Narratives of harmful clinical supervision: Introduction to the Special Issue

ABSTRACT

Despite the ethical mandate “do no harm,” harmful clinical supervision seems to be occurring internationally among mental health disciplines at an alarming rate. Harmful supervision appears to be largely unacknowledged, unrecognized, and not understood, especially from the supervisees’ perspective. This Special Issue presents 11 anonymous narratives written by supervisees across four mental health disciplines and four continents, plus three reaction articles from supervision experts. The introduction article delineates the rationale for and procedures utilized in obtaining the narratives. The closing article synthesizes the Special Issue contributions, offering conclusions, implications, and recommendations to address harmful supervision systemically across disciplines and internationally.

KEYWORDS:

• Clinical supervision
• counselor training
• professional ethics
• harmful supervision
• unethical supervision

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the contributions of and the insightful comments from Dr. Erica Ellis, Andrew Gibson, and Mackenzie McNamara on earlier drafts of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael V. Ellis

Michael V. Ellis, PhD, a University at Albany Professor, is an experienced practitioner, clinical supervisor, and supervisor trainer, with teaching and research interests in multicultural clinical supervision, supervisor training, and research methodology, psychometrics, and statistics. He is an Approved Clinical Supervisor, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), a Fulbright Scholar, and a Distinguished Professional Achievement Award recipient (Supervision and Training Section, Division 17, APA, 2010). He conducts clinical supervision workshops nationally and internationally.

Englann J. Taylor

Englann J. Taylor, BA, is a PhD student and instructor in the Counseling Psychology program at the University at Albany. Her research interests include multicultural competence and cross-cultural considerations in clinical supervision. She has presented on the topics of international and multicultural supervision at national conferences.

Dylan A. Corp

Dylan A. Corp is a doctoral student in University at Albany’s Counseling Psychology program. His research interests include clinical supervision, counselor training, and the power and influence of peers in meaning-making. He is a student leader in Division 17 of APA and in the Psychological Association of Northeastern New York.

Heidi Hutman

Heidi Hutman is a doctoral candidate in the Division of Counseling Psychology at the University at Albany, and a predoctoral intern at the University of Maryland’s Counseling Center. She received her master’s degree in counseling psychology from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and is licensed as a professional counselor in the province of Quebec. Heidi’s research interests are in the areas of clinical supervision and training, and multicultural competence and diversity issues.

Kelsey A. Kangos

Kelsey A. Kangos, MS, is a PhD student and instructor in the Counseling Psychology program at the University at Albany. Her research interests include clinical supervision, the working alliance, psychotherapy process, and cultural humility. She has presented on the topics of clinical supervision and psychotherapy process at national and international conferences.