The Developing Psychotherapy Supervisor: The Experience of Change and Growth in the Early Years

Abstract

While the impact of clinical supervision on psychotherapist professional development is well documented in the literature, far less is known about the professional development of the psychotherapy supervisor. This study explored experiences perceived as being most impactful to the professional development of novice psychotherapy supervisors. Phenomenology provided the framework to investigate the primary research question: What experiences do novice clinical supervisors perceive to be most helpful or challenging to their professional development and growth? The research participants chosen for this study represented both the early and later phases within the novice supervisory stage of development. Three participants with approximately one-year experience in providing supervision were followed during a six-month long period of providing supervision. They completed monthly journal entries and sat for an hour-long, semi-structured interview two months after the completion of the journal entries. Three additional participants with approximately three years of experience providing clinical supervision completed a retrospective interview reflecting on the impactful experiences nearing the end of this novice supervisor phase. The participants of this study indicated reflexivity and spirituality, positive interactions with supervisees, and previous clinical experiences as being positively impactful to their growth and development as supervisors. The results of this study contribute to expand the current –and limited- understanding of what experiences in initial practice are considered most impactful on supervisor development. This study contributes to the field with the development of a theoretical proposition on supervisor development, as well as a practical training application in the form of a guidebook for new supervisors.