Lifting the Empathy Veil: Engaging in Competent Supervision

Counselor educators and supervisors (CES) have an important role to assist counselors-in-training in their development as professional counselors. As part of this process, educators and supervisors must intervene when they see a trainee who is demonstrating behaviors or attitudes that would inhibit the trainee’s ability to engage in competent and ethical client care. However, some CES are reticent to enter into gatekeeping and remediation practices. The purpose of this article is to examine the concept of CES having an Empathy Veil that impedes their gatekeeping attitudes and behaviors. Specifically, the role of empathy and other components of this veil will be defined, the consequences of allowing counselors-in-training to gateslip will be examined, and recommendations for CES to overcome the effect of the Empathy Veil will be explored.