Book Review: Supervising the Counsellor: A Cyclical Model

by Steve Page and Val Wosket

Routledge UK£12.99 (paperback) Published 10.11.94 ISBN 0-415-10212-X

Page and Wosket’s supervision model offers a cycle that can be entered at any stage in individual supervision sessions.

1. CONTRACT, giving structure, direction and purpose (Recontracting is included.)
2. FOCUS on a significant issue for the supervisee and the client work.
3. SPACE to hold, challenge, support and affirm the supervisee.
4. BRIDGE, integrating the learning and awareness gained in supervision.
5. REVIEW, evaluation or assessment of the supervisee’s work.

They develop each stage in detail. The authors suggest that not every good counsellor makes a good supervisor and that training and develop­ment are essential for quality supervision. Each chapter begins with a summary of its contents, which is helpful and the book has a good index. The bibliography is extensive and provides a good basis for a literature re­view for anyone studying the subject of supervision. A good discussion book rather than Holy Writ.

Anthony Wilson