993, Dr. Ellis was a Fulbright Scholar in Trinidad and Tobago. He received the 2010 Distinguished Professional Achievement Award and, along with his co-authors, the Outstanding Publication of the Year Award (2015, 2016, and 2021) from the Supervision and Training Section of the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17, APA). Dr. Ellis is Board Certified in Counseling Psychology, a New York and Hawaii licensed psychologist, a Collaborative Divorce Mental Health Professional, a Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Provider, and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). As a scientist-practitioner, he has over 35 years of experience as a practitioner, clinical supervisor, and supervisor trainer. He maintains a private practice (www.MichaelVEllisPhD.com), working with clients from adolescents through the elderly representing diverse racial and cultural backgrounds and identities with a wide variety of presenting issues. Although his practice is a general one, Dr. Ellis has particular expertise working with trauma and medically-related disorders. As an internationally renowned expert in clinical supervision, he is frequently called upon to conduct workshops on clinical supervision nationally and internationally.

Dr. Jeff Chang - Contracting in Clinical Supervision

Practicum students, residents, and provisional psychologists are recipients of our professional services as clinical supervisors. As service recipients, they are vulnerable and require the clarity and protection of an informed consent process, what should contain all of the same elements of informed consent with clients (nature of our procedure, confidentiality and exceptions, risks and benefits, fees, etc.).

Dr. Erica Dunn - Creating High Quality Supervision

Supervision is one of the most important professional activities in a self-governing profession. As supervisors, we are required to delicately balance effective mentoring and teaching along with the pivotal role of gatekeeping. Yet, despite the significance of supervision, many work in the role of supervisor with little formal education or training, often using their own lived experience as a supervisee (whether positive or negative) as their compass. In this brief presentation, the factors that contribute to effective supervision will be reviewed. Specifically, the importance of live/video observation, mutual feedback, and the supervisory alliance will be discussed. Relevant research and personal supervisory experiences will be highlighted. This presentation aims to provide helpful guidance while also stimulating areas of further personal reflection. 

Ms. Brecken Tulloch - Supervisee Perspectives on Supervision

It can be daunting to begin as a newly registered provisional psychologist so understanding how supervision can benefit and build competence is vital when entering into this profession. The purpose of this presentation will be to delve into supervision from the viewpoint of supervisees, offering insights into the dynamics that shape their experiences and professional growth. Central to this exploration is the development of the supervisory relationship and optimizing supervision time. Main themes such as vulnerability, boundaries, and feedback in supervision will be utilized to foster discussion around the complexity of supervision and how it may be improved. 

Dr. Kevin Wallace - Common Supervision Complaints & Concerns 

The focus of this brief talk will be common concerns and complaints related specifically to the provision of clinical supervision. This mainly pertains to supervision by a psychologist of a provisional psychologist or student. I will discuss common themes and categories of concerns and complaints. I will also offer brief tips on avoiding these common issues.