Considerations and Strategies for Enhancing the Supervision and Training of Foreign-Born Spanish-Speaking Supervisees

Abstract

Efforts to train clinicians proficient in the delivery of Spanish services have expanded in response to the mental health needs of the growing Spanish speaking population. This article proposes a set of strategies for the supervision of foreign-born supervisees who were raised and educated in Spanish outside of the U.S. mainland. The considerations for such strategies include mentorship, use of a new language in a new country, supervisory relationship, fostering community, racial/ethnic identity, cultural adaptation process, and professional identity and practice conventions. A case example is presented to illustrate how considerations and strategies can be incorporated into the supervision experience. Psychologists who demonstrate competency in the provision of bilingual supervision promote satisfaction in their supervisees’ training experience. Psychologists must be capable and willing to promote biculturalism among bicultural supervisees and to foster an appreciation for biculturalism for all supervisees, including those who are not bicultural. It is hoped that the considerations proposed can help support supervisors in incorporating concepts that will help enhance the provision of racial and culturally responsive supervision.