Supervision of licensure-seeking counselors: what do seasoned supervisors think?

Utilizing an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, we examined 11 seasoned supervisors’ cognitive structures while supervising licensure-seeking counselors in Virginia. Concept mapping revealed five supervision areas: supervisee’s counseling skills and clinical practice, supervisee’s reflexivity for personal and professional growth, supervisor’s preparation and intentional reflection on their practice, supervisory relationship and professional practice and housekeeping. These areas reflected systematic thinking aligned with prior findings on expert supervisors and highlighted practical nuances specific to advanced supervisees. The findings correspond closely with the cohesive model of supervision, supporting its relevance across training levels and utility as an empirically grounded framework for supervisory practice.