When supervisees rupture: Supervisor rupture reactions and repair — further thoughts and steps along the way

ABSTRACT

The supervision rupture literature has emphasized supervisor rupturing behavior and reparative actions. But supervisees engage in rupturing actions, too. How might their rupturing behavior impact the supervisor/supervisory relationship? And what do supervisors do about supervisee ruptures in order to move forward? I subsequently (re)consider the rupture literature, recognizing supervisee ruptures as a minimally considered supervision reality, foregrounding the supervisee as a potential rupturing party, and providing supervisee rupture examples. I examine how supervisee ruptures can evoke supervisor confrontation and withdrawal rupture reactions and identify supervisor rupture-resolution strategies that can serve as relational corrective.

KEYWORDS:

• Supervisee
• rupture
• humility
• supervisor self-reflection
• pre-cognitive set

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

C. Edward Watkins, Jr

C. Edward Watkins, Jr is Professor of Psychology (on modified service) at the University of North Texas and a trainer/supervisor at the Institute of Psychotherapy, Psychological Counselling and Clinical Supervision, headquartered in Reșița, Romania. His primary professional interests focus on psychotherapy supervision and integrative and psychoanalytic theories, practice, and research. He is editor of the Handbook of Psychotherapy Supervision (1997), co-editor (with Derek Milne) of the Wiley International Handbook of Clinical Supervision (2014), and coauthor (along with Loredana‑Ileana Vîşcu and Ioana‑Eva Cădariu) of the book, Competency Based Training for Clinical Supervisors (2023). He serves as Associate Editor of the International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy and is a Fellow of Divisions 29 (Psychotherapy) and 17 (Counseling Psychology) of the American Psychological Association.