Teaching Competence in Counseling: A Focus on the Supervisory Process

This article discusses the role counseling plays in clinical education. Counseling is considered an essential skill for practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs), yet few accredited programs have a course devoted to it. Counseling is included as a domain in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Scope of Practice and SLPs are the most qualified professionals to support individuals dealing with the social and emotional consequences of a speech, language, or swallowing problem. There is limited research regarding student and clinical supervisor training in using counseling skills. Many clinical supervisors have not had a course in counseling, much less training in how to teach counseling skills to students in clinical practica. Four models of infusing counseling strategies into clinical practica are presented. This article highlights the need for an established course in counseling for SLP students-in-training and for supervisors in the art of teaching counseling skills in clinical practica.