Correctional counseling supervision: How supervisors manage the duality of security and mental health needs

Abstract

Clinical supervision of mental health counselors in correctional settings presents unique challenges. Seven correctional counselor supervisors were interviewed about how they addressed issues related to the correctional environment, their social interactions, and their identity. The authors used a qualitative constructivism framework and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how supervisors rationalized their role in the correctional setting. Findings suggested that supervisors experience significant institutional constraints, often have to prioritize security needs over mental health needs, and have a complex professional identity that includes both security and mental health responsibilities.

Keywords::

• Correctional counseling
• supervision
• professional identity

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul A. Carrola

Dr. Paul A. Carrolais an assistant professor in the Educational Psychology and Special Services Department at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Prior to coming to UTEP, Dr. Carrola worked as a correctional counselor and also worked in community, school, and private practice settings. He has conducted research focused on issues related to correctional counseling, counselor burnout, counseling military veterans, domestic violence, and the burnout of mental health counselors in the Mexican borderland.

David E. DeMatthews

Dr. David E. DeMatthewsis an assistant professor in the Educational Leadership and Foundations Department at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Prior to coming to UTEP, Dr. DeMatthews served as a high school social studies teacher, assistant principal, and central office administrator. He has conducted educational research focused on issues related to K-12 school leadership, educational policy, and marginalized student populations in urban and rural schools in the United States and Mexico.

Sang Min Shin

Dr. Sang Min Shin is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at El Paso. Her research interests include play therapy, nature based play therapy, improvement of child-parent relationship, child-centered play therapy training, and multiculturalism in child counseling.

Marilyn F. Corbin-Burdick

Marilyn F. Corbin-Burdickreceived her M.Ed. from the University of Texas at El Paso's Guidance and Counseling program in 2015. Ms. Corbin-Burdick is currently working towards attaining full licensure as a counselor in the state of Texas at the Counseling Center of Expressive Arts in El Paso, Texas.