Jan Grant

Managing difficulties in supervision: supervisors' perspectives.

Few studies have examined the practice wisdom of expert supervisors. This study addresses this gap by exploring how experienced supervisors manage difficulties in supervision in the context of the supervisory relationship. The supervisors were a purposive sample of 16 senior members of the profession with considerable expertise in supervision. In-depth interviews were first conducted with the supervisors. An interpersonal process recall method was then used to explore their reflections on one of their DVD-recorded supervision sessions. Analysis of transcripts was completed using a modified consensual qualitative research method. Major difficulties included the broad domains of supervisee competence and ethical behavior, supervisee characteristics, supervisor countertransference, and problems in the supervisory relationship. Supervisors managed these difficulties using 4 key approaches: relational (naming, validating, attuning, supporting, anticipating, exploring parallel process, acknowledging mistakes, and modeling); reflective (facilitating reflectivity, remaining mindful and monitoring, remaining patient and transparent, processing countertransference, seeking supervision, and case conceptualizing); confrontative (confronting tentatively, confronting directly, refusing/terminating supervision, taking formal action, referring to personal therapy, and becoming directive); and avoidant interventions (struggling on, withholding, and withdrawing). Two brief case studies illustrate the process of applying these strategies sequentially in managing difficulties. The study highlights the importance of relational strategies to maintain an effective supervisory alliance, reflective strategies-particularly when difficulties pertain to clinical material and the supervisory relationship-and confrontative strategies with unhelpful supervisee characteristics and behaviors that impede supervision.

Intrafamilial adolescent sex offenders: family functioning and treatment

Abstract This paper examines the families of intrafamilial adolescent sex offenders attending a community-based treatment program. Qualitative and quantitative data were used to measure family functioning before and after 12 months of treatment. Families were characterised as disorganised, uncommunicative and adversarial. Most of the young offenders, many of whom were themselves victims of abuse, came from step, blended or foster families. Seventy-four percent had no, or minimal, contact with at least one biological parent. Conflicts between family members were rarely resolved satisfactorily. After treatment, interviewees reported better family communication and fewer conflicts; there were also significant improvements on a measure of family functioning. Adolescents and their parents reported improvements in self-control, social skills and emotional regulation. Improvements were more likely when at least one parent was engaged in treatment. These findings emphasise the need for treatment to target parents as well as the adolescent offender when intrafamilial sexual abuse occurs.

A global portrait of counselling psychologists’ characteristics, perspectives, and professional behaviors

Counseling psychologists in eight countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) responded to survey questions that focused on their demographics as well as their professional identities, roles, settings, and activities. As well, they were asked about satisfaction with the specialty and the extent to which they endorsed 10 core counseling psychology values. This article reports those results, focusing both on areas in which there were between-country similarities as well as on those for which there were differences. These data provide a snapshot of counseling psychology globally and establish a foundation for the other articles in this special issue of the journal.

Career-long supervision: Patterns and perspectives

Abstract The counselling/psychotherapy profession is relatively unique in its tradition of ongoing supervision of practising professionals after training has been completed. However, it is unclear whether most counselling and psychotherapy professionals continue with supervision once they have qualified, and what kinds of factors are associated with this decision. This research describes factors associated with the frequency of ongoing supervision among psychotherapists and counsellors. The study design used a cross-sectional workforce survey of members of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) member associations, representing around 2,500 members. A total of 316 members participated. Ninety-six per cent of the sample reported receiving ongoing psychotherapy supervision. Twenty percent received supervision weekly and 35% fortnightly. Most received individual supervision, with 8% receiving only group supervision and 9% only peer supervision. A multivariate logistic regression an...

Developing psychotherapists' competence through clinical supervision: protocol for a qualitative study of supervisory dyads

BackgroundMental health professionals face unique demands and stressors in their work, resulting in high rates of burnout and distress. Clinical supervision is a widely adopted and valued mechanism of professional support, development, and accountability, despite the very limited evidence of specific impacts on therapist or client outcomes. The current study aims to address this by exploring how psychotherapists develop competence through clinical supervision and what impact this has on the supervisees’ practice and their clients’ outcomes. This paper provides a rationale for the study and describes the protocol for an in-depth qualitative study of supervisory dyads, highlighting how it addresses gaps in the literature.Methods/DesignThe study of 16–20 supervisor-supervisee dyads uses a qualitative mixed method design, with two phases. In phase one, supervisors who are nominated as expert by their peers are interviewed about their supervision practice. In phase two, supervisors record a supervision session with a consenting supervisee; interpersonal process recall interviews are conducted separately with supervisor and supervisee to reflect in depth on the teaching and learning processes occurring. All interviews will be transcribed, coded and analysed to identify the processes that build competence, using a modified form of Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) strategies. Using a theory-building case study method, data from both phases of the study will be integrated to develop a model describing the processes that build competence and support wellbeing in practising psychotherapists, reflecting the accumulated wisdom of the expert supervisors.DiscussionThe study addresses past study limitations by examining expert supervisors and their supervisory interactions, by reflecting on actual supervision sessions, and by using dyadic analysis of the supervisory pairs. The study findings will inform the development of future supervision training and practice and identify fruitful avenues for future research.

The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia: How the federation model contributes to the field

The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) is a self‐regulating professional peak body, comprising more than 40 professional associations for counselling and psychotherapy in Australia. It represents over 3000 individual practitioners from a range of counselling and psychotherapy backgrounds. This paper describes the decade‐long national consultative processes among practitioners, educators, and professional associations, which has resulted in a unique umbrella structure for member associations. This umbrella structure, the federation, has the potential to embrace and unite the field of psychotherapy and counselling, while maintaining the individual identity and purposes of member associations, in Australia. After describing the development, structures, and goals of PACFA, the paper outlines its major achievements. It then describes an important project on Self‐Regulation in Counselling and Psychotherapy. The objectives of this project are to investigate and further develop an Austr...

Counselling Psychology in Australia: History, status and challenges

Counselling psychology in Australia has developed and matured since its emergence in the 1970s. This article provides a brief historical overview and situates counselling psychology (CP) in relation to other applied areas of psychology in Australia. A review of registration, professional organisations, work and role settings and core features is provided. Australian counselling psychologists work predominantly in private practice, as well as hospitals, counselling agencies, universities, medical practices, prisons and government departments. They provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment for mental health disorders and psychological problems related to adverse life events. In addition, they provide couple, family and group therapies. Challenges facing CP in Australia are explored, including a reduction in training programmes, inequities in funding for psychological services and tensions with the definition and description of the scopes of practice.