title: Development of the psychotherapy supervisor: review of and reflections on 30 years of theory and research.
abstract: The psychotherapy supervisor's development (i.e., the unfolding process of growth in being and becoming a supervisor) has long been considered a substantive issue in clinical supervision. Theory and clinical wisdom suggest that supervisors' level of development can have a significant and far-reaching impact on the supervision experience, potentially affecting supervisory alliance formation, in-session conceptualization and strategy utilization, and even the outcomes experienced by both supervisees and patients. Consensus seems to be that there is a critical need for empirical study of psychotherapy supervisor development. But with a generation of theory and research on psychotherapy supervisor development behind us, what do we know (or not know); where does this area of inquiry stand today, and what do we need to know about supervisor development going forward? In this paper, I attempt to address those questions. I examine the last 30-year period (approximately) of supervisor development theory, measurement, and quantitative and qualitative study; provide a contemporary status report of sorts on this subject; and identify some important matters for research and practical consideration. Despite a generation of inquiry, the psychotherapy supervisor still remains the largely unknown party in the supervision experience. But that long-standing reality can be changed, some possibilities for doing so are presented, and the promise of supervisor development study is seen to be an ever-inviting hope that awaits realization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, USA. watkinsc@unt.edu
authors.forename: C Edward
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Watkins
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008611:Mentors / Q000193:education*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000193:education*; D012106:Research; D013663:Teaching