Finding Your Cadence: Introducing the Dynamic Developmental Framework of Supervision

Abstract

Supervision is a critical aspect of family therapy training. Previous literature has focused on applying therapy models to the process of supervision. Less emphasis has been given to the vital ingredients that make up the supervision system. The supervision system (SVS), the core of our approach, refers to the relationship between the supervisor and the supervisee. While such a relational system is informed by cultural, social, economic, and personal variables, we emphasize seven pivot points for this relationship: power, trust, communication, respect, flexibility, creativity, and self-of-the-supervisee. Using case illustrations, we explore how these seven pivot points can be used to adapt to the developmental level of the supervisee in a process that we introduce as the dynamic developmental framework of supervision. Last, we provide a supervision rating scale to help supervisees explore their supervision system in practice.