Mentoring Graduate Clinicians as They Become Counselors

Abstract

Abstract Counseling is a skill that speech-language pathologists use as they help people to change. Graduate clinicians come to the clinical process with limited knowledge about and experience in counseling. The clinical supervisor plays a primary role in helping graduate clinicians develop comfort in using counseling skills. In this article, a developmental model for acquiring counseling skills is discussed and illustrated. Techniques and tools for assessing the supervisee’s level of development in counseling and for helping supervisees acquire counseling skills are presented. Focus is placed on relationship-centered counseling in supervision to facilitate student growth.