Teaching Philosophy: Psychotherapy Supervision

My supervision of apprentice psychotherapists takes place in two contexts, a small group akin to a seminar, and individual meetings. Small group meetings are designed to create an informal atmosphere for the discussion of issues related to becoming a psychotherapist. Meetings include discussion of specific cases, professional issues, or scientific developments; demonstrations of different psychotherapeutic techniques; and role-playing exercises in which students "practice" on each other, providing experience from both perspectives of the therapy relationship. Individual supervision involves addressing personal as well as technical issues as they are discovered in the course of the student's work. I place a high premium on facilitating psychotherapists' discovery and development of the style of conducting therapy that is effective for them, so that they can utilize technical skills they are developing most naturally. Because this often involves dealing with questions concerning self-confidence, focusing on personal development as it impacts professional development turns out to be a major means of providing support in this challenging context. Professional development assignments foster self-evaluation and challenge students to integrate their identity, values, and beliefs into their work.