Supervision Preparation Record
A structured template for preparing a case to bring to clinical supervision: the presenting problem, the current formulation, what has been tried, the specific question for the supervisor, and a record of what was agreed.
About this resource
Supervision works best when the supervisee arrives with a specific question rather than a narrative. Unstructured case presentations tend to consume most of the available time on background, leaving little room for the supervisor to contribute to the decision that actually needs making. This record turns preparation into a short, repeatable routine: summarise the case in a few lines, state the formulation as it currently stands, say what has been done and what happened, and then name the question.
The template follows the logic of CBT supervision models, in which supervision mirrors therapy: it is agenda-led, collaborative, focused on a manageable problem, and ends with an action the supervisee can carry out and report back on. The final section captures the outcome of the discussion so that the same case can be followed up at the next meeting and so that the record can contribute to the supervisee's professional development log.
The professional version includes prompts for framing a supervision question at the right level of specificity, and a short list of question types that are typically productive, such as formulation checks, choice points between interventions, ruptures, and risk.
How to use it
- Complete the record before each supervision meeting, taking no more than fifteen minutes. If you cannot state the question in one or two sentences, that is itself useful information: spend the preparation time narrowing it.
- Lead with the question in the meeting, then give only as much background as the supervisor needs to answer it. Offer the full record if the supervisor wants more detail.
- Bring outcome scores and, where relevant, a recording or a verbatim segment of the session. Concrete material produces more useful supervision than recollection.
- Record the agreed action and the date you will report back. Review this line at the start of the next meeting.
- Keep the completed records together. Over time they form a picture of recurring themes in your practice, which is useful for appraisal and for identifying training needs.
References
- Milne, D. (2018). Evidence-Based CBT Supervision: Principles and Practice (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
- Padesky, C. A. (1996). Developing cognitive therapist competency: Teaching and supervision models. In P. M. Salkovskis (Ed.), Frontiers of Cognitive Therapy (pp. 266-292). Guilford Press.
- Falender, C. A., & Shafranske, E. P. (2004). Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach. American Psychological Association.
