BEYOND PARALLEL PROCESS: RELATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON FIELD INSTRUCTION

Abstract

This article explores the implications of contemporary rela- tional perspectives for transforming our understanding and use of the concept of parallel process in supervisory relationships in social work field instruction. We review the history of the concept of parallel process, summarize current rela- tional views in psychodynamic supervision, and critique the social work litera- ture in light of the paradigmatic shift to a relational, constructivist viewpoint. We present two vignettes illustrating how relational sensibilities enrich our un- derstanding and increase the effectiveness of the field instruction relationship. We relocate parallel process, which up to now has been a primary, organizing framework in psychodynamic supervision, in a larger relational matrix, where it is one element in a complex, interactive process and serves as a marker for fur- ther exploration in reflective social work practice. Field instruction is the centerpiece of social work education, provid- ing an experiential overlay to theoretical underpinnings of practice. The practicum is the arena in which the student integrates theoretical know- ledge with actual case material, acquiring skills in assessment, employ- ing models of treatment, and testing intervention strategies. An essen- tial component of field instruction is the relationship between the field instructor and the student, since the supervisor models professional be- havior, explores therapeutic impasses, delineates ethical boundaries, and lays the groundwork upon which the student builds a professional self. Intrinsic to the supervisory relation is the parallel process, an un- conscious reenacting by the student with the supervisor of the issues