Online Telesupervision: Competence Forged in a Pandemic

ABSTRACT Online telesupervision (OTS) is synchronous (real-time) audio and video interactions between a supervisor and a clinician who are not in the same physical location. The COVID-19 pandemic created an abrupt pivot to OTS, requiring systemic supervisors and clinicians to adopt and utilize technologies which were unfamiliar to many. To facilitate the effective adoption and implementation of OTS we draw attention to three distinct competencies critical to the effective use of OTS: technological, contextual, and relational. These competencies are in no way exhaustive but lay the ground work for systemic supervisors to engage and connect with supervisees using video conferencing technology. In addition to the competencies, specific techniques and strategies are suggested to assist supervisors hone their skills in OTS and subsequently improve the quality and effectiveness of supervision in a virtual environment.