Supervision is very different

Swedish psychoanalytic psychologist Kurt Gordan describes in his acclaimed 1996 book "Psychotherapy Supervision" how this phenomenon can take several forms. The focus can be on the therapist's work with a client and the techniques used. It can be more about how the relationship between therapist and client works with reactions from both parties. It can also be more directed towards the interaction in supervision between supervisee and supervisor. The focus often changes along the way depending on the supervisee's experience. Gordan makes a strong distinction in ft.a more psychotherapeutic relationship between supervisor and supervisee and advises against this.

My view is that because the supervisee's needs change, I think the collaboration works best if I leave it up to the supervisee to choose the focus. Then I follow along. I work primarily cognitively/narratively and have an eye for the psychodynamic processes in therapy. There may be a supervisee one day who needs to talk about general methodological techniques for specific mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders or psychosis. The next supervisee may have completely different things on their mind. I think,The supervision will be most exciting for the supervisee if we focus on what concerns the supervisee. I don't see any risk in this and over time I have experienced my own supervisors where the focus is even very self-therapeutic. The need changes.