DR GILL WALKER - CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, PSYCHOTHERAPIST & SUPERVISOR

Clinical supervision psychologist in Manly, Sydney

With over 25 years of experience in clinical psychology supervision, and as a Psychology Board of Australia Approved Supervisor, I provide clear, practical guidance to support your development as a psychologist.

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Supervision for psychologists with Dr Gill SH Walker

I obtained registration as an AHPRA approved Supervisor in 2021, and was previously accredited as a supervisor with the British Psychological Society in 2010. I have worked with older adults, adults children and teens, forensic and in-patient services, with intellectual and learning disabilities and complex mental health issues.

The therapies I use regularly include; cognitive behaviour therapy; dialectic behaviour therapy; transactional analysis and acceptance and commitment therapy. 

Who I supervise

  • Provisional psychologists
  • Clinical psychologist registrars
  • Early career psychologists
  • General psychologists
  • Clinical psychologists
  • Experienced psychologists seeking peer consultation
  • Overseas qualified applicants requiring to undertake the transitional programs
  • Other mental health professionals

What supervision looks like

While supervision is mandatory, it is also an extraordinary and vital part of the practice of psychology. Supervision ensures that practitioners comply with the highest ethical standards, using up-to-date, evidence-based treatments, and engaging in self-care, which is a key ingredient to be effective to help others to heal.

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Supportive

A practitioner should feel able to come to supervision and feel that it is supportive enough to be safe to talk about what is challenging them. As supervisor, I want to ensure that you feel understood, and that you can work through challenges with my support, to an agreed solution. Often the dilemmas are unique, and there may not be an obvious solution.

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Challenging

A key part of supervision is experiencing a gentle challenge, so that we learn and develop in our practice. This might involve role plays, case discussions, readings and training, and will extend the skills of the supervisee to develop new knowledge, perspectives and to be reflective about their practice. It is my role as supervisor to hold the challenge to the right level for your needs, so you grow and thrive. I invite supervisees to indicate if they are challenged appropriately.

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Finding a good fit

In psychology we recognise the importance of the individual relationship, even within the professional supervisory relationship. Supervisees need to be able to share personal matters and know they will be supported with these. I understand that you might want to come and meet me to discover our fit, to see if you want to take up supervision with me. This is a key part of the ongoing relationship, where you are invited to share what you need, and if necessary, decide that time has come to move forward with a different supervisor.

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What supervision may include:

  • Case formulation and discussion
  • Ethical and professional decision-making
  • Progress and report writing support
  • Preparation for AHPRA requirements
  • Reflective practice and skill development
  • Managing complex presentations
  • Developing therapeutic approach and identity

My approach to supervision

Supervision is designed to help you build confidence, strengthen your clinical thinking, navigate complex cases, and progress toward registration. My supervision style and approach is:

  • Reflective and insight-led
  • Structured but flexible
  • Developmental (meeting you where you are)
  • Evidence-based + relational
  • Focus on both client outcomes and practitioner growth
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AHPRA supervision framework

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) defines policy about the practice of the profession of psychology in Australia. There are different levels of training that psychologists may complete, with different implications for supervision.

5+1 Pathway: Supervision to become a general psychologist

People who have completed an approved 5 year tertiary course in psychology in the last 10 years may become Registered Psychologists if they undertake an approved graduate diploma in psychology, followed by one year of supervised practice with a board approved supervisor.

Clinical Psychology Registrar Pathway: Supervision to become a Clinical Psychologist

People who have completed an approved 6 year tertiary course in clinical psychology may become Clinical Psychologists if they undertake up to 2 years of supervised practice with a board approved supervisor who has held an endorsement in Clinical Psychology for 2 years.

AHPRA core competencies

AHPRA defines 8 core capabilities that all psychologists must demonstrate. These competencies are what supervisors evaluate performance against as trainee psychologists or registrars progress through their training placements.

Knowledge of the discipline

A psychologist must demonstrate knowledge of evidence-based psychological interventions, psychological processes across the lifespan, a broad understanding of psychological theories and psychopathology.

Psychological measurement and assessment

A psychologist must demonstrate competency with mental status examinations, assessments of potential risks of harm to self or others, counselling skills, diagnostic classification systems, psychometric test use, and report writing. A key aspect of this is learning to formulate how predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating and protective factors link to presenting problems and treatment plans.

Intervention strategies

A psychologist must be able to use counselling skills and relationship building to develop evidence-based interventions that link diagnosis and psychological formulation to an individually designed treatment plan that is regularly monitored and altered as therapy evolves.

Communication and interpersonal relationships

Psychological practice requires highly developed spoken and written communication skills in order to offer treatments to a broad range of clients and liaise with their families, communities and diverse health care professionals.

 

AHPRA core competencies

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Research and evaluation

Offering up to date evidence-based interventions requires that a psychologist capably reviews current literature to determine which interventions enjoy the most robust empirical support. In some cases, where evidence-based practice is not yet available, a psychologist may be required to develop practice-based evidence, evaluating and monitoring adapted or novel interventions to treat specific difficulties.

Ethical, legal and professional matters

Psychologists are in an unusual position with respect to their clients, in which they learn intimate information about a person who may be vulnerable to exploitation for various reasons. In recognition that clients of psychological services may be at risk of exploitation by psychological therapists, strict ethical and professional guidelines govern the practice of psychology. These standards are highly important to the safe practice of psychology, and are the responsibility of all psychologists on behalf of the profession.

 

Working within a cross cultural context

Psychologists are required to develop therapeutic relationships and establish empathy with a broad variety of people, and thus must be aware of cultural diversity, and be comfortable working with clients from different cultural, religious, ethnic, gender and sexual milieus to their own.

 

Practice across the lifespan

Psychologists must have experience working with clients of all ages, and be aware of how age and stage of life may influence psychological well-being.

 

Book supervision

Book your supervision with Dr Gill SH Walker.

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