Have a seat: Supervisee perspectives on using chair-based role plays in clinical supervision.

Abstract

Research indicates that supervision plays a critical role in the training of clinical psychologists. Nevertheless, there remain important gaps in our understanding of how particular supervision techniques are implemented, and how such techniques impact supervisees on their path to professional practice. This article presents two case illustrations demonstrating how the use of chair-based role plays in supervision can positively influence a supervisee's therapeutic confidence and empathy, and can foster the processing of emotional blocks, all of which have implications for practice. We support the illustrations with literature on the use of chair work in emotion-focused therapy and mindfulness-based role play, and we conclude with some limitations and cautions about role plays in supervision, along with recommendations for future research in the area.

The Effect of Discrimination Model-based Group Supervision on Counseling Self-Efficacy and Insights of Novice Supervisees

“…In addition, the structure of the DM allows for the transition between supervision focuses (counseling performance skills, cognitive counseling skills, self-awareness, and professional behavior) and roles (teacher, counselor, and consultant) based on the supervision needs (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014;Timm, 2015), which may have allowed novice supervisees to increase in all dimensions of counseling self-efficacy. Similarly, supervision studies emphasized that adopting an instructive, supportive, and guiding approach for novice supervisees (Aladağ, 2014;Bird & Jonnson, 2020;Swank & McCarthy, 2015) and implementing a supervision process centered on skills (Bakalım et al, 2018;Baigorri et al, 2021;Hunter, 2021), conceptualization (Milne et al, 2011), professional behaviors, and self-awareness (Aladağ, 2014;Calvert et al, 2020) enhanced their counseling self-efficacy in a manner sensitive to their supervision needs. In addition to studies demonstrating that DM-based group supervision is directly effective in enhancing counseling self-efficacy (see, Brown et al, 2018;Ülker Tümlü, 2019), there are also studies demonstrating that supervision processes based on the integration of DM with various models and approaches are effective in enhancing counseling self-efficacy (see, Brejcha, 2021;Carnes-Holt et al, 2014;Stinchfield et al, 2018).…”

“…In this context, it is possible to improve the counseling self-efficacy of novice supervisees by focusing on four supervision focuses and three supervisor roles in supervision. In fact, novice supervisees need their supervisors to have both instructive and empathetic and supportive approaches (Aladağ, 2014;Bird & Jonnson, 2020;Swank & McCarthy, 2015). These approaches to be demonstrated by supervisors correspond to the roles of teacher, counselor, and advisor emphasized by the DM.…”

Introduction to the special issue: Supervisee perspectives of supervision processes.

“…There is also emerging evidence that exceptionally good supervisors (as opposed to typical ones) may exert a positive effect on client outcomes (Bambling, King, Raue, Schweitzer, & Lambert, 2006; Callahan, Almstrom, Swift, Borja, & Heath, 2009; Wrape, Callahan, Ruggero, & Watkins, 2015). In this issue, these impacts are brought to life via Bird and Jonnson’s (2020) narrative detailing the role of supervision in skill acquisition. Similarly, Simon (2020) provides several examples of how a supervisor’s scaffolding of self-awareness led to better case conceptualizations and improved delivery of specific psychotherapy techniques.…”