The Supervisory Encounter: A Guide for Teachers of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis

Rating:
Summary: An invaluable resource for teachers of psychotherapy.
Review: This is an essential book for the supervising psychotherapist, be the supervisor a psychologist, a marriage and family therapist, a psychiatrist, a social worker or an analyst.

The authors succeed in conveying the subtleties and nuances of teaching psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis in an easy to read and well-organized manner. The content is serious and clinically sophisticated. The authors' candor and many real life examples keep the reader riveted as specific supervisory encounters are presented along with clinically well thought out teaching strategies. Throughout the text suggested supervisory interventions are accompanied by clinical explanation.

This book lends a refreshing clinical depth to the chapters dedicated to the opening phase of supervision, supervisory interventions and termination. In my opinion, the chapters on Self-Esteem Issues for the Supervisee and The Supervisor's Role reach the core of the delicate balance of the supervisory relationship. Other chapter titles include: Inductive and Associative Modes of Thought, Affect and Professional Development and, How Personal Should Supervision Be?

In The Supervisory Encounter there is no dogmatic stance but instead the reader encounters an attitude that is tolerant of different individual styles of supervision and of learning. This attitude conveys compassion and respect for both the supervisee and the supervisor while maintaining the boundary and the distinction between psychotherapy and the teaching of psychotherapy.