Clinical Supervision, Consultation, and Counseling: a Comparative Analysis for Supervisors and Other Educational Leaders

Over the last 15 years, clinical supervision has become one of several supervision models that are an integral part of the training and practice of administrators and other educational leaders.' The clinical supervision model, however, must be contrasted with the clinical supervision process that often is used procedurally within the model. In its most simplistic form, the clinical supervision process involves (1) the ongoing development of a sound working relationship between the supervisor and the supervisee, (2) the continual identification of supervisee strengths and weaknesses related to his profes sional development or instructional role, (3) the joint planning of job related activities that reinforce supervisee strengths and systematically improve weak nesses, along with the implementation of these activities by the supervisee as observed by the supervisor, and (4) the joint analysis of these activities in a feedback conference using formative evaluations to acknowledge newly devel oped and observed supervisee skills and additional skills that will further improve his professional practice. Though a fairly straightforward process, it sometimes becomes confounded because the clinical supervision model being used requires or shifts into either a consultation or counseling model. This shift should not occur casually-it can potentially interfere with the supervi sory relationship, complicate the goals and activities of the supervision pro cess, and decrease its overall effectiveness. To analyze the implications of confounding the clinical supervision, con sultation, and counseling models, an understanding of their similarities and differences is paramount. So far, specific distinctions between the conceptual definitions and goals, the characteristics and activities, and the qualifications to do clinical supervision versus consultation versus counseling have not been made Recognizing that components of these models overlap at times, this