How much supervision is needed to ensure College registrants are competent to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy?
Registrants of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) are permitted to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy provided they do so in compliance with the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, the regulations and the bylaws.
Before providing psychotherapy services, College registrants should consider the essential elements needed to determine their own competence in performing the controlled act of psychotherapy. These essential elements include education and experience, supervision, and continuing competence.
Competence in performing the controlled act of psychotherapy requires ongoing clinical supervision throughout a registrant’s career. The amount of supervision required may differ depending on a registrant’s level of experience. Registrants with less than three years of post-graduate experience, for example, would require an extensive and more intensive period of clinical supervision.
Clinical supervision is not the same as administrative supervision. Clinical supervision includes assessment, intervention and evaluation of client interventions, and critical self-reflection, whereas administrative supervision typically focuses on record-keeping, accreditation, organizational policies, etc. Though important, administrative supervision is not sufficient for registrants wishing to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy.
For more detailed information about the competence needed for registrants to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy, employers and registrants are encouraged to review the College’s Practice Guidelines for Performing the Controlled Act of Psychotherapy.
For more information on psychotherapy, please visit the College website or contact practice@ocswssw.org.