The Supervisory Process Reflected in Dreams of Supervisees

Abstract

The study supports the notion that what may be concealed in the supervisory process may be revealed in the dreams of supervisees. Supervision as well as patient work mean an intense emotional experience for supervisees, especially for beginners in psychotherapy. This emotional experience was reflected in dreams. The supervisory situation reactivates the supervisees' earlier relationships and problems with authority people. This was also expressed in dreams. Stages in the supervisory process have earlier been described in terms of the learning experiences of the supervisees. The present study provides evidence that the supervisory process should not only be described in terms of different stages of learning, but also in terms of different emotional stages, where especially the beginning and end period mean a strong emotional investment.

On demoralization, therapist identity development, and persuasion and healing in psychotherapy supervision.

“…If early therapist development indeed involves gaining some self-perception of competence and confidence (Ecklar-Hart, 1987), then that self-perception is acquired largely through (a) test after test of self-exposure of therapeutic inadequacies and vulnerabilities and (b) learning to cope with all the personal and affective sequelae that that self-exposure entails. Olsson (1991) captured this sentiment well:…”

“…If early therapist development indeed involves gaining some self-perception of competence and confidence (Ecklar-Hart, 1987), then that self-perception is acquired largely through (a) test after test of self-exposure of therapeutic inadequacies and vulnerabilities and (b) learning to cope with all the personal and affective sequelae that that self-exposure entails. Olsson (1991) captured this sentiment well: In order to get help supervisees are requested to reveal to their supervisors their doubtful understanding of patients' dynamics, their technical errors, and own emotional responses. Exposure of self in supervision is an absolute requirement for progress to occur, as the self is used as an instrument in the psychotherapeutic process.…”

Listening, learning, and development in psychoanalytic supervision: A self psychology perspective.

“…As Jacobs, David, and Meyer (1995) have aptly noted, all learning situations pose challenges to an individual's self-esteem and narcissism, but "In doing psychotherapy or analysis, the analyzing instrument one has to learn to use and keep honed is fashioned from one's whole self, which gives these challenges a very personal urgency" (p. 207). Consequently, in the process of becoming a therapist, some experience of anxiety and fragility, feeling overwhelmed and insecure, having self-doubts, and lacking confidence can understandably be quite common (Chazan, 1990;Ecklar-Hart, 1987;Ekstein & Wallerstein, 1958;Ford, 1963;Gill, 1999;Hart, 1985;Olsson, 1991;Watkins, 2012b). Early on, supervisees' mention of their doubts, mistakes, and errors can accordingly be especially difficult and shaming (Alonso & Ruttan, 1988;Graff, 2008).…”

The Secret in Supervision: An Integral Part of the Social Worker's Professional Development

“…In addition to the stage of the supervisee's development, the supervisor should also consider the content of the secret and the supervisee's emotional state. Ollsson's (1991) study of dreams of supervisees and the emotional process in supervision describes the tendency of supervisees to resist the display of their inner feelings in the course of supervision. Apparently, resistance stems from the fear that the supervisees will be assessed as failures and from the fear of insult.…”