8.8 Case Study

Jordan is a graduate counseling student completing their practicum in a community mental health center. From the start of their training, Jordan has shown strong interpersonal skills, such as building rapport with clients and demonstrating empathy. However, over time, significant concerns about Jordan’s professional competence have emerged.

Jordan has consistently struggled with key clinical skills, including accurate case conceptualization, developing treatment plans, and maintaining professional boundaries with clients. Supervisors have also noted that Jordan frequently arrives late to sessions, misses deadlines for documentation, and becomes defensive when receiving constructive feedback. Despite remediation plans and additional supervision sessions, Jordan’s performance has shown minimal improvement.

Jordan’s site supervisor, Maria, is now faced with an ethical dilemma. Maria believes that Jordan may not currently be fit to move forward in their training, as their issues could potentially harm clients. However, Maria is aware of the power dynamics inherent in the supervisory relationship and does not want to discourage Jordan’s passion for counseling. Maria is also concerned about the impact that gatekeeping may have on Jordan’s self-esteem and career aspirations.

Maria must balance her ethical obligation to protect clients and the counseling profession (gatekeeping) with her responsibility to support and mentor Jordan. She must determine whether to recommend Jordan’s removal from the program or implement additional steps to help Jordan improve.

Discussion Questions

1. How should Maria assess whether Jordan’s issues pose a risk to client safety?
2. What immediate actions should be taken to protect clients while still supporting Jordan?
3. What ethical responsibilities does Maria have as a supervisor in terms of gatekeeping and ensuring that only competent practitioners graduate?
4. What additional support or resources could Maria offer to help Jordan improve their skills?
5. How might power dynamics influence Jordan’s defensiveness, and how can Maria navigate this dynamic ethically?
6. Are there cultural or personal factors that could be contributing to Jordan’s challenges, and how might these inform the supervisory approach?