Supervision & Training
Focused on the critical role of supervision in the training of psychotherapists, this section offers resources and best practices for both supervisors and supervisees to enhance the learning experience and ensure the delivery of high-quality care.
156 articles found
Training Graduate Students to Work with Sexual Minority Clients
In the last 20 to 30 years, we have come a long way when it comes to practicing with sexual minority clients (King, Semlyn, Killaspy, Nazareth, & Osborn, 2007). Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identities are affirmed and celebrated rather than pathologized, and affirmative psychotherapy is now the preferred practice approach for working with this […]
Edward J. Alessi, Ph.D
January 31, 2016
Discrepancies Between Beginning Psychotherapists’ Clinical Self-Perceptions and Their Presentation to Supervisors and Teachers
There are several sources of this conflict or dilemma. As they learn to do the work of what Freud (1937) termed an “impossible profession” (p. 401), beginning therapists are typically beset with multiple stressors, including a greater awareness of their own personal issues; the myriad of difficulties and frustrations inherent to treatment per se; the […]
Barry A. Farber, Ph.D. + 1 more
December 27, 2015
Sexual Harassment In Supervision
We’re taking this opportunity to raise an issue that’s sorely neglected in our professional dialogue, namely sexual harassment in the context of psychotherapy supervision. As far as we could discover, the topic of “sexual intimacies” (Bartell & Rubin, 1990) or “sexual boundary violations” (Koenig & Spano, 2004) did not appear in the supervision literature until […]
Myrna L. Friedlander, Ph.D. + 1 more
November 22, 2015
Trainee Therapist Characteristics Related to Therapeutic Alliance and Technique
Ample research suggests that therapists differ in their level of effectiveness (Baldwin & Imel, 2013; Blow, Sprenkle, & Davis, 2007; Wampold, 2001). Even more striking is that therapist effects appear to be larger than treatment effects (Kim, Wampold, & Bolt, 2006; Lindgren, Folkesson, & Almiqvist, 2010). Moreover, therapist training, experience, and theoretical orientation do not […]
Jenelle Slavin-Mulford, Ph.D. + 4 more
August 26, 2015
A Multi-site Study of Mindfulness Training for Therapists
The past decade has seen a spike in research testing the use of mindfulness in the treatment of many physical and mental health problems. As one example of the increasing popularity, a PsycInfo search using the keyword “mindfulness” identified 2,672 peer-reviewed articles published through 2014. When citations are separated by year, the recent popularity is […]
Joshua K. Swift, Ph.D. + 1 more
July 21, 2015
The Role of Vulnerability and Peer-Supervision in Establishing Clinical Competency
With the growing emphasis on Evidence-Based Psychotherapies (EBPs) it is important to take notice that in the community there are generally no assurances of fidelity to a treatment methodology. Consider the following scenario: A young man experiencing symptoms of Panic Disorder is advised by a savvy primary care physician to seek psychotherapy. This gentleman does […]
Scott H. Waltman, Psy.D., ABPP + 1 more
July 13, 2015
An Important Aspect of Educational Orientation in Psychotherapy Supervision
In my supervision practice, I work with doctoral students at the beginning of their work as therapists. These students have either had no therapeutic experience or limited experience. As Chessick (1971) indicated, three critical issues often confront therapists in their shift from classroom to clinic: (a) learning to manage anxiety early on during the treatment […]
C. Edward Watkins, Jr., Ph.D.
May 6, 2015
It’s (Still) All About the Relationship
It has long been assumed that asking a supervisee to explore her conscious and unconscious feelings toward a client will help her work with that client, understand herself better, and ultimately facilitate her professional development (e.g., Ekstein & Wallerstein, 1972; Kagan, 1984). Underlying this assumption is an appreciation for the therapist as the instrument of […]
Myrna L. Friedlander, Ph.D. + 1 more
February 12, 2015
Six Strategies for Successful Supervision
Download a free accompanying PowerPoint presentation from Dr. Barnett here. Clinical supervision is an essential aspect of the training of every psychotherapist (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014). It supplements and significantly adds to the academic education that those in training receive. Clinical supervision received during one’s training can lay the foundation for the neophyte psychotherapist’s clinical […]
Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D., ABPP
January 11, 2015
Cultural Training in Internship
Introduction In recent years, the importance of cultural training in the education of psychologists has been particularly emphasized (American Psychological Association, 2003). However, clear guidelines for cultural training have not been established. As a result, internship sites vary significantly in their notions of what makes cultural training effective (Brooks, Mintz, & Dobson, 2004; Constantine & […]
Tom Wooldridge, Psy.D. + 2 more
December 24, 2014
Confidentiality Practices of Trainees Applying for Clinical Training Positions
The ethical issues involved in writing about clients are complex and were the topic of a recent special section of Psychotherapy, Division 29’s Journal (Samstag, 2012). The five papers in the series (Barnett, 2012; Blechner, 2012; Fischer, 2012; Sieck, 2012; and Woodhouse, 2012) identified a number of implications of a) obtaining consent from a client […]
Katie C. Lewis, M.S. + 1 more
September 24, 2014
Seeking the “Perfect” Match
Despite ongoing efforts to conceptualize and envision possible solutions to resolve the internship imbalance, the problem has continued to escalate (e.g., Baker, McCutcheon, & Keilin, 2007; Grus, McCutcheon, & Berry, 2011; Keilin, Baker, McCutcheon, & Peranson, 2007; McCutcheon, 2011; Rodolfa, Bell, Bieschke, Davis, & Peterson, 2007). The number of students entering the Association of Psychology […]
Jennifer L. Callahan, Ph.D., ABPP + 5 more
September 24, 2014